The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-07
Mr.. Stewards Opinion of the
General Order Business.
ORE CO MPLAlNT S.
The Theory and Practice of Con-
structive Half Storage.
A Great Deal of Discussion and
Very Little Work.


ton Of experts.
The first witness was Mr.. Alexander T. Stewart,
who made the following prepared statement:-'Tne
removal OF the business from the Cunard ana no.
boken stores has only caused pecuniary ioss Out
great inconvenience to importers The greates' por
ton OF merchandise is imported by steamships anu
when they make long passages as during tue iai
and WINTER they discharge their cargoes on ARRIVAL
20 be realty to sail again at the appointed Tine. "ne
such is tue case the importer mas not suihclent
time to make up his entry and have 1t passed at the
Custom House. Consequently all goods discharged
under such circumstances are sent 10 general
order store Soon after the appointment OF Moses
H. Grinnel as Collector the general order business
was removed from the Cunard and Hoboken stores.
At that time there was on the west Side OF the city
the same number or more general order stores
than now. but when the business was re-
moved the number In New York was not
Increased to correspond with the diminuon OF stor-
age ROOM and the result has been that storage &C
commodattcn has been so restricted that
when several steamers arrive together their car
goes are crowded into the present stores in such
state OF confusion that great delay in obtain
ing possession The number OF foreign steamers ar
irving at New York during the past two years has
largely Increased. They are OF greater size ana
bring larger cargoes than few years ago. yet the
storage capacity OF the general order stores mas
been actually diminished, TO the loss and delay OF
the importer In consequences OF the general
order business being now controlled by one 1t has
become monopoly, and the charges increased TO
81 SO or more on single package, instead OF about
half the rates, as formerly, which difference Is pure
loss to the merchant; Desides there is additional
expense of carriage say fifty cents per case. When
the Cunard and HobOken warehouses had the prlvi-
lege Of receiving goods, such arriving by those
lines were discharged from the ships direct to the
warehouses, without any expense of carriage,
and there remain in bond, without any addl-
tiOnal Charge. Ii an importer has mace an
entry for goods to be deposited in above stores,
and his permit does not arrive in time, the
merchandise must be carted TO the general order
stores IN New YORK and cartcd back again, making
double expense or carriage. besides the storage
aud labor fees. of from ST. 50 upward per package
even If they remain but single h0ur under general
order. The general order stores III use are IN
unsafe quarters surrounded by cotton warehouses
and other hazardous buildings rendering it difficult
to procure insurance, and only at extra rates.
while insurance Is easily enected on the most
favorable terms In the Cunard and IIOpoken stores
owing to their safe and isolated position. The con-
fusion OF sending SO many goods, from all parts OF
the city, Jersey City and Eoboken. to these two
stores only, which even one or two cargoes Will
pro duce. causes interminable delays resulting fire.
Queny In heavy losses to the importer from nuctu-
atoms in price, without any benefit or additional
security 10 the government.
Upon this statement the witness was examined
for terrible length OF time and with tedious MI
nueness by the committee, Senator Howe especially
boring nIm with all sorts OF irrelevant questions
No new acts, however, were ELECTED, and Mr.. Stew.
art at length lost patience anu said:-"You must
excuse my say Ing, Mir. Senator, that these questions
seem scarcely very pertinent; am not very WELL
and have great calls upon my time. and can only
say now that Inc present general order system
Is simply an outrage upon the merchants
and the inconvenience OF It to them Is
terrible injury u them. Besides II has been SAID,
why should the Cunard anu HObOken men, who
are foreigners, have this business But who are
the mcn that have II now They foreigners to
us In New York now; but II IL was any citizen OF
New York interested, should object to his having
the monopoly Of that business ana holding In his
hands the convenience OF every Importing mer-
chant. Every foreign steamship company that can
protection Of the revenue should have the privilege
Of having general order store Then you Will re.
ileve all embarrassment and make convenience to
the merchants and II certainly for the interest OF
Congress that the merchants should be sustained
and not inconvenenced in their business IL Is
from them that the greater part OF the revenue is
derived But now Is 1t nOwY they are oppressed
BY legislation in every way"
Senator BAyARD-Do you say thaG monopoly of
thts general order business Is only useless but
absolutely injurious TO the commerce or this port
Senator IlOwE--You must allow me- MFR. stewart,
TO be the Judge OF the pertnency or my questions,
bat had no wish to be dlscourteous to you In any
Senator STEwARr-Have there been any com.
plants. while the steamship companies mad this
business, that you had exceptional advantages for
getting goods. or that any other mer chants had
themy A. Witness hesitatlng Not In relation to
this business, l Jhn&; large house may enjoy
certain advantages in regard 10 freight.
Senator CAssERLY-YOn say that you have not
you are not iond OF making complaints. but have
you ever called the attention TO this matter of the
Pre- PRESIDENT or the secretary OF the treasury A.
Not OF thc Secretary or the Treasury; 1 called the
Presidents attention to it In October year ago,
ana again Oh subsequent occasion.
Y. Dld your interference bring about any reform
A. No, slr.
@. Many in New YORK do business on a very small
riously with their margin Of gan-is not that soq
A. Tnat applies not so much to US as to merchants
who import cOarser KIND OF goods.
q. You say that you do not make complaints
nere-wnere would you carry complaints, A. do
not Ike TO make and never have made any CON-
plants about the interior working OF the Custom
House
~. g Have You any opinion about the present maa.
ner OF making appointments here? A. think they
are not always Judiciously made.
y Do MT. Murphy adopt your advice as to the
no particular advice; told him that he had q
grand opportunity to ingratiate himself with the
may however Murphy o'V Was IN my
opInlE pa,, Az very good oficer.
g What influence might have prevented his dong
SOY "A. do not know.
Q. DID you ever hear of the Secretary of the Trea
sury writing letter to Mr.. Murphy recommending
that tnis abuse should be rectifeds A. saw it IN
the papers.
q. DID anything come OF thata A. No, sir
z. Can you account for your representations to
General Grant aud the letter OF the Secretary OF the
Treasury failing TO have any effect? A. 10 may be
that the President thought 1t OF too little import
ance for him to notice.
After another little course OF desutory crossex.
animation Mr.. STEWART said-The government can
never expect to be well served unless they paw their
employees better than they 40 now; In the APP
praiserS Department there Is many q man getting
e2,00O year who, II he mad the knowledge to per-
form his duties efficently, would be worth double
the amount TO me; II take man into my employ
ana he Is dependent upon his exertions tor his sup
port and circumstances prevent my CIV
tempt to keep him; the government Is
morally responsible for every derellcuon Of duty
that now occurs: Won Law temptatlons before men: