The New York herald., 1874-11-29
CUSTOM HOUSE TRIBULATIoNs.

CUSTOM HOUSE TRIBULATIONS.
! Are There Any Heads to Fall I'm tho ON
cial Basket IA Talk With General
| Arthur ON tho Situa
| Sharpe Docs Not Know why Any Ono
Should BE Removed-An We're Faith
ful to Grant and DIX.
| For some days there have been great many
strange rumors anoat among the choice circle Of
gentlemen In this city who hold and direct federal
patti 0nage in regard 10 changes that were said to
be In preparation at Washington, and In which
every onlce-holder in the Custom House Ia vitally
concerned. 1t was rumored that new Collector
OF the Port would be appointed; that General
Hustled. the Bald Eagle Of Westchester, was to take
the place Of the universally popular and courteous
General Arthur; that General Sharpe was to be
removed from the office OF Surveyor Of the Port,
and that the present Naval O1icer, Mr. Lanin,
would fnd O successor.
A MALICIOUS MUDDLE OF GOSSIP.
Some people limited that Hugh Gardner had
fixed it before he went to Europe; others declared
that Charley Spencer. dissatisfied with his defeat
for Congressional h0nors, had endeavored to make
trouble or everybody. Others said that neither
Gardner nor Spencer could hurt any one but them
selves, and that they were sure to do that; ana
not few limited that the Milesian Nestor Of local
President, and it was loudly asserted that Post
master James would have to cut or i've per cent
OF his force, and that some OF the fat and lazy
clerks In the Post ONCE would De compelled to
vacate their positions and give place to
men who had done regular army work In
the late elections while the drones were
asleep. AL these rumors were gathered
together and mingled and disntegrated them
selves aud were regathered In chaotic con-
fusion. Particularly the rumors were incessant in
regard to tie removal Of weigners and weighers'
assistants and men connected with the public
stores and all others embraced under the general
head OF outdoor work In the department.. Influen-
tial republican politicians were heard to say
during the last week that no man who could not
carry his own Assembly district would be allowed
to have any patronage alter the next New Years
Day. for himself or his friends. Federal politics
and federal politicians In this city are so uncertain
and are so little TO be depended upon either in
word or action that the HERALD representative
found the utmost di6iculty in separating
the wheat from the cha1, or, more plainly speak
Ing the truth from fasehood, and he found it more
difficult reconcile the story OF oficial with
that OF another. But they all agreed in one thing.
aud that was that no one was to be removed from
his position by the treasury Department at Wash
ington. The nrst person TO seek was. OF course,
Port would be likely to know all about 1t.
COLLECTOR ARTHUR ON THE SITUATION
The Collector was iound In his handsome quar-
directly over The corner OF William street and
Wall. The room Is elegantly carpeted, and had
large. cneerlul coal dre burning in crate at the
further end Of the apartment Every few moments
deavor to obtain the ear Of tne Collector. but i
Just at present retrenchment was the order OF the
day and nothing was beng given out the man
ways different from the local Office-seeker. Gener-
ally the federal ofce-seeker when in quest OF his
rignt hand TO the back OF his head and then
smoothes his recalctrant hair down on the central
Il IRON Cnenango or steuben county, and then the
dialogue begins. II Is rarely or ever that
candidate gr ONCE ~ mas the smerty to enter
In mis- pockets. This would be counted the height
NOTHING OF THE KNDn
In answer TO the question as to whether the
Treasury Department at washington had mani
dition OF tne Custom House 10 New York, the Col
lector stated that ne had heard absolutely nothing
Of the klnd either t In IN the shape OF a ruuor or
socaled radical change In the clerical force OF the
Custom House. II there were any such change
New YORK city and himself, the Collector OF the
Port. He knew positively that there was not any
ment at washington into the afrairs OF the Custom
House, and that the only special agents OF the
ina, hsv ne knew n e a. being n
Howe and Captain Brackett, and they were In
charge OF the department to prevent smuggling
ana other frauds on the revenue. Business was
very duil now among the merchants and I'm
porters, and he tthe Collector was at present en-
| deaving to reduce the force among the outdoor
| men account Of the dulness OF trade; but that
he did not know OF any possibility OF reducing the
| clerical iorce employed In collecting the revenue
! and keeping the records OF the department. Tnc
Collector, In his usual courteous ana kindly manner
! went on to say that some people fancied that the
Custom House was place to idle away time, but the
pressure OF business was absolutely tremendous.
| There were about 1900 persons employed alto
1 gether IN the Custom House, and some OF the
lower grade OF employees, such as the boys
In the public stores, did not receive more imam
| a dollar day or thereabouts, and he Thought
! that people who imagined that they would
not have to work after getting place In the Gus
! pointed The Collector concluded by stating that
| no applications for places could now be cOnsld-
| cred, as there was NOT work enough to be done
! to answer the demand OF any new applicants
NAVAL OFFICER LAFLIN SPEAKS
| The next official visited was Mr.. Lanin the
Naval 0niccr OF the port, who occupies an office
| IN the building at she corner OF Hanover
| pieasantiaced gentleman, who looks like por-
| trait OF Cabinet 0frlcer under James Madison,
and ne was quite willing to answer whatever ques-
tions might De put to MIN. He said tnat he had
! ne did not know OF HIS own per-
sonsi knowledge Of any TO come. and that
so far as his department OF Naval Oncef
sevcnty.eight men under his supervision and he
believed that they had harder work 10 do than
the employees OF any other branch or departmen
] OF the Custom House, and he did not see how the
| He knew OF no investigation being made of the
AFFAIRS OF the Custom House, and had not seen any
Treasury of1ciai IN the city excepting one at the
| Post ONCE and would know of IL n there was An
anA hn nnf n knnv xAor