The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-05-12
The New YORK uustom House.

The work done in the New York Gus
tom house is described in an interesting
manner bya reporter as follows: There
are few better indications of the renewed
activity in business than can be seen at
the cashiers office in the custom house,
in Wall street. In a small room on the
main floor of the building, and occupy
ing the southwest corner of il, the
cashier, with a force OF fifteen clerks,
receives al the money tor duties levied
by the government on imports, except
ing the small amount assessed on pas
sengers' baggage, which is collected on
the wharf. Some idea of the amount OF
business done in this Office may be
gained when it is stated that the money
received in single day has several
times lately amounted to over 81, 900, :
900, and the number of entries made
has exceeded 1000. The manner in
which this large amount of money is
handled is as follows:
The merchant's or brokers' clerk, af-
ter first making out his entry IN the ro-
tunda of the building, where the amount
OF duty is calculated on the entry by the
entry clerks, takes his place in the line
before one of the receiving clerks desks,
and deposits the amount of the entry in
6pllbll OOAs anu Will IL Il blCh6b OIl Wllltu
he has entered the merchants name,
with the date, and the sum inclosed,
whether in gold, silver notes or certifi.
Gates. Gutta-percha boxes are used TO
prevent unnecessary noise from the
clinking of the coin. The receiving
clerk takes the box of money, and hands
it to teller to count, while the clerk
enters the amount from the entry in a
blotter. The teller does not look at the
cash ticket until he has counted the
money and marked it on the back of the
ticket. He then turns it over, and if the
amount is correct, checks it, and returns
it to the receiving clerk, who then signs
permit for the delivery of the goods.
The entries then go to the bookkeepers,
who enter the amount of each on
"sheets," and at the close of the day, the
money is counted and compared with
| this record of the bookkeepers.
So carefully is til is system carried
| out, that there is rarely variation of a
| cent between the money and the ac-
counts, and the Office has thereby gained
the reputation of being more exact
than any other similar institution in
the country which handles such an
amount Of money coming in so many
different payments, from $5 to $50, 600
| should any discrepancy occur, the
clerks carefully compare both sides o.
the tickets, and then compare the tickets
with the clerks blotter; and then the
blotter is checked of with the book
Keepers sheets. By some of thes,
methods the error is certain to be dis
covered. AS account is kept of eacl
KIND OF money separately, the tellerl
can see at glance if a mistake is made
IN the gold, silver certificates, or notes
When the coin has been counted anC
put into small canvas bags, it is placed
In boxes holding $50 600 in gold. These
boxes are put in hand-cart outsid,
the building, and wheeled to the sub
treasury, which gives a receipt to tn
custom house for each deposit. Nearl,
a ton of coin has t0 be transferred DAHL
in this manner. An officer, fully armed
accompanies the porter, and there ar