New-York tribune., 1872-01-17

o. Mr. Ieet had remained in the War Department re,
Ceivng his rcnitances from New-lOrS OF ths hohoy'
O. Where was Gen. Cochranc at tho time A. liowas
present in the room when this conversation took place
o. Is the General Order business as now held ny Loot
& Co. considered valuable pryilcgei A Yea Sr ,,.
GSvcrnGcnt as valuable "a thnti A No, Sir not with
the privileges thai they have.
LEET a co.'s PROriTs
o. Have YOU taken the trouble to form an e7t'na~ o
its vaIucl 4. While was Deputy Collector under Mr'
smytbc very intelligent wareh0uscman undertook 10
make contract for the Order business win n
and Mr. Smythc offered $4,000 yearly for the Nor'
River business, without the Cunard Hamburg ana
Bremen lines at jersey C any th en' have been add
tonal steamers built and running . ,.,
arsrst1 A. think IL wOuld he The largest on this sIdo
the river, because there are more lines o steamers
O. Taose parties were willing to- give $4,000 for the
General Order business as speculation aud take thcr
o. was that amount rensedY A. Yes, Sir; heard OF
the proposition and spoke to Mr. smy6e about IT, ana
advertise the merchants that they could be robbed ont
$4,000 year for having their business done ny mo
O. As man of experience. do you know OF any advau
taSe in restricting this General Order business TO certain
warehouses; A. conceive of no advantage, except
10 the parties having the monopoly do not think any
additional security or facility accrues 70 the Govern,
men these men who have the General Order business
make large profits; estimate that their charges, gen
erally arc twice as much as those OF ordinary ware
houses. * ~--V~- -.
Docs the system Of hurryng goods 30 the general
store entail cburges A. Yes OF course, there is an
carriages that expense would be saved the mer
chants when their permits not quite ready could
say, send my goods TO such and such store" where
they want them to go; and there would be no dsadVa
age TO the Government for tie goods safe to the
Government in one bonded warehouse as in another
O. Is IL practicable, from the condition OF business IN
the CustOnhouse, for the merchants 70 get their goods
out within 4s hours where there are three or four steam
diScharging at one time A IL IL almost inpossoe
GENERAL ORDER CHARGES UNNECESSARY
Q. You consider, then, that. general thing, the
General Order charges superadded and unnecessary
to the security of the goOlsl A. Yes Sir; there Is no
question about IT,
O. We have the testimony OF responsible parties that
the largest merchants III this city, such as A. l. stewart
& Co., make agreement with Lect Co. that they
shall not charge over 81 75 for any case nor less than
81 25 for any and that the average or OF
carriage is over 81 80 per case; at any rate what prom
will accrue that being the charge for storage carage
and labor ask you, as m expert upon your experience
in contracts for labor aud yor knowledge OF me cost oi
cGIting2 A. Well, 1t would be more than doiiar on
package, / think.
@ Yon think you could cart store, and deliver these
parcels for average cost OF 90 cents or less A. fcs
the actual cost would not be much more than tha cart
offer to cart them for 30 cents and 20 cents w0uu
cover the of handling; great deal Of the charges
would he less, where il would be by the load
@. Do yOu know of an offer beng made TO the Sec
retary OF the Treasury TO DO this public carng Tor 80
cents package a. | know there was snch an oHer
madcthat is, Anderson and Kirby told me they made
O. In point Of fact AT what rate was the carriage given
ont A. At IS to As cents, believe.
O. Were those men who offered do the cartng at 80
cents package responsible and experienced men IN Their
a.
the business Of the Bremen and Hamburg steamers
Senator PrattDid their offer embrace the entire cart
age of the ports A am not positive; tht Is MY ii
Do Won know whether in this General order bust
ness there actually long period OF storage q.
As general thing not; very small portion arc re'''
O. suppose goods 90 into store and remain there an
hour are they subjected 10 months stOraSef a. lhs
60 would YOU consider on average. that 10 cents
per package full charge for aborf A. o, yes IL
O. BY these figures 30 cents would cover very profit
able business who had control of The tenerh
Ordor goods-iS that your opnlonf A. should th"N
@. And all above that s proGt' A Yes Sir.
4 ZONE Of CONTENTION.
O. Are many persons anxious TO get this General Order
busnessl A. Yes II Is always great bone OF conteh-
ton with every Collector who comes into office
O. Are General Order warehouses bonded warehouSesf
A. They are they frequently become bonded warehouses
for the pernanen: storage Of goods that is an additional
storage carriage and labor General Order gOOdsf
\. Some time ago there was system OF regulations
adopted by the Chamber of Commerce but those rePl
Ia6n have been regarded there have always been
complaints since have known anything OF the
Customs business and allegations OF exorbant prices
hnt II u man was not known to them they would bc apt
pnt very exorbtant price on his case or cases. aS II
q. Did you answer whether you had formed an csti-
mate Of the profits arising from this business as row held
by the parties in charge Of It A. Well, think i musl
be worth great deal more than 500 OOO should think
from $4,000 10 100000. -.
q. As net profits A. Yes. should think 80 from the
great amount Of business.
COMPROMISES CONDEMNED.
Senator Bayard-Have you any knowledge to the ex-
tent the practice of compromising with merchants who
intended to defraud the A. know only from
what have heard have heard of a great many
] never had anything 10 do with them myself.
@ Can you speak OF yonr own kn9%edge o. the results
II has been in vogue many years. have no doubt that
hermit man to nav his money; think 1t is very PERM
ous the Collector any officer of the Government to
have persOna interest In the results Of an nyestga
| do NOT believe
tect the Government should be brbed 10 do his duty;
had any dlvvy' in this matter all went to the Col
| lector and Naval officer
Senator Cssscrly-By "divyy" you mean by "divi-
dend." don't yOul A. Well. dividing the amount
sepator Bsyard-You do believe that officer. make
such compromises for the sake OF receiving the ecun
ary beneitsl A. OF course they do.
CUsToM-HoUsE POLITICS.
O We are directed inquire whether officers Of the
Custom house were used to Influence and control either
or both of the last Republican State Conventions III
New.York what is your information and knowledge on
that subect3 A. My judgment is tnat the Customhouse
naronece has been extensively used was present at
the last State Convention and the largest part Of the
Custom house officers that knew were there: ...
O. Did they directly exercise their influence In that
Conyentoni A. Yes, they very actve-a OF them
O. Was the Collector Of the Port theref A. Yes; the
Surveyor, the Naval officer, and the Port Master
@ What knowledge have you OF @ @ OF money
house TO control primary eleotion' A. know that has
o. Did You ever see notices that handed around
ordering payments A. have seen them when was
i'm office have not them since, because had no
occasion TO them.
O. Are payments Of those assessments Involuntary
A. In my opinion they are because they are Obliged TO
pay them, think.
O. What would be the consequence OF their declining
to pay them A. The general understanding Is that
they would have leave 10 quit.
o. DO Won mean they their positions if they
did not submt' A. Yes. Sir.
O Have YOU knowledge Of the application OF such
funds 10 control prmariesi A. have no knowledge OF
how the money 10 used.
o. The last question whether these officers used
as engines of political patrOnagei A. have no doubt
q Haze Won known OF Instances Of peremplOry re-