The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-08-03
FILLING UNCLE SANS GOLFERS.
Over Three Millions in Duties Collected
in Two Days.
The Merchants Milennum.--Thc Ten Per Cent
ReductiOn.--A Rush Oh the Bonded
Warehouses.
CUSTOM HOUSE TALKS AND PEOPLE.

l.
All through the business hours OF yesterday the
rush OF merchants, brokers, agents, clerks and
messengers continued In the Warehouse Depart
ment and Naval ONCE OF the Custom House, con-
sequent upon the ten per cent reduction OF duties
on imports authorized by act OF Congress approved
June 0. The pressure OF clerical business was fully
as great that OF Wednesday, the first day of the
operation OF the new law, though the receipts for
duties fell considerably below the receipts OF the
preceding day. The reasons OF this apparently
anomalous result are that the withdrawal permits
granted on Wednesday embraced the lists of the
heaviest importers I'm the city, among them being
A. It. Stewart II. b. Clafiin, Phelps, Dodge Il Co.,
and other gigantic concerns. Yesterday the
smaller importers had almost the entire
withdrawal business to themselves. The
clerical labor in the routine OF issuing
permit for the withdrawal OF a $4,000 invoice OF
goods would be the same for a $500 900 invoice.
On Wednesday there was received about two mil
lion three hundred and eighteen thousand dollars
the largest amount by probably one-half ever re-
ceved here in single day. Yesterday
THE RECEIPTS FELL
to 1900 900, making total receipt for two days or
S32IS,OOO. TO use the expression of gentleman
in the Warehouse Department yesterday after
noon
'Keep that up a little while and we shall SOON
pay Off the national debt"
But leaving aside the consideration Of the clerl-
cal labor at the Custom House, 1t was interest
ing to note the perfect Juror tnat prevailed
one hundred of these warehouses in New York
and Brooklyn. At nearly all of these establish
ments there were demands presented for the with
drawal Of goods, while at some the rush was some
thing tremendous. very large proportion of the
orders granted were for heavy goods In hogsheaos
and cases and for heavy metal invoices. or
every importer was DESTROYS of obtaining his goods
at the earliest possible moment, and the amount Of
physical labor performed at these warehouses in
the past two days, consequent upon the handlingof
the goods cannot be estimated.
COLLECTOR ARTHUR
was at his post as usual yesterday, and was, as
usual, courteous and busy, continual stream OF
prominent men, merchants, officials and clerks
passing into and out OF his Office as soon as their
business was despatched. The two most notable
individuals who waited upon him during the
HERALD reporters visit were ex-Coector Murphy,
heavy and stern-OOking ana dapper little clerk
from one or the departments, who carried u pen
with an extremely long handle behind his ear, and
suggested at once sloop yacht, rugged with
The Collector received the reporter very pleas
antly and, In answer to inquiries, stated that the
business under the new tarit was progressing very
satisfactorily, but that the great pressure when
had marked Wednesdays transactions had declined
slightly. and would in all probability decline TO the
course alluded to the extraordinary re-
ceipts OF duties on the preceding day,
tax had been paid, not in gold, but in gold ceril-
Gates He had notified most OF the leading import
advance, and they all had their certificates in
readiness. In this way much confusion had been
avoided and the market nad not matera al ,eS
value, al 1t had been Withdrawn gradually to meet
the necessity
The Collector then conducted the reporter through
some Of the departments where the business was
| being transacted and finally turned him over to the
polite attentions of Mr. T. l.. James, Deputy Collec-
| tor OF the Warehouse Department and St0rekeeper
OF the Port and Mr.. Harvey Major, Assistant super
| intendent OF the Custom House. superintendent
| q
TOUR THROUGH THE VARIOUS BUREAUS.
explained with great minuteness the working 9rn OF
cesses connected with the collection or the national
imposts. The system Is one Of great elaborateness
and apparently OF some circuml0cution, which no
doubt often proves extremely irritable to merI
chants, but which is evidently very necessary for
vast public interests In every branch %
the Warehouse department and Naval 0nlce
many of the latter being one armed men-frag-
ments Of the rebeliOn-whO had learned to write
with the left hand since the close OF the war ana
services and sacrifice. There are clerks OF ak
patterns In the Custom House; the young
and enthusiastic penman who prides himself on the
| amount OF business he can despatch, and the
elderly, sedate, oficiaookng clerk, who will not
as he carefully cons the record over the edge Of his
| spectacles. There are handsome clerks and pale,
wornookng clerks; clerks who were soldiers and
clerks who wouldn't be soldiers for the world;
clerks who have served through two or three adj
are not sure or serving through the balance OF tho
present term, and, in the light OF the approaching
election, are very anxious to be on the winning
side for the next administration, but not quite
certain as to which side that will be. Yesterday
there was
GREAT DEAL OF INQUIRY
rife among them, not unmingled with anxiety, In
reference to the election in the Old North State,
| any event. Grant could not be very seriously
affected by it, Comfortable conclusion to arrive
at, certainly
| superintendent Major has been eleven years in
| the Custom House service, and has had great ex-
pcrence i'm all that pertains to the import business
OF the port He Is also the compiler OF the storage
Guide" a work designed to convey all the inforna-
ton which Is desirable for merchants to know ana
have at their fingers ends concerning warehouse
ing, carriage, storage, labor customs fees, &c. In
conversation with the reporter Mr.. Major expressed
the opinion that
THE PRESENT REDUCTION
lin duties Is not likely to prove OF much benefit to
the masses OF the people, although that was the UNI
doubted object sought by the passage OF the
law. He found 1t very difficult to ex-
plain the reasons why such state OF
affairs should ensue, but cited the law aboishing
the duty tea and coffee to sustain his opinion.
the duties these articles were abated there
would be considerable reduction In their retaiA
cost, whereas in point OF fact, there had been
a slight advance. He could only attribute such
a result to the operations OF monop0lies In the
trade, who, in a spirit OF speculation held larg6
quantities OF stock, so as to create strlngency in
the market, and thus enhance the value.
To-day, In all probability, will terminate the rush
OF business at the Custom House, though 1t Is prob
usual extent for a week to come