The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-11-19
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM IN ADVANCE.
Smuggled Goods.

| A sale Of goods seized by the government
olhcers at various times is advertised from
| the New York custom-house, to take place
some time during next month The exact
day upon which the auction is to be held has
not been definitely settled. The reason there
lor Is that the law requires such goods to be
advertised three weeks for claimants, who
w na'e the privilege ofredeeming the wares up
On payment of duties and expenses. All the
sei5ures made by officers of the customs come
ul'uer cnarge of Mr.. Dudley f. Phelps, depu-
! W coilect0r of the Ninth division. The LARGO
room in the basement under tbo rotnnIa -
tte custom-nouse, is fitted up for the purnose
Of receiving the smuggled wares. over which
Mr.. J. r. Dillon exercises supreme sunerv;s-
ion. A visit to this establishment. saws the
New York Herald, amply repays all trouble.
Piles upon piles of boxes, bales, trunks, cases
demijohns, bottles of every shape, size and
color; packages with every imaginable cover:
valises, cans, baskets and numerous other re-
ceptacles which can be made available to con-
tain contraband goods, fill up this large space
and are being scheduled preparatory to being
offered for sale under the hammer, to realize
government duties, seiZers' moieties and fees
of the principal custom-house officials.
The quality of the articles to be old is va
lied as are the colors of the rainbow, and may
be classified as good, bad and Indifferent
The variety of the goods would do credit to a
select junk establishment on very large scale
Here may be found wares ranging from a COM
mon jack-knife to the most costly velvet cloak
trimmed with the finest and dearest fur; dress
patterns of every texture between common
poplin and gros grain silk, cloths, cassimeres,
flannels, velvets, ribbons laces, linens and a
thousand other fabrics too numerous to men
ton. The greatest hulk OF the seized goods,
however, consists of smuegled cigars and Gig
arettes. OF the former there are now ON
hand about one hundred and TWENTY-FIVE
thousand, including such brands as Henry
Clay, Ne Plus Ultra, Renina Victoria, Regalia
Britagnica, Flor del Fuma, etc., of choice Gu
ban fabric, while another portion of the ci-
gars are of German origin and have villain
Gus flavor. Several millions of genuine La
Honradez cigarettes will likewise be offered at
this sale and sold to the highest bidder.
The smuggled goods, as a usual thing, are
introduced into port by steerage passengers
landing at Castle Garden, in trunks and
packages having the semblance of baggage.
1t is amusing to see the variety of articles
contained in one of these packages. One lot,
for instance, is made up of four pieces of
black silk fringe, IA yards; eleven pieces
coored silk fringe, 1913 yards; thirty-three
colored silk cords and tassels; twenty-four
pieces (25S9 yards) colored chenille, and five
pieces coored ribbons. Another package
contains thirty-five lace parasol covers, valued
on an average at about $40 each There is a
case containing thirty dozen napkins, ninety
eight and half yards table covering, 269
yards dress silk, etc. One old piano, boxed
up, "well conditioned for sea VOYAGE ON
being opened, was found to contain, besides
the sounding wires, fifty-seven silver watches
and one gold and one brass do, besides some
silk for dresses. This lot will realize the sez-
ing officer nice little moiety. Another
valuable selection of goods, captured and
stored here, contains various lots of human
hair, running in punches of two, five, eight
and ten pounds and over Good hair is very
valuable, and readily realizes twice its weight
in gold.
A great deal of liquor is also smuggled by
sailors and others, in small quantities and
various methods. Some of this spirit is good,
while the most of it is of the tangefoot ORDER
worthy OF having been distilled in the Fifth
ward of Brooklyn. There are usually about
three sales annually of seized goods from the
custom-house, emanating from this depart
ment-that is to say, without being ordered
by a court Of condemnation. The collector
is authorized by law to confscate goods I'M
der $500 in value; all seizures above that
amount must undergo the due process of legal
adjudication. and if condemned are sold by
the United States marshal on behalf of the
| custom-house authorities. There is great
deal to be written about this department of
! interest to the public which our space to-day
! will not permit to elaborate