The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-22
CUSTOM HOUSE INVESTIGATION.

IMPoRrATIoSs OF sILK-cosTRi DIcTonY TEs-
TiMoSY on THE SUBJECT OF IT'S vALUA-
NOTWITHSTANDING VESSELS AT NIGHT
John 7. Peck, owner OF bonded warehouse APP
peared before the commission yesterday at the secret
session, and is said tina, his testimony has been very
bitter against the Custom House
James :. Moore, employee OF the Treasury Depart
mont, located IN the New York Custom House. testified
that he was preparing and arran nc laws also
collecting statistics the presen, contradictory
and too complicated; consignors abroad have 10
undergo The trouble TO make trpiicate invoices
and take an oath before consul. which Is altogether
unnecessary. duplicate invoice should be given TO
the consul Tor statistical uses The oath Of the i'm
porter should DO taken after the appraisomcaL De.
ponont denounced tho check system IN unmeasurcd
terms as OF no service 10 tho government Tho ieos
were inequitaolc and useless; they should be abol-
shcd anu added TO tho duties, shy al tho rate OF
quarter OF one per cent The nbors OF the Appraisers
department cannot DO we'll done acct uni OF the
inadoquacy OF the quarters; ,ho work unoveniy
divided no ono man look after ana examine prop
ery the various amounts OF goods intruslcd 10 the
Deputy Appraiser, especially that in charge Of tho
Third division. In tho opinion OF tho deponout be.
tween eghtand ten million dollars worth OF silks are
annually brought TO this country either BY under
valuation or smuggling.
lMroRTArloSs or SILKS.
Mr. William +. Kent, examiner in tho Third dvi-
sion testified that he tho examiner OF silks vel
vets and mixed goods; tho invoices us they are re-
ceived ny the Assistant Appraiser arc divided among
tho exauiners, on which the appraisements made;
under valuations are OF very raro occurrence among
SILK importers; at ono time there great deal OF
smuggling carried on IN this iine; silk goods VI pre-
sent do not realize invoice prces owing TO tho general
stagnaton In business. Mr. Kent always present
at rcapprascments; merchant appraisers usually dis.
crimtnntc in favor OF tho importer and endcavor to
save MN tho penalty which a ten per cent underval-
amnsr must DC exsuS Ia Goods 81 'no S
irving NJ tho proper value thereof quite frequently
the foreign correspondence OF tho importers used
guide 10 form opinions OF values.
The commission then called four men, who had boon
waiting IN the antcroom for several hours ono or
that he had been employed for three years az
and packer IN tho Appraisers stores; no was DIS
friend OF William Haw Jr then president of The
Twcnty-rst District Republican Association, and for
refusing to support tho Custom House primaries;
William A. Darling, tho Appraiser, informed witness
that he had fault TO nd with him, but that his re-
movn Ind been demanded.
Payson Dwight, u companion OF the last witness,
who had been Custom House inspector, also related
grievances oil . similar kind.
was n Of ,ns tho Fourth
formerly had charge Of tho silk appraisencnts, and
iet satisfied that up to within several months and for
ABOUT hull year tho undcrvaluaton OF slks up
TO quite twenty i've per cont Witness al the request
Of tho Treasury officials, made investigation into
silk by a. T. Stewart 4 Co. had fallen Off FROM
81, 500 COO 10 $780, COO; tho that silks oan
DO bought moro cheaper than they can be imported;
witness assorted that no had this class oil goods
10 be entered at thirty three per cent loss than In
voices OF silks entered by A. Stewart l. Co. he did
not know that she goods were passed at this undcr.
valuation.
WIN. s. ncadcy, Assistant Appraiser of the Seventh
division, Testified In regard 10 his OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
drugs and druggists suudries examined--that
there are not many instances whore tho goods coming
into this division have TO be advanced In value.
CUSTOM HOUSE gSrRiKs
James !. Hail. Assistant Appraiser OF tho Ninth al.
vision, testified TO the general inciciency Of the art
DIVISION Ho considers Mr.. Lee wholly nconp etcnt
TO upprnisc works OF art Doponcnt was formerly In this
DIVISION; could not ngreo with Mr.. Ice, who was Mr..
w. H. Darlings brother in-aw tho openers and pack
ers should be under ono head and wnen any division
needs such laborers they should DO drawn IRON hun
II this plan Is adopted the force be reduced al
least twenty per cent In fsct the entire force Of the
Appraisers department could be reduced. Witness
cxpoundcd tho system oil tho tariff on steel and iron,
and The nico tcohnicaties prescribed by statutes on
articles OF machinery.
ation governing the discharge OF steamships at night
aud the compensation OF inspectors therefor. The
dor was Immediately after suspended account OF
article d which WAS not ~ accordance with the
dalton Of the commission. Yesterday tho order WAS
renewed, and the following ID tho clause adoptod:-
Inspectors assigned to tho discharge Of steamships will
them after sunset and beoro sunrise only when nat per
nts ~ discharge have been obainrd. Tie or such
Sss. nos sss si 70 iSa r. s Gsss Of an At
spector and such nsason shall be paid TO s Coec
steamship ~ thc time Of granting the permit 70 discharge
vt night to inspectors for services win be
will be Included separate In the inspectors
lar voucher for services.
accompanied by separate abstract showing The
received from each weasel Tor extra services OF officers
account and deposited in the Treasury.