The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-01
CUSTOM HOUSE INVESTIGATION.
SURVEYOR sHARpE's OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
AND REDU eTIoNs THAT CAN BE MADE.

SURVEYOR sHARpE's NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
AND REDUc THAT CAN BE MADE.
All restrictions as TO secresy in the examination now
gong on at the Custom House have been removed by
the Secretary OF the Treasury. About yesterday
the commission met In the Office of Naval officer Cor
nell. Mr. John Jay being in the chair.
Colonel Silas W. Burt Deputy Naval officer and
Comptroller, continued HIS tcsssmony where no had
left OF Friday. He said, answer to question
whether politics had anything do with obtaining
appointments the Naval Office. that 1t the
potent agency; II the inefficient men displaced
and the vacancies filed by competent men there could
BIO reduction OF ~ least ten per cent, and by SIM
plhcaon OF business a further reduction OF ten per
cent.
Mr. Turnure asked whether It necessary for tho
Naval Office exist, which Colonel Burt answered in
tho Affirmative.
THE SURVEYORS DEPARTMENT
General George II. sharpe, Surveyor OF the Port,
tho next official examined. He had been Surveyor
OF tue Port little over four years There are his
department two inspection divisions, covering
OF twenty-four miles oil front, and which is
divided into districts On tho North River there
ten DISTRICTS to which detailed twenty-three IN
speclors On tho East River there are thirteen dis
trcts, having tweniy-ono inspectors New Jersey
shore has three districts and nine inspectors, Staten
Island district and one inspector, aud Brooklyn
niteen districts twenty-eignt Inspectors rho
benture room Is the school OF instruction for inspec-
tors, and AT present there are thrty-cight
inspectors doing duty there. II vessel
should arrive outside Of the city within tho
collection district inspectors arc sent after The same
Five deputy surveyors arc attached TO the Office hrco
at tho barge office, at the Custom House aud
tho other does general duty: one OF the deputies at
the barge occ, In State street. attends TO assigning
the officers vessels arrivng two OF the deputy sur
vcyors-Colone Burton ana General Ncnos-take
charge OF the inspectors for dischargng passengers
anu merchandise.
1
force VI men TO perform this dutyy
General Sharpe-u Undoubtedly; vessels often como
In a bunch; an easterly wind usually blows them IN
for instance, on the LIST day oil March we had two
steamers and seven sailing vessels ana on The I'd OF
March three steamers and eighty three sailing ships
arrived all these had TO be discharged and We had to
have men 70 do 1t with
Inspectors Each OF the Two deputy surveyors Tor
dschareng passenger vessels has Two aids, who were
appointed monthly. From Us TO l35 inspectors are
Kept on duty AT the barge Office In regard 10 weigh
General sharpe said that when he irst came Into
the Office there nineteen weighers employed there
On his suggestion the number was reduced 10 thirteen
| Tho salary OF weigncr Is 81 500 per annun, that
OF the foreman ST. 200 and aborers receive forty cents
Tor every working hour. Mr. Turnurc asked II the
200 men would not do the weighing as well as those
receiving $1,000 General Sharpe conceded that
either the ioremcn or clerks could be dispensed with.
Every weicher mas tho right, or takes u, TO hire his
own aborcrs In some Instances he tthe SURVEYOR
has cut down such payrolls $500 TO 5000 per month
PKAupULkST PAYRoLLs.
These payros were deemed fraudulent, and she we'd
great deal OF favorsm. The wcighers, as general
thing take moro interest In politics than others in
government service. Mr.. Robinson read comnuni-
cation 10 the effect that wegher named Jeremiah
Drew had been elected acting supervisor OF
Orange county, TO which, the letter says. he pays
more nteplion than 10 IA on cia business General
Sharpe replied that Mr. Drew had Decn In the depart
ment before he came into II was always considered
| very good onccr, aud Mr Drew's holding another
| office never came 70 his knowledge
General sharpe continued that there altogether
2S2 inspectors, whose pay was liked at 81 per diem
The inspectors detailed nj the barge Office duly
IRON sunrise until sunset, they relieved by
tho night walcnmen Those on district duty seal the
vessels up at sunset and their duly at SUNRISE
General sharpe conceded per cent OF the force
could be dispensed with, but that there was not
snecurc In his department
| MIGHT wATcHxEx.
ships manifest was exhibited, by which the Sur
vcyOr explained the discharging OF cargocs and the
amount Of labor tailed upon the inspectors. The
force OF tight watchmcn IS l02 men, who alternate be-
tween sunset ana sunrise Their pay Is 50 per night.
Mr.. Robinson wanted TO know why these men could
not do duty all night as merchants watchmen do, 10
which the surveyor replied that merchants have no
organized punderers TO contend with, no desperate
pirates TO IRE them, they often do on the
! all their pay.
The surveyor here explained how passengers en-
denvorcd 10 Introduce other goods than their wearing
apparel actually In when the law PERMITS IN their
baggage. He lamented tho entire absence OF proper
government officers the steamship docks, and many
times he said the top OF whiskey barrel did duly as
iesk on which TO collect governments duty on passcn
ger goods Is II, then, wonder that tho travellers
think the collectors OF the tarif on the docks hum
bugs, and that the government does not receive the
money!
AT i've o'clock the comm ssion took until
to-day.
pREM1NTrION or SIMMER