The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-04-16
GENERAL APPRAISER or uERCHAND,sE.

Charles Anderson Dana has been appointed
General Appraiser OF the Port OF New York. vice Mr..
Thomas McErath, ct present holding that ONCE
With the duties OF the Appraiser and Assistant
Appraisers OF this port the public at large has,
probably no greater acquaintance than the title OF
the onlcc affords them. It may, Therefore, Ds proper
to state what they are
The ONCE OF Appraiser OF the Port OF New York
was created July u, 1885. by the act OF that date
there L. authorized the appointment OF an ap.
prslser. at a salary OF $4,000 per annum, and ten
assistant appraisers, at yearly salary OF $4,000
each. These latter are appointed by the Secretary
OF the Treasury. The examiners, OF whom there are
thirty-elqht, are paid 1900 year each.
The law prescribes that the chief appraiser and
his assistants snail have been appraisers or pract.
cally acquainted with the quality OF some one or
more OF the chief articles OF Importation subject TO
appraisement and the chief shall take and sub.
scribe an oath that he Will direct and supervise
the examination, inspection and appraisemcnt Of
all such articles a. the collector shall direct.
~ ~ hardly necessary to state that the
appraisers are appointed to estimate the value OF
imported wares and merchandise, the appraisement
OF which IL directed nv the Collector OF the port In
ordor TO calculate the amount Of ad valorem duty
~ which such goods are subject. Assistant
appraisers are required 10 furnish the appraiser on
the FIRST day Of every month with written report OF
the number OF invoices AMI Gppraisement orders
passed and classified aud the number or cases ami
packages examined IN their respective divisions
during the month preceding; t1ese ne transmits TO
the Collector. All invo ces ten days on hand must
be reported TO the appraiser, IN writing, the LIST
and 10th OF each month, together with the reasons,
n any, for their nonrctnrn. The invoices are re.
turned by the appraiser TO the Collector n the
goods are not IN store II they are he directs
their immediate appralscment. All differences
OF opinion on mateIso regular or current business
between the assistant examiners, clerks aud veri.
hers are referred to the Appraiser. who decides
them. ON the receipt OF cases Of goods In the ex-
animation rooms they ere marked with u stencil
plate o. loows:-" Received In the Appraisers De-
partnent -, 1s6-.n II the case looks as n 10 had
been opened or tempered wtI or Ia not In good or.
der the marker adds the words "n bad orlcr,r and
the case Will then remain unopened until the lid
directed TO he forced In the presence Of an assistant
| appraiser examiner. The government store
Keepers receive such are passed by the an.
praisers aud examiners, which, until that occurs re.
! main unmarked. Monthly reports are submitted to
\ the appraiser by his subor1nates, which lie ex-
amines and, II approved, submits to the
Collector. These reports contain tho num-
| Der OF invoices aud appraisoment orders
passed and classified and the number OF cases
| inspected 10 each division during the month pre-.
| cedlng. The divisions number ten, each presided
over by an assistant appraiser presiding ofcer,
| and 10 each ~ assigned the duty OF appraslng
| specific kinds Of merchandise Before an invoice IL
returned from The appraiser 10 the Collector report