The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-05-01
SEEING THE CUSTOM HOUSE.
GEN. SHARPE BEFORE HAYES'S CABI-
NETS INVESTIGATORS.
The Number OF Men Employed. and the Num-
her that May he Dismissed without Loss
to the Service Wanted. ~ Barge once.

The commission that Hayes's Cabinet has
charged with the duty Of investigating the New
York Custom House opened its doors. ycster-
day. TO the reporters. under instructions from
the Secretary of the Treasury Chairman John
jay announced that communications made TO
the commission in confidence are to be held In
confidence. subject only to the open examina-
tion and verncation and that when the COM
mission fancy that public interest will be ad-
vanccd by private inquiries and examinations.
they are to be conducted in private.
Col. SIlas W. Burt. Comptroller and Deputy
Naval Officer. testified that political influence Is
potent in obtaining positions in his department.
and that his force may be reduced ten per cent.
by displacng inefficient men.
Mr.. Jackson 4. Schultz having styled the
Naval Officer fifth wheel to the Custom House
coach. Mr.. Lawrence Turnurc. the only gentle
man on the commission who seems to have a
practical knowledge Of the workings Of the Gus
tom House. asked Col. Burt whether the Naval
Officer ought to exist Certainly. sir" was
Gen. deorgc II. Sharpe testified TINT tho
duties OF the surveyor OF the Port are executive
and have to do with the discharging OF vessels
loaded with merchandise; that there are
twrnty-four miles of water front in the revenue
inspection districts: that on the North river
there ara ten districts. with twenty-thrce in
spectors: Oh the East river thirteen districts.
Wln i iIwsnty- one inspc,.or7 ana on w,,f tns
shore ons district. with one inspector;
twenty eight officers. There are thiry-eight
debenture inspectors. Ave deputy surveyors.
thrce of whom are in charge Of the Barge Office
kept constantly at the barge Office. When
Gen. Sharpe became Surveyor there were
ton tho number was reduced to thirteen
He also reduced the weghers' pay rolls $500
and 5000 month because he considered them
fraudulent. There are 2s2 inspectors and the
number. the witness thought. may hc reduced
ten per cent without endangcring tho customs
Replying to one Of Turnurc's questions
Gen. Sharpe said: There il one abuse that
makes me red ia the face when think about 1t.
That II the, paying Of money To- officers 10y pas
srngcrs. The Treasury regulations say that
passengers shall bc aluwcd to land free OF duty
such baggny. ns IL suitable to their con-
dlton in life and IN actual use by them.
Many of Ia" abuses arise out Of the law. We
need barge Office. whore all passengers can be
landed and have thcir baggage examined. Now
the haggaEr is examined ON dirty AMI crowded
wharNcs filed with boxes. with Trucks coming
and going all the time. The AppraiGcr's officer
n-sessrs the duties on the top of "A whiskcy bar
rel. The officers have to collect the duties on
the wharf and then they turn II into the Custom
House. one passenger said 60 me: paid du-
lies Ia a man who churkcd il into his pocket
l. that straight ] found that IN. man was
/ unl rr. ani that he hnd turned the duties INTO
tian vlriu - for 81 "A day.
The witness said that enough had been lost
facilities for cNaming baggage to pay for new
barge Office. The Government loses abou:
~ iOon a year in duties on h.esag.. :,
Mr. Turnurr-Wh"n til" Hon MIR. Ferguson.
k.prcs 'ntative in Congress from a district in
ONO. arrives from Europe with his wife they
| bring goods enough to last them for years and
they insist that their trunks shall be passed
without examination. When l arrived paid
81 900 duties on my baggage
| smuggled trunks. but he could not say whether
| the officers were in collusion with him.