New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-14
THE CUSTOMS SERVICE IN NETWORK CITY.

a This adjourned until to-InoTTo"'
when the witness will be iurtner examined.
THE CUSTOMS SERVICE IN NEW-YORK CITY
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CoMMI 'sIoN APPOINTED
BY SECRETARY FOLGER-THE PRINCIPAL
CHANGES PEOPOsED-A MINORITY REPORT.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.-The majority report
Of the commission appointed to examine INTO the con
duet and necessities OF the Service at the port
of New-York has been submite 10 Secretary tol5er
The Inquiry made in order 10 determine the amount
OF the appropriation required TO defrdy the expenses OF
the Custom House the fiscal year to end on June 80
1884 fine report makes tne following recon-
mendstions in regard Collectors office That the
salary OF the COleco be, as now nAed Dy Law" SlEoVoi
that the request OF the Collector for revival OF the
offices OF Assistant Collector and Cniet clerk OF customs
be considered that the superintendent OF the Custom
House be paid So 400 instead or $4,000 that Deputy
Collectors in charge Of divisions be paid $4,000 year
instead of So 600 on account OF their experience tine
Importance OF their duties and the Increased cost oil
living; that the salaries OF the cher clers 0 the Thd
and Seventh Divisions be made $1,000, aud that
those OF the auditor AMI cashier be advanced
from $4,000 to $4,000 "both OF which officers
have large responsibilities; that an additional
Deputy Collector appointed to take charge Of the
liquidation OF entries and that two additional clerks be
appointed this branch Of the service, making twenty
eight in all twelve OF whom should receive 5000
year each; and that the Collector be empowered to
require any officer clerk to act as Deputy Collector
without additional pay. The report that liability, as
demonstrated by years OF service, should control the
Government in making promotions of worthy servants
without their examination In general class 1t 10 not
in our opinion practicable To throw open sIcn posi-
tons TO competition 10 the whole Custom House"
Reg ardng Surveyors Office me following recon-
aDniished and that the officer thai position be
appointed assistant surveyor that three deputy sur
We he appOn ed Que at salary OF $4,000 aud two
nj salaries 500 that the number OF Inspectors
be increased from 31i TO 33l, the present fOrco being
inadequate to meet The ree"s OF the service aud that
number Of female inspectors be reduced from nine to
seven.
daious ruade-that the following officers be APP
pointed: An Assistant Naval Officer. Salary $1,000;
Two IDENTITIES salary e&ci, Auditor,
salary $500; thar the preliminary examination Of
tue entry Naval Once BE- dispensed with that
the cashier be required 10 noe on TIE copies or tue
Ell RES the Collectors estiraea duties, aud that the
Naval Once be required to PROV e correctness of the
olecror's final tmcnt liquid lion OF lie amount
pas Rblca system tnat would save $4S40 in salaries,
ana mat was approved by ali the ohcias who were
The report next takes up the Appraisers Department
the importance OF Which shown ny hEutes aud refers
TO ue Systematic differentiation Of goods subject al
yalorem duties We mpr. ed" the report says.
" with he conviction that mucI can be done toward
essening the evil of unuervdluatopl and to prOmO'e
efficient and ready acuO on the part or tine Ap
praiseis Department by paFta chang III the present
sy stem, and by the appointment OF man ID be Az
50 ,nora1t posi- rhe salary of tine MISUNDERSTANDING
b. 5000 Tue report says further: We ind at
sent the mOS dlscOrdan relations existing between
ne Appraiser and many Of his prominent assistants
who nave served under former appraisers VINO thor
Uughy appreciated the services these experienced
oinccrs and between whom there the most cordial
relations. Whc we have tailed TO discover anytnIng
ucn npeacnes the integrity OF the present Appraiser
la our Judgment, not developed those atnin
quaities shown the nusi capacity
are NECESSARY" Tne report numates that a
change would be followed by good results. |
la place OF esent organization of tue Office the
port recommends the appointment OF Two assistant
pra. sers. with salaries OF lOOO ana P5OOO respectively
Of deputy appraisers u salary OF $4,000 cacn
The ee>,nng II lhe nunocr OF divisions would simplify |
the IAc report ds the repeal OF
S6G permit the Appraiser either 20 place tne
damage appraisemonts In charge OF sepirae division
or TO dIVlut tAe ldDOf among teVtIdi utislohs me
salary o the Genera Appraiser should be $1,000 instead
$1,000, and an enar-,uc OF s uncuOns Is recon-
mend,d as TO give nin Jurisdiction IN connection with
the merchant APPRAISERS.
The report in referring to the agnitude of the bust
ness intclcs, OF 1OfA CITY ys mat the value OF
the goods when passed through NeWIork without he
plymeni OF duues there durn- lie fiscal year 1882
was III round numbers S',lVOOOO. change IA the |
regulations governing tho Immediate transportation Of
nercLandisc without appiis, nent Is rOn uended for
The report continues as fOows: We hnd that ali the
principal customs officers at New York are IN accord |
wth US IN Inc opinion that mo hnshe-s oil ihe Custom
House is cOSgeG by the cxactlOn Of known
official fees, and tnat 1t should he abolished. II
fees continue to be exaced II will result IN long
and troublesome litigation. The salaries of col |
lee, Ors whose compensation is made up largely from
sucn fees should DC tnOrOug Ily reaGjdstcd."
The estimates OF the commission. If adopted viii In
crease oe expense OF collecting the revenue from Gus
tons a. Now OK over That OF ts present organization
$93 II 70. but this amount il 81 j0,G27 70 less
wOula be incurred If The recommendations OF officers
In Charge OF The respective DE aItmcht made 10 the
MISSION, should be adopted. rhe commission
tnst there Will Dc no return to the contract system Of
weighing aud IN TINS opinion, they say they
tanned by the officers OF ire largest experience in New
the report signed by H. B. James Chief of the Gus
toms Division, cnarnan Joseph 1rciOar Chief Clerk of
the usolus AZ no oLt VI Wv lcrA, ara Chailes ~
Bracket, special Agent OF the Treasury Department
some OF the recommendations IN the report regarding
the Naval ounce are similar 70 those contained In tie
report OF the Tariff Commission. The repOr IS accom-
panied by the following table snOWlng tne Present
the CusOInJ NewYo rk and the organization
Tor That port by the Conmi,so