New-York tribune., 1872-04-24
CUSTOM-HOUSE REFORM.
IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

TION OE THE APPRAISERS DEPARTMENT
CUSToM-H0USE oATHs CoNDEMNED-Ihh
PROPER MANAGEMENT OF sElZURES-NECEs-
sITY OF NEW CODE OF CUSTOMS REGCLA-
TIoNS.
The Chamber of Commerce held speclai
meeting yesterday and adopted. after long ana am
ma ted discussion the report of the Committee on lne
Customhouse, appointed jan ST. to cooperate WIN ne
Senate Committee un Investigation and Retrenchment
The following are the principal provisions OF inc report
which IS signed by +. A. Conklng, Chairman
GENERAL ORDER REFORM.
II il apnaren that the entire country has an immediate
and direct freeing the commerce centering at
this port as commerce at all ports of the country
from needless aunOyances impedments and expenses
These impodments the money they cost the time they
consume worry and anxiety which they cause though
met in the first instance by the importer or merchant
Ar nevertheless in the inevitable usage OF trade, shifted
IRON each primary dealer 10 those 10 whom ne ses ana
from them 20 each succeeding purchaser TIL in the end
They with accumulated weight upon the people at
large, who buy and consume the colninoulues uPOn
which they are imposed The General Order sy sten OF
she regulations for the storage of unclaimed goods arI
aug port been Of the most prominent SUD,
lects before the Senate Connittee Iheir lnvestgSU
In this particular has already led TO an important
The recent action OF the Collector OF the fOrt "a t
York relieves the Committee OF the duty or potlhR oV
certain fragrant abuses in the management OF te Nm
eal order business which had o9E eASS r6 Smittee u
had lattery taken an aggravated lorm ~. ~ Cn,or
take pleasure in referring 10 that action OF the &
cidcd step in the right direction.
The reform Will not he complete, as in the interest
II
companies are debarred from storing unclaimed goods
arriving 10y their vessels in warehouses under their own
which urged by the representatives of the steamship
lines, and 10y prominent importers is seen rom 'ne IA
that the great bulk of unclaimed goods landed at IDS
port is brought here in these steamvesses Ihe qudn,
y such goods has largely with the increase
Ui steam communication on the Atlantic, when la.ll
tates mpOratiOns in small but frequent shipments, oItvn
aging their General order warehouse themselves the
agents OF the steamships are enabled 10 give tne Vessels
prompt dispatch least expense. The control OF
4
lection OF the freight while on the 0her h3hd INC oM %
of the goods left in doubt as 10 the quarter III
which claim is to be made IN case OF loss OF OF ahdAo Oo
fore delivery -, IN
In order TO give the commerce of New-fork the lnl
benefit of reform already introduced. ana OF ts eN
tension carried out as here Proposed aGoh NJ IN ee
dcute and hnal; that Is to say liked 10y la" 80 that
tie Treasury Department may be enabled to stlpuate
Tor terms or years with the paItes OMhns uT s'C,l @
ship lines, their agents and suTetes whether me com
palieS be allowed 10 manage Their own warehouses, :"
whether they shall be limited TO the OF warehouses
bonded by other parties, they cannot be expected 10
satisfactory and economical arrangements WIN
respect TO the custody of, and their hanty ior III
claimed goods unless they have assurance that sucA al
Engagements will not be disturbed Tor sllSht causes
THE AFPRAIsERs DEPARTMENT.
