New-York tribune., 1877-08-22
SUBSTANCE OF THE REPORT.

adopt in substance these recommendations.
SUBSTANCE OF THE REPORT.
WASHINGTON, Aug 21.-The report of Messrs.
John Jaw Lawrence Turnure and D. H. Robinson, Oh 'ne
wsivbers and gaugers OF the NewYork Custom House,
il under consideration at the Treasury Department Inc
Commissioners have agreed that the safety OF the rve
nue the interests OF commerce and the good pame OF
the Government demand the reorganization OF 'nls
branch OF the service The 1T performance OF the "orh
calls for Intelligence, fairness, experience exact"
tuAe and promptness, and while lack OF these
oualities is detrimental TO the interests OF the
Government 1t bears heavily upon honorable
iDporters They also say that these gentlemen
claim the right to enjoy all facilities that are not legally
abridged for the safety Of the customs They regard as
wrong all maladmnstraon in the service when tenhs
70 uede their business and they claim that naeeua-
cics exactions and delays in the weehers department
subject them 10 loss especially in affairs conducted by
steam and telegram where the goods are sold deliver
ab,e on their arrival The Commission are agreed In
thinking IL important that the departments OF weghers
and gaugers shall each have practical expert at the
head upon whom should rest the responsibility ana that
each assistant who, ike the chief, should be an expert
and man OF character should be in his turn responsible
for the aborers 10 be selected by himself ihe 'oni'
sioners continue:
In addition to the maladmnisraton which we have
spec fed present district system with Ihiteen
disrcts-four on the Hudson RVer' -FOUR on lhe East
River and five in Brooklyn-has so many disadvantage
that impossible render 1t an economical on" the
Government.
The Commission are clear II the smallest part Of the
evidence before them is true, that partnership nor
connection Of any kind in the work OF weighing dutiabe
goods should be sanctioned tolerated between the
United states weghers and those Of the city
RECOMMENDATIONS or THE COMMISSION
with these views the Commission respectfully recon-
mend the reorganization OF this department the iooN
ing manner. They propose
First To vacate the offices OF weghers. weghers fore
men and weighers CLERKS, and abolish the existing
Sceond. To appoint wegher at a salary OF $500
per year. with an office the Cnsom m"a'e nS o WIN upec
assistant weigher at salary OF -, 500 per year. .
Third To appoint thlriy-hye assistant "eisnerS at
salaries OF ~ 400 per year each
trfb TO direct that the assistant weighers snail EN-
poy aborers they REQUIRE IN o ory nT
per hoir while actually employed. -.
Tffth-Iha ten laborers snail be permanently employ
ed n rate not exceeding forty cents per hour who shall
have charge of weighers and gnagers Tools ana keep
s,ahro appoint one IT salary OF 81 600 per
year with office at the Custom House, & ana appoint
one guager's clerk at salary OF Sl,2oO per year.
&ren-To appoint six assistant saSers at salaries OF
direct that each assistant gauger employ
mis- own laborers exceeding two IN NUMBER at rate
exceeding orty cents per nouf: ord assistant
gaugers shall do the work OF weighing aud gagng re-
f1o mo- 36orTs shall be designated assistant weighers
or assistant gaugers TO perform the dulles OF Ose ot
GER the and assistant tgaugers to be
assigned 10 duty the necessities OF the Service may
require al such localities and for sneh tlme as the
Wegber and Gauger may determine win the approVa
Tentb%rnat all records be kept in offices at the
Custom House. and that the clerical WORK De nOne ny
The clerks in cose offices and returned sg1ed there by
Wegher or Gauger respectively as me case may De-
within iOrtyelght hours aitef the meIcnahusc m oeen
weighed gagged all special returns OF Weight, or
certificates o weights gauges to be furnished To the
mporers shipntSiers owners any one represent
| ng them free from any charge whatever
Eicesnh- That "a simple and inexpensive UNIFORM ne
adopied To De worn by such of the Customs officers
required 10 wear r. the cap having initial letters
belongs that least the inspectors the wegher and
gauger their assistants be required at once to wear
| snch uniform during their hours OF duty.
While foregoing plan WILL II Is believed, materially
reduce the expenses OF the existing system which are
the Improvement in the character and efficiency Of the
| fore. under skliul management OF experienced
chiefs further reduction may perhaps, soon be feas
pe But view OF the evils OF the present system the
COMMISSION nave regarded the question of expense as
one OF inerier importance that the immediate re-
! organization Of tue department The plan which they
nave now the honor 10 recommend should it, general
features your approval, they believe be put in
operation early day. with such careful prelim-
nary arrangements for its smooth workng. that the
change NJ ed interruption TO the business OF the
| Custom House or to that Of tIc importers.
| ABUSES IN THE PRESENT SYSTEM.
Touching the practical results Of this system the evil
deuce submitted in their judgment, shows that
the present system the larger number OF United States
weighers who receive salaries Of $500 per aunum
| and who are assigned respectively weighing
| districts, render little. If any personal service
to the Government That the wegbers' foremen.
service that the most important part o tie duties which
they do perform Is the assignment 81 iabOrers to assist
the assistant wcigers that ia Of tie districts the
foreman desgratcs fiOm the laDOrcrs who are hired
assistant iOfemcu" 4" dock fOrcmen" as hey
sometimes called perform such duty Is supposed
| 10 pertain to tie office Of foremen tnat the weigh
crs' clerks, sllarcd officers receiving 81, 200 per
| year, in some instances perform duty, AID
| fhh In most IL not all OF the Wclgier3 offices
hired laDOfeIs assl,led 10 the clcIIca
work which intended to De done the regular clerk
uf the wcigher; that the number of aburers assigned
10 the Weigners' Offices Tor clerical duty in the
;eyeia districts from four 10 eight lcrsOns.
Offices four Others six and st III Others eight that
tlese assigned have litile duty perform that
in Offices Of wcighcr Whose borne
aDOrers payroll are assigned To duty ianltOfs
useless persons who really perform little ser
vice. but who receive pay fs though they were
employed ten hours per day, Six days III the week
IL forty per hour; tat names OF persons are borne
on the labor paros who perform no service except that
OF signing tAeF names 10 pas -rJa anu Receiving theH
pay excessive nhnbcr OF persons as laDorers
ars duty at the scales often many as ten
when only four rs rdic can br advanageou'H
employed and that these persons are employed as nDo
ers by wcghers aud wcghers fJremen AS reward j..
poitcal services that the assistant weieber VINO pei
.orms the work Of weighing ana handling the baa mas
no voice In the selection Of tine men whom ne Is "
| use as laboTcrs In performing his duty, Dut IL
! obliged 10 such men and such "a number as 'ne
weilher his foreman designate; that parc .!
the weighabe merchandise imported NJ TINS port Is 10,
weighed by the Unrd states Meighers or any OF tnsn
asssants but weighed by the city wsghers VINO give
memoranda Of what pufofts To DO the "eis"'s W A'