New-York tribune., 1877-05-01
THE CUSTOM-HOUSE INQUIRY.

WORKINGS OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
GEN. SHARPE ON THE SURVEYORS BRANCH OF THE
sRRyICE-NUMBERs, DUTIES, AND PAY OF IN
sPECToRs wEIGHERS, AND OTHER OFFICIALS
WHERE RETRENCHmENT Is POSSIBLE.
The Cust0m-hOuse Commission resumed its
inquiry yesterday sitting III the Naval Officers private
rooms II Til D. After few )menls' con
sutaon the representatives. of the press invited
to be present The following order, which haf been
received from Secretary sherman, was read D. Ntr.
RobiHsOn:
The proceedings Of the commission will. general
press far a our limited space will allow. COmmuni-
cations made IN confidence will be hcld III confidence,
but the alleged facts will bC openly examined and yC
interest Will be advanced by private Inquiries and e1aui
nations, they III be conducted III private.
The examination OF Col Burt, Controller and special
Deputy Naval Officer then resumed portion Of his
Friday testimony being first read from the stonographor5
notes. Col Burt has been connected with the naval
office fOu eight years, and his testimony
explanation Of the workings Of the system and the
method Of appointments Ninety per cent of the clerks,
hc said were appointed for political The Naval
OHcer'a department he thought could NOT DO well
abolished II check In The Collectors Department,
and saved the Government million and half year in
rect;fS ng axes made IN the Collectors office while
the Office cost tie Government $4,000. There were
two or three incompetent in thd department Men
could get in only through political soiication II the
the best men who would work for the salaries paid, he
thought the force by the greater efficiency attained,
could be reduced per cent. Considering lis standard
OF efficiency the present force not too largo Then
more simple method .. transaCtno business were de-
ysed he thought the force might DO further reduced
ano ther 10 per cent Col Burt at tho request OF the
Conmssou will state his views regarding rctrenchment
and improved methods of business IN formal report.
Gen George II. Sharpe, Surveyor Of Customs, occupied
4 Inc atf4 Of he q
half aud came provided with books ana papers ilihs-
trang the practical workings Of his office He said he
was executive officer all that part of the business Of
the Colec done outside tho general Office His office
attended the dlscharging f passengers ana mrrchan
disc from vessels and the supervision Ct al goods which
pass through the CustOm-hOuso in transit to Canada
South America and Europe Hc had been four years in
the Office. lie had five deputy surveyors under him.
one had charge of the clerical force OF the main Office
his nephew Gen. lcob sharpe, at the head OF the
barge office ia Satest.; Col. Burton and Gen Nichols
the discharge of passengers aud merchandise
from the steamships aud Deputy Surveyor Kiineh Wis
tied dcbcnure roOms and the woigbcrs and gouger'
TO preserve discipline and that work was properly
performed. The - miles Of water front was divided
into districts rs follows: Ten the North RlycI With
2j Inspectors; l3 the East River with Il
inspectors; - in Brooklyn, with % inspectors;
: the New-J ersey shore, with Inspectors
ard 1 inspector at staten Island. when YES
rn.ctor went from the barge Office. The debentnre
a,,s were i'm charge Of the district inspectors Tho
horge Office m safest, which he called tumble-doWn
strtiIre disgrace to the United states was th" pace
ell received their assignments. He thOught ths olTs
none too large. The inspectors might nnt D. fgsar
,nrui: Tor instance Marcn !, Win westerly "ius,
there arrived IN p"rt In W. ip , tl crnr in
,r.ut feet tHTre steamships auu o5 5dilhS Ft5al'
rh, m ibe-o must have dischnrgng officers at once or
rortft bp ,nmu
,ii.u WAS shown by the barge 0Hirtr, 80 that GER
ti, .rIyrs we're regularly sent 10 steamships 10
.+oct ahuses which might thus arise, he established
roster at the Barge Oice 30 that there was rotatloh
a. ~ work and ~. inspector after discharcng steam
min Of merchandise must next discharge baggage ANA
Sailing vessel before getting dnOheI 5loahl7hP hti
chandizs assignment. Deputy surveyors Burton ana
Scios each htl three st.n officers whO served Tor
month at time Tine other stIS 4i i'ne ] ~, % & ir
charging steamships were Obliged 70 await tlrlf turn
Iaf,rr letting another such assignment IBe 2-2 IN
srrctors received ~ day without REGARD To tho en-
~ ,Iutv from sunrise tO sunset A rule they were
eiccnt The force might IsssIpy De rtiuc,I lV & lga
cent by iudcous W6rdiug out lhcIe Wts hot q s"Pio
srciiic IA tue inspectors Department. which required
good class oi men to do the uuIeh, NAsh ahtSu ~ tc
inspectors received any outside Iees bei; S.aR ! R
pied that that was very large 'ul1ec Mf, M iHrh Urn
were m the habit OF paying the Two INSPECT
ora when working at nshy csc1 'fcI bo,'sp @ MONEY
gv law the companies wncn they obtained -
Iv - rbe 90 fcor's Office. when IL turned over
IA he iusprrurs but lattcry tue practice uad pceh 70
directly 10 the iurlrtlOlH' -.
pj5nits to rrarg. at night could De obtained witLout
ip the lnzprctor-, ana the commission apeartd 10
to 81 The oinion that the practice III violation OF
the law. Mr.. Tufnuro asked n tees were paid Dyy
,urrcu.uts To prevent merchandise gong lto general
nrder" affcr living on the dock AZ hours Gen sharpe
snId there we're 50 many conflicting interests watching
tbe inspectors that he saw htte opo uulS IOr sue
bribes There wore lO3 night witchnen at 80 per night
neir dufes involved personal danger as they were ire
au.nty He did not think II advisable 10 reduce
thlE force - - t., 1T. h,,,
Gen. sharpe said there was an abuse which made him
red In the face when be thougnt ol ~. iuis mla so
fleeing or brbn. OF inspectors ~ steamship passengers