The New York herald., 1870-01-20
CUSTOM HOUSE CARRIAGE.
The Appointments Under the New Systematic
District Cartmen and Sub-Agents-The
Rules and Organization

IL will be remembered that the Custom House
authorities divided the city INTO eight different cart
age districts some time ago, tho area OF which dis
trcts has already been described at length in the
HERALD.
The Collector determined. when tho new plan was
rst proposed to place the districts under general
superintendent, no to be assisted by sub-agent In
each district the carriage IN the districts to De
awarded to contractors. The plan was a simple one
and gave promise Of reducing the carriage business
to system SO complete that tho ABUSES which had
crept into 1t OF late years would be done away WITH
and 1t consequently received the endorsement Of all
the 'sOd heads, In the Custom House who were con-
suited about the matter.
Yesterday the first practical step was taken to in
augurate the new system, and this was done by the
appointment OF Colonel Wilbur Stocking as General
superintendent OF the Districts ana the awarding
OF the contracts to the following persons:-
First distrct--W. Il. KeyesL
Second dtstrlct-Charles koile.
Third dislrict-w. IL. Aiberts0n aud Charles H.
DelamRter.
Fourtnap pstrlct-G. b. Deane and Thomas Gross
Fifth diStrlct-OakIey Frost and VI. H. n. Ban
chard.
sixth district-G. A. Holman
Seventh district-JOhn NJ. ManOne.
Eightn dstrct-JOhn NJ. Mahone.
In addition to she general superintendent there
viii be, az has already been toned. sub agent
to each district at salary OF about $1,000 year.
These sub-agents VIII have general supervision Of
the cartng business, and Will DC expected to watch
smugglers and make seizures. These sub.ageuts
will De appointed to-day.
There Il also to be very important change In the
regulations concerning the collecting of carriage on
imported goods at this port. According " the old
system the carriage on goods sent from tho ships
bond to tho bonded warehouses was paid by the
prOpretors Of warehouses when the vessels were
discharged, or when the goods were received. The
the owners OF goods, together with their charges.
After the goods In bond mad been examined az the
appraisers stores and transferred to the warehouses
II was paid or tho prOpretOrs OF The warehouses and
then collected from the owner OF the goods. Wnen
the goods were under tho charge OF q debenturs
oflicer and In transit In bond from the vessels to
places Of shipment the parties receiving the goods
to forward them TO their destination paid the cart
age. 1t was PAID by the OF the public store
once . week (the government paying the carriage
without any refundlng from any's0urce) whenever
the goods were sent from vessels aud general order
stores TO appraisers stores for examination. ana
general order carriage was paid by the proprietor OF
the general order stores when the vessel was dts
charged, and then collected by the proprietor from
the owner OF the goods, togesner with his charges
Tor storage.
These regulations are still in force. but viii be
changed la few days, and IL Ii believed thar the
cnange Will save to the government large amount
OF money In carriage.
In the first place. the new regulations will efYectu-
ally prevent overcnarXng OF merchants for carriage
to warehouses. Tne complaints maze 10 the Col
lecyor on this subject have been very many during
past months but the cartmen were certainly not 10
blame. On the contrary, IL has transpred that the
propretor OF warehouses cheat the cartmen out
goods and then try to get out OF the vlany by say
ing that the amount said to DO overch2rged Is paid
by them TO the cartmen
AnoIher Improvement TO be found in the sys-
TEN will be the sending OF gooda 10 the warehouse
as they reach me wharf, and this will be n
matter OF grext Importance TO the merchants. o.
everybody win clearly see. BY the new arrange
the district contractor has 70 give personal
attention 70 MIS- district and wiz not be very well
able some inspectors are AZ present, TO favor
tain parties (or consideratlon) In sending goods
to the warehouse. Under she present regulations
the cartmen have the inspectors completely in their
power far % the return OF the atters tickets are
concerned which tickets are given out for the re-
turn OF the goods sent from ships to appraisers
stores or warehouses. 1t often happens that the
spectOrs are unable. from some cause another, to
get their tickets until alter the lapse OF days
after the giving Gus OF the goods, ana the gov
eminent virtually loses the services OF the inspector
until he obtains the tickets, - without them he
could not make proper return OF goods delivered.
Yet another good effect Of the new regulations.
They knock all hatchels' IL the head that ID, fees
received by inspectors who discharge the vessels.
the cartInen for giving the carriage to friends
Of the latter. These ''hatcnels" always consist,
when colluslon exists between the inspectors and
cartmen, in the formers getting percentage on
the amount OF carriage they may get out OF the ship
and, as matter OF course when the inspectors and
cartmen put their heads together IN c0llusion or
this kind It IL to their benefit 70 maze ~ many cart
loads out OF . cargo as possible. IL VIII be seen
that the new regulations will DO away with great
many abuses which merchants and The government
alike have suffered from considerably for o long
tiin0 past.