The New York herald., 1871-03-04
THE CUSTOM HOUSE REPORT.
Result Of the Investigation Of Senator Pat.
tersOn'S Committee.
The General Order and Carriage Busi.
ness in New York.
THE PRESENT SYSTEM Unsatisfactory

WAsnINGTON March 3, 1871.
| The joint select committee on retrenchment, wht
| were, by resolution Of the Senate, passed Decem
Der H. 1870. instructed to furnish comparative de
| tailed statement of the cost of collecting the Gus
toms revenue OF the ports OF New York, Boston
Philadelphia, Baltimore New Orleans and san Fran
cisco, with such recommendations favorlng reduc
tion in such expenses they may deem compatible
with the interests OF the public service; also to par
tcuary report on the present system and practices
connected with the warehousing business at the
port OF New York; also In relation to what is com.
monty known as the general order business and the
carriage Of goods while in custody Of the govern
ment, beg leave TO submit the following
REPORT:--
Under the clause of the foregoing resolution the COM
mit,ee have prepared comparative statement Of the
81 Pd of h e.
S' ss VIII found form l n
T. 81 :.ssss:s
Of collecting New orean. since been materially
reduced as i shown by similar statement Of the
percentage Of expense no criterion by which to
Judge the comparative economy of the at the
certain amount OF Official machinery is necessary when
ever custom honse is established and the ratio OF
There are other which should be taken into
consideration but which can be ascerained only by
Tney do not therefore, feel prepared recommend any
REDUCES TIE 5nsEs EXPENSES OF
The % nnan S time
the ser part the resolaon BRIEF espannon
70 SfE ssEsssP Fss
After vessel is entered at the Custom House certain
hs lime general order gwen BY tae Collector Of ,he
E dy jig
. nss % is I
1929 the time allowed was five days In 1864 reduced
tnder aiDs The iSen secretary Of the Treasury The
n om sa aS e Of s ws @ 70 allow
sti obtains Prior 1854 the time allowed gave the
%ss M ss S Be- s ss
msa s here aed vss s . ,
As however the use Of steam vessels and bust
long delay great upon shp haa1"s owner e
Sa @ d law q M hot Gn ss ms @
made for Immediate delivery the Collector mGh ss
a. once steamship lines Which have days Of de-
n Tn n an IF 10 ons ss especially
to and load with the utmost expedeney in order
steamship lines landing Hoboken Jersey City built
which v.,s nsras nds, ySos % Trs
Un,ed States Custom House ocsss immtdiaisy on the
s S
hoqs S without 70 The sonssnees
protected il the goods had on board the ve
s w0 rss Ssy
existed for years, far have been
able to learn TO the satefaction OF al on lie
Let day Of February 1870 the Collector Of the Port
10 general order stores New York control
OF private parties where they charged storage
although removed by the instantly their arrival
HEAVY EXPENSE FOR cARTAoE AND STORAGE
averaging according the testimony 81 every
package, SMALL and the goods subjected
danger OF theft and damage during the transit
vessel to the storehonse This charge 10 paid by
from the general order store within foytyeigbt
hours but at the expense Of the importers through
increased rates Of freight All the order
being storehouses they very muc crowded
which necessarily produces confusion and DELAY to The
great Inconvenience OF the merchants.
The committee have been able 10 discover advantage
resulting from this change to any except
ling the general order busneAs. The
REASONS GIVEN THE COLLECTOR
Tor taking the general order goods from the
and Hoboken stores that they that
os.es resulted therefrom both to the mercEants aud
bonded goods, and that the steamship companies
or their agents were themselves importers, having
their own goods in those All charges have
been nvestgaeby the agents Of the Treasury Department
and oy the committee and both the The Tea
euy agents satisfied that they
Dy the evidence They could OF but
loss from these storehouses both
sno no evidence Was presented showing that there had been
srnueeling from them One tesfed thai dur
The past Ten AT The the city
York he has lost theft about $4,000 without recognized
liability on the part OF any ono Other testify
similar experience
THY ooSPLAIS
OF damage 10 their goods by being handled by
aud VI the heavy rates o they
PEELED 10 account o! The position The
ifom frauds on te government In insap during
AOpQa IeL,, veu from