The New York herald., 1875-11-30
CUSTOM HOUSE ECONOMY.

The retrenchment axe in the hands OF Collector
Arthur will be let fall to-day, and many
salaries TO be reduced fifteen per cent For
years past such . melancholy collection OF facea
has not been inside the Custom House From the
garret TO the basement all seemed under cloud OF
apprehensions Collector Arthur however, appeared
cheerful although IL is believed he is going to clip his
salary. In the midst OF these gloomy surroundings
HERALD reporter yesterday called upon the said official
to learn his programme OF reduction. The following Ia
his statement:-"wc commence the rates ofpay
the LIST of month the pro rata reductions
being calculated by Mr. Ogden, auditor and notices
TO the various employees will be sent out tomorrow,
Tuesday, the 30th inst l much prefer reducing
salaries to shortening force, for there great
many men with families to support who much prefer
this arrangement to losing their places In addition to
this shall have the large importation OF Centennial
Exhibition goods. look upon this change as merely
temporary affair." and to last only to the end OF tho
present fiscal year have talked the matter with
Secretary Bristow in all Its bearings The saving be
made Is $3.50 COO The proportion OF men whose saa-
res have been fixed by law is comparatively small We
shall certainly op or all comparatively useless officers
but there very few men in the establishment who
do not fair days work" As there about
forty visitors waiting to tho Collector the reporter
lett him and continued his Investigations with the fol-
lowing rcsultsrho salary OF the day inspectors 81
day 1t being fixed by law at So day with discretion.
AIRY power IN the Collector to increase IT, These
gentlemen WILL doubtless be reduced Is per cent
say sixty cents per day. They number about $50. II
Is but justice to this branch OF the service that
their hours OF duty from sunrise to sunset and that
but very few drones to be found In their midst
They have to dress we'll be men OF intelligence and
keep up appearances, and the majority OF them
married Their only pcrquisitcs are for working
time on vessels. The night inspectors receive 50
night and arc supposed TO be vigant throughout the
hours OF darkness; and VI they to be reduced To
81 55 a night-not brickayors' wages-furthcT Dea
Anges cases OF conspiracy defraud the revenue may
be expected considering the temptation OF bribes they
exposed TO- reduction in the force OF weighers Is
expected to take place within a few days The Office
or storckecpcr is self supporting one these officers
being paid by the Of stores. Among the salaries
liked by law and which cannot be reduced may be
mentioned those OF Collector Deputy Collector, Sur
yeyor Deputy Surveyors Naval officer, Deputy Naval
Onccr Appraiser, Assistant Appraiser, weighcrs,
gaugers passenger ship mcasurcrs openers sainperi
and otheTs All tho clerks salaries VIII be reduced.
Among the changes which are rumorcd s the abolition
oi the office General superintendent Of Warehouses,
and tho suppression OF the Revenue Cutter ONCE, OF
winch Mr.. IL. g. White Is In charge, and placing the
matter In charge OF Surveyor Sharpe. These and a
dozen other similar suggestions or how money can DO
saved arc agitatng the minds Of the leading Custom
Hou officials TO the exclusion or almost all other
questions.
THE sEizrRE ROOM
The human hair seized by Customs Inspector Mrs.
Ellis az Hobokcn from the person Of female passen
ger on the steamship Hermann, reported exclusively in
Yesterdays HERALD was turned IN nj the seizure
The same lady seized aquantity Of valuable
inccrschaum cigar holders, being smugged ashore by
female passenger named MorwiH on the Herdcr.
The appraisers, aided by officials IN the seizure room,
were hard Al work all day yesterday with the Lowen
gtien beads Nc, seized by Treasury Agent Colonel r.
NJ Howe The valuation will be nplctcd to-day.
The guipurc lacc goods aud umbrellas seized by In.
anector Hastings are estimated to be worth 81 900