The custody goods by private individuals,
in conjunction with officer of the Government, is no
novel untred plan 1t does not differ materially from
the custody Of bonded goods which all now stored IN
private warehouses; The practice. alsO in measure,
prevails in what is known the Appraisers store,
where merchandise of large amount ana value is
only temporarily stored but also Variouy handled
sometimes in broken packages, unloaGcd hol>tc anu
reloaded. In this store placed goods OF larger huk
aud than likely 10 accumulate in any store that
may occupied in pursuance OF the foregoing sgges-
tion, Oy any steamship line From every invoice OF
il 6e considerable invoice. and all the packages when
The invoice not than three or four are sent
Appraisers store The store large building OF
siN floors each about by $50 feet having in all an
area four From 500 TO 120O PACKAGES are
received daily They are taken from the carts ana
placed upon the foor designated by the Appraiser and
after Lis examination aud apprasement removed to the
employed 10y the importer, OF by the CusOInOusc
u be taken TO their next place OF deposit ,,
Tie handling Of these goods involving great labor ms
well large responsibility, is all except the unpaclnng,
examination, and repackngi now performed under con-
tract with individuals at cost OF $4,000 per annuIn
The labor alone cost the Government under tne former
practice from $4,000 10 $4,000 per annuln Under the
previous system instance has been known IN which
merchant obtained compensation or payment for goods
abtrdctcd during the handling 10y laborers employed by
the Government During the term that the present con-
has performed the service no case OF ierlng
hs occurred N respect to which any iar Suspicion f
where the merchant has not been promptly paid the
value of goods thus distracted Under the old sys
ten, when the Government appointed the laborers
often brought against officials and the United
states by whose merchandise thus stolen but
The difficulty Of fixing the responsibility was 30 great
MAT Iew recOveres were ever had and thus the
importer actically without remedy. Under the
present the service has been performed, far
a. thc Committee advised to the general satisfac-
@ O4 IL the suS i liability binds him to % the Utmost
diligence the selection Of his subordinates and The la
GoreI. employed. II be found Incompetent dis.
honest he Is promptly discharged. 1t is submitted that
OF Goods by lie Steamship lines both a. to
CEcapness O the service and protection against lose OF
+,
ne reference to the course Of business at the
Appraiser store under the existing labor contract
ADVANTAGES OF CONTRACT WORK.
Another class OF labor, employing many persons, is
perfcAtd ii Tie Appraisers store. What has been said
hitherto in reference labor there will be understood
t. refer 10 that by employed and paid by the
contractor The other class. to which we would now
call attention hired and paid directly by the Govern
mont Ihe same goods G are nanqe1 Dy eacH OI
complaints which rife in regard to robbery Of
chs while under apprasenent justify reference
the conditions under which this other class of labor is
IrifOrucd. Tho "Openers and packers" as they are
called. IN the public stores assigned 10 the Appraiser
form tie other body OF laborers distinct from the
tractor men, and in the direct pay Of the Govern
every variety of merchandise. Gold and silver Watches
hnc cutlery cartons OF ribbons, and similar parcels
sometimes absraeted. The Committee hear Of few in
stances in which specific pay or compensation is made
~ fronen joV@ices are reInctant 70 incur tbe hos
iity OF the subordinates in the Office in which is de.
torInnod, ia some contingencies, the dutiabe value
much il is 10 be deplored, that importers whose
merchandise is thus distracted fnd their interests bet
served by silence in respect TO these depredatons
How these things may actually be must be left in
derco, conjecture inasnuch as the transactions 10
which they relate are OF KIND which the parties con-
rerned not prone TO make public. The Committee
ro mend that the labor Of opening and packing in
the Appraisers storo be performed as now the case
with the labor there under the supervision OF
roIons'be contractor, made liable to losses through
stealing careless handling protection TO the honest
merchant in Their belief, advantages 10 the revenue
would ICsu from the change. Inc contractor, LII Alch
case would have direct pecunary interest TO prevent
preoations and accordingly would 10 IL that his
iabOrcrs honest and faithful Nor would private
individual in such capacity have the power OF cOmpen
sainC losses through the medium OF favOrs detrimental
70 o. revenue, unless by direct collision with the Ap-
yr4...I. which implies more thorough organization in
cCIruH'on than the Committee willing " believe
would long exist
WAREHOUSE PONDS CONDEMNED.
In resnect TO warehouse bonds, by the laws now in
force importers entering goods for warehouse,
required to give bonds with good and satisfactory
ties penal sum equal TO twice the amount Of duties.
The Government, meantime has custody OF the goods
through It's officers and servants. Thus has the very