New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-04


Committee Retrenchment who WERE py reSolu'i 'S
the Senate passed Dec H. 1870 instructed to furnish
comparative detailed statement OF the cost OF
the Customs revenue Of the ports or New-iorh' Do'
PHILADELPHIA, Baltimore New-Oreans, ana san ri'
CISCO with such recommendations fayorng reuu0'iC
IN such expenses as they may deem compatiDe VIII" ~
interests of the public service also to report paro
larly on the present system and practices cOnnecoeo
the warehouse business at the port OF NewforK ana III
relation 20 what is commonly known as the deheIai
Order business and the carriage OF goods WINE III to
custody of the Government beg leave to submit the io
lowing report: ., .,o
Under the first clause Of the foregoing resolution inc
Committee have prefaced a comparative Statement "
the Customs from various sources, also te ~
the percentage OF expense on the amount ction of
San Francisco, for the year ending June So aoG 6 an
statement will be found n tabular FORM rom vi" iTo
on 995 10 Of collections at New YORK. 20
s5O2i2Od Of collections 6woTeaSs has since
been materially reduced. as Is shown 10y t sor
statement OF the Customs n 81 sT The percentage Of
expenses is no criterion by which TO judge OF tne COM
paratye economy of the administration az the diilerent
ports certain amount OF official machinery Is hsegs
sary whenever Custom-HOuse ID estabnsheG anu t to
business Is he smallest There other circumstance
which should be taken into consideration, put wn t ya
tHan the Committee have had time to make. They DO
not therefore feel prepared to recommend any pan IOt
reducing the expenses OF collecting the revenue
further Investigation and comparison
THE GENERAL ORDER BUSINESS.
Tho Committee have spent considerable time, ana
have take taken large amount Of testimony upon tne
subject embraced In the latter part OF the resouoh
brief explanation may conduce TO better understand
ing of what is commonly known as the General Order
bnsiness After vessel is entered at the Custom House.
a certain time IS allowed 10 cOnsignees IN when ~ Pat
their duties and take possession OF their goods Az
tbe exnration of that time General Order Is given bY
tie Collector of the Port to discharge the cargo anu al
merchandise remaining on board Il anded anu
into OF the Custom House OUclds boOls
discharged under the order known as General Or
der goods" Under the law Of lIs, the time allowed was
three days, and in 1851 to one day Under
tho ruling Of the then Secretary OF the Treasury the
Hon s. r. Chase the laws of 1861 were interpreted TO
hours from the time OF entry and ma eSnS gaTe
The merchant ample opportunity to pay his duties ana
take his goods that very little was lett to be dis,
charged under General Order, aud the Government leu
conducted what little there was Of the General ORDER
business As however the use OF steam vessels increased
rapid manner, the long delay was found d , TOO
great burden upon shlpoWners ahg nv baya 90 ~
steamers, but provided that In case contract was aue
for immediate delivery the Collector might take Po1s
which have regular days or departure this matter OF
small Importance and especially III winter, Tlen a
unusually long age makes II necessary 20 alsehrBe
load with the utmost expedition In order 10 SAL at INC
~ facilitate their business the steamship lines landing
HobOken and Jersey City built warehouses upon tef
control Of u. s. Custom House officers. Immediately on
the arrival steamship its cargo was discharged into
stored for IS hours without expense TO the consgnees
BY this arrangement the interests Of the Government
Seep taken " On board the vessel and the steam
ship companies saved two days time without any IN
many years and far the Committee have been able
to learn to the satisfaction Of all parties but on inc ls
that all goods discharged under General Order should DO
sent General Order store in NewIork under the
control Of private parties, where they are charged
q months storage although removed by tne
instantly their arrival This entails heayy
the testimony, about 81 70 on every package, large
or small and the goods subjected to tho danger OF
theft and damage during the transit from the vessel to the
storeholse The charge "a paid by the steamship com
store whiting hours, but at the expense OF the i'm
porters through increased OF freight. All the Gen
eral Order business being done at two storehoqses
necessarily produces confusion and delay to
COMMITTEES have been unable to discover any advantage
resulting from this change to one except parties CON
trolling General Order business The reasons given ny
the Collector for taking the General Order goods away
from the Jersey City ard Hoboken stores were that they
merchants aud TO the Goycrnment that they were also
used for bonded goods and that the steamship COMPANIES
their own goods in those stores. "
All these charges have been Investigated by agents or
the Treasury Department and TX the Committee, and
both the Committee and the Treasury agents were
They could learn Of but two instances OF loss from those
stOrehouses both occurring some years ago. ana no am
emuegiing from them One merchant testified that dur
ing the past ten years IN tho City Of NewYork he has
part Of any one whereas at the Cunard and HobOken
warehouses he has never lost one dollar. Other 1ner
complain OF damage to their goods by being
handled by inexperienced carman and OF the heavy rates
OF insurance they compelled to pay on account OF the
exposed position OF the present General Order store.
Willie single instance is shown OF loss to the Hoboken
that tho General order stores OF New-York
afford ample opportunities for frauds on the ne
one instance during the last summer large amount OF
ef.ra in Npu
owner order 10 avoid the payment Of duties ana Their
place was supplied with similar cases filled with rubbish
The fraud was discovered and the parties controlling
stores aed TO avoid arrest and the Government or
The Committee have sought to learn fully the merits
and evils Of the present system compared with those OF
posed i'm order to devise II possible satisfactory
and suggestions OF the Custom House officers aud OF
seem to agree that there is room for Improvement,
which existing evils may be remedied. Merchants
importing by steamship lines which land at H0-
Goken or Jersey City, were generally satisfied with
the arrangements OF the companies for the storing OF
General Order goods and regard the order OF the Col
removing them TO NewYork as unwise and detr
mental alike to the interests Of commerce and the Gov
eminent. While confident that the order was issued
with the best and most honorable motives, the COiI
mtee have been unable TO discover sufficient reasons
Tor It's issue, results which make advisable lts
ance IN force The expense OF handng ana c ndsp
caused by the officers or the GeherhI oIues
stores from the docks is az and Ta
the greatest objections to the present system an o,
GUS plans have been suggested looking 10 lts Telno.
The Committee have not bad time 10 luy COnsueI lct
plans and WILL therefore, only mention some OF the most
feasible ones with the objections that were immediately
sug gested
REMEDIES PROPOSED.
1t is proposed by the Collector to refuse 10 allow
generaorder goods to be discharged until the expra
ton OF As hours after the entry Of the vessels and to
continue permits unload between sunset and sunrise
This would allow merchants more time TO get permits
before the goods were discharged bat wouid geheray
delay their delivery, as it would be impossible FOR
merchant obtain his goods till they IN ther turn
were landed the dock. 1t frequently happens
now I'm the hurry and confusion OF unloading that
although a merchants carman IL present with n