The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-08-05
Customs Inspections.

hey-there were three Of them-prompt
ly established themselves behind A tabl
at the head of the main staircase into tn
saloon. Here they produced a bundle O
blanks and the revenue agony began
Ihe passengers marched up one by on
TO the table and were furnished with
number written on a piece of cardboar,
and blank. The blank is called
baggage entry" and consists of tw,
parts. One is devoted to the non-duti
able articles, the other to those ON whicl
duty IS to be paid by the passenger, ane
both halves, If filed up, have to be sworr
to. Upon the back Of this entry-blanl
isa synopsis of the Treasury regulations
BY this synopsis it appears that tn,
senior member of family may be al
lowed to include all the baggage of the
party In one entry, to be made by him.
but reference to the Treasury regula.
tons, Art. 103, reveals the fact that the
entry so made will not relieve the mem.
bers of the party from the penalties fol-
attempts to defraud. If, then, ssthe senior
member of family be little hasty in
his congratulations as to what is dutiable
in the trunk of his daughters maid, fol
example, he may find himself in an ex.
ceedingly awkward predicament. The
language employed in the statutes as
quoted is such that person unlearned
in the law becomes lost in a maze OF
punctuation marks. Wearing apparel
in actual use and other personal effects,
professional books, implements, instru-
ments and tools of trade are declared to
be free from impost by Sec. 1906. Sec.
2.799, which follows it, defines the things
which are exempt. This section to be
appreciated must be read, but to be I'M
derstood must be studied with the aid of
some legal tutor. As no passenger even
understands it, appeal is made to the in
spector on board, who proceeds to trans
late it from the foreign language in which
it is couched into English.
Having given up Sec. 2,799 in despair,
the unfortunate passenger runs foul of
Sec. 2,SO2, in which dire penalties are
threatened against the person who shall
infringe the law. Forfeiture of the ar
ticles and penalty of treble their value
would be calculated to give any one pause.
The sections are followed by two articles.
Nos. 399 and 400, which, strange to saw.
are quite easily understood. The first
declares that jewelry, not for sale, is
free; and the second, that by professional
books, implements, and tools of trade is
meant such books or tools as lawyer,
surgeon or mechanic would use in his
occupation. An extract from an official
circular dated February 80. 1875, urges
tourists to separate the articles which
have been worn from those which are
new, and this is good advice, even if it
is given by the Treasury.
But while the passengers have been
describing their personal effects in
honeyed tones before the awful Council \
OF Three behind the table, Governors
Island and the Battery have been passed
and the Suevia is nearing her dock.
Arriving there, she was tied I'D with as
little fuss as though she had been fish
ing-punt instead OF great ocean steam |
er, and the gang-plank having been
hoisted up, the passengers went ashore,
Inspector Mehrer, who was in charge,
said that there being an Inspector.
Collector and an Appraiser present, on
the wharf, custom-house, in the eyes
OF the law, was in existence there. This
having then been organized, the passen-
gers proceeded to get their luggage
passed. The dock men brought the
trunks and their owners collected them
in piles. The trunks unlocked, the OIL
GERS of the custom-house proceeded to
examine them. Lifting up piles of cloth
ing and asking questions in many Ian
guages, feeling the texture of various
garments between the finger and the
thumb in order to ascertain their fine
ness, removing trays and driving into
shoe wells, opening boxes and baskets
the work went rapidly on. Suddenly
there was q call for Captain Mehrer to
some curtains which were "de-
clared' as dutiable. He gravely lifted
them and then pronouncing the words
''cotton lace" in q mystic aside, wrote
on the baggage entry their value at
fourteen dollars and their duty as being
thirty-five per cent. As this was less
than five dollars the curtains were passed
Tree, it being a custom of the custom !
house to admit articles if the duty does
lot reach that sum. Another call, and I
Captain Mehrer began to look at lot of ,
inen, evidently spun and woven by
ome old grandmother in the Father +,
and. and sent out with many hopes that l
would prove useful in the new home. {
The owner was settler coming to this {
country, and by the Treasury regulations {
he revenue officers always make things
cry easy for the emigrant.
The examination of the luggage did
lot take long. There were few articles
N which duty was collectable, the
wners were honest and declared them, .
nd there were no disputes. The stock
4 good humor which every one acquired !,
7hen they saw the land was not taxed
y the custom house officials. The
luggage Of the emigrants was not exam
ned on the dock, but was taken with the :
wners on board Of the Castle Garden 2
arge. Here it is looked over by the :,
Ulcers appointed to that work, but it is :,
arely if evertaxed. The custom-house =
! very apt to allow emigrants to bring y
lmost anything. providing it is clearly =
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