The New York herald., 1878-09-18
THE CUSTOM HOUSE.

TESTIMONY AppucEp BEFORE MR.. WOOD Yrs-
TERDAY-ruR DUTIES ON sUGARs-DIs-
cRRPANcIIs BETWEEN IMPORTERS AND Re-
FINERs.
Mr. Fernando Wood, OF the Subcommittee of Why's
and Means resumed his inquiry yesterday at the
Naval Office into the manner Of carrying the busi
ness OF the Custom House. SiIas b. butcher, Custom
House Appraiser MADE an additional statement tend
ing 10 show that the rules he had adopted were cal
culated 10 facilitate tho business OF importers rather
than impede importations.
Robert Hewitt, Jr., Of J. N. Csballos Il Co., sugar
importers, put in an array OF hgures showing how
the government had lost So OOO 900 within the last
three years In duties on sugar alone. He presented
the following official data compiled from the Bureau
Of Statistics at washipgton:-
DISCREPANCIES IN SUGAR DUTIES.
Sugar impor,ations entered tor consumption in the
fiscal years enong June 80, 1876, 1877, and for New
Waght Duties Rate
1870. ........ 1,5el,sso,S45 ss7ea5,oe4 al
1877. .......... l.455, ,s54 54,337 $50 2.36
Importation for consumption at New York, fiscal
year 1875 f07S 143 lbs, s24 1884, 1856 2al3I. beng
H. SO per cen. OF the total impor ,atons into the
United States Tor the fiscal year.
New York mporiations amount TO ~ SO per cent OF
Now YORK i:nportat,ons grade above No. 10 Dutch
standard as per catim.tcs OF the Commission on the
Consequently at leas. r. SO per OF total impor
tations are above 10 Dutch standard.
Rate OF duty on 73 p=r cent of total I'M
R!.e re'ss Of au,y on 81 per cont Of total I'M
ports. ........................... 2.oo
Average. .......................... 2.72Sl 20
REcAPIrULArIoN.
Weight. lbs Rate Per Lb Duty Recefped
1s70-l5ol.sso545 24l Collected duty ss7, ,625, oe4
1,5ol, ,oS0,545 272Sl Correct duly. AZ. .OlO O53
1s77"lSS ss7 s5i as6 Uoeced duty ss 3s', $50
l,455,3S7,s54 2,72sl Correct duw.. 50, 7o4. 7o9
1s7s@io7S, 5ss i43 23isi Ccectea duty $.4 SS4 isS
1,O73,59s,l43 2 7as1 Correct duty. 20, S39
Discrepancy s457s,55a
&C.,, SUMMARY OF DUTY DISCREPANCIES 49,.
1o-Amo"n. sos'sss sss
1S7S-Amount, New York;. 4,57s,553
a. J. Swift OF the firm OF Swift & Co, SAID the
above figures based invoices and not liquda-
tions hence they wsro wrong II the dquidatOns
wero considered II wosld be found that the govern
mont had received s42 00O 0O0 He did not believe
tho idea that the poor would get cheaper sugar
byrssing the grade. STORIES about frauds committed
by Importers he believed 10 BIO greatly exaggerated If
Theodore A. Havemcyer, OF the sugar house of that
name, Did not believe The loss OF revenue TO tne gov
100000, instead OF S5,000,000, which was cue to
depression and limited consumption. Great
lin ported and refined here, and support a great
industry. Tue rsGners had millions Of dollars
invested IN buildings, and he ara not believe the gov
HIS father and mis- grandfather before him had been
rclners, and ne pronounced the action unjust that
would destroy his industry In which be had $4,000 900
invested and employed largo number OF mon, to
able others, VINO have millions invested iu United
States bonds to GO into the sugar trade with laws
mado 10 SUIT them.
SUGAR FRAUDS
Lawson NJ Fuller OF the hru OF Aldama Il Co.,
e nteut nat IN har IN
regard 10 alleged sugar ireuds lie believed Mr.
butcher to Oe s,.n honest -, but 1T u was .1 not in
cnuss he has TO roly upon samples pre-
sented for appraisement. Witness showed how his frm
duty paid, bond at Two and a halt cents. Tho nrm
was subsequently, informed BY the Custom House that
they mad overpaid $1,000 IN gold, and that that
amount was ready 10 bo IeiunGed. On comparing
notes, however, II appeared thatthe firm right
anea HIS hausS hud also .eceyea nm aSonySous
notification that upon the payment OF certain
amount to a certain party MS operations with tho
bonded warehouse would be greatly facilitated and
his expenses reduced he paid no attention TO It,
Witness stated that ne believed in pure sugar
as he DID in pure milk Men are nned
for adulterating milk; 50 they should be
for adulterating sugar; tho latter was moro dectcr-
Gus 10 the consumer He did want to impor, dirt
in sugar. 'We have" witness said, "dirt enough
here already" aughtcr) Ho eontsnded that Il would
be better i'm porers The rehners ana tho con-
sumers to import pure and not dirty sugars tor tho
MI Havemeyer-would you not import wool In
wnness-No sir. 1 would not import dirt In any
shape.
THE ApULTERArED ARTICLE.
Witness stated that he had not impaired much IN.
forma:Icn TO the press and TO tho department In
regard to the frauds IN sugars. He might do so,
but preferred not TO. He thought the system
OF frauds was about at end, ana that tho
collectors and other customs officials wero more on
tue alert than formerly. Witness described tho
ri0us tcsIs IN sugars, far the polariscopo
oooeern.d; he was OF opinion that a I'VE hundred
dollar bill placed IN one end oi II would make great
difference iu me grade OF the sugar examined. Wit
also respectfully declined explaining the mod of
aamlteraing sugars. "as Il might injure the busi-
ness" Ony experts could detect the sduiterated
article; groccrs could not. Glucose, produced IRON
corr, was largely introduced into tho adulterated
article; large quantities Of It made est
Is 10 Goduced INTO the manufacture Of whiskey.
BUSINESS TROURIES