Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-06-05
How. Custom Honse inspectors Work.

How. Custom Honse Inspectors Work.
Baggage IS landed and deposited ID
separate piles. according 10 the initials
of the owners names, the proper label
having been affixed on the steamer.
The places are desi gnated by huge let
| tiers on the wall of the shed. II there
are many Smiths aboard. for instance,
there will be q crowded congregation of
trunks and owners about S. The ex-
amining inspectors are already drawn
up In line across the dock. and nothing
passes them without due ) scrutiny.
/ Wearied travellers, who can leave their
matters in the hands of friends. are re-
Eeved of further waiting, and after
quick search of wraps and valises are
allowed to depart in peace. As, each
individuals baggage is brought togeth-
er, he notifies the staff officer, and
hands over his ticket. The officer Sc
lects the corresponding declaration,
writes the name of an inspector VI honl
he calls from the line-upon it, and
directs immediate examination. This
is usually. sufficiently thorough. In
spectors, through long practice. become
Involuntary disciples OF Lavater, and
such expert critics of human nature
that they almost intuitively detect At
tempted fraud. Dutiable articles, not
declared as such, are brought out, val
ued by the attendant appraiser, entered,
with value attached on the declaration,
and the owner is obliged to pay the
requisite duty to clerk in attendance
for the purpose of receiving it. The
inspector also signs his name to the
declaration. as. ss.lE
!, The efficiency and courtesy Of the
Deputy Surveyor, and also of the in
spectors on the dock, together with the
delicate discharge OF their not particu-
larry pleasing duties. are worthy OF
high praise. Exceptions are few and
far between. The questions asked
about dresses, laces, cloaks, ETC., are
not invariably met with precisely truth
full reioinders. TO cheat Uncle Sam in
revenue matters is regarded as de-
cidedly venial sin by most of his chill
! 'dren, native or adopted. This notion
lis doubtless anzunconseious remnant
of the freebooting ethics of forgotten
ancestors. 1t is slowly yielding to
higher and better ideas. Even the
wealthiest are not exempt from the
smuggling mania. One gentleman,
whose name is Synonymous with al-
most, fabulous wealth, returning
from Europe in company with his
wife, was compelled to pay about
81, 800 in duties on her; enormous
stock OF wearing apparel, which he
contended was Tot dutiable. whether il
had or had not been worn. He ap'
| pealed to the Sec etary Of the Treas.
ury, whDi decided against him. q He
| then broa ght suit within ninety days in
| the United States Court 8 His wife
/ swore that q portion Of the whole had
been worn in good faith. The duties
paid on that portion were refunded,
| while those on the remainder were re-
| tanned. t4s.4- ss.,s.s ST &
| Smuggling is carried on in many
i ways, and will be carried on while hu
| man nature continues TO be what it is.
Foreign retail traders are adeptinstruct
ors in the art of evading the payment
| of duties, as any one who has been il
| the lace establishment of Des Marets
| and other merchants at Brussels car
testify. The ingenuity of Inspectors il
taxed to the uttermost to defeat tkeil
| schemes. Female inspectors are EN-
| ployed to search persons of their owl
sex who are sent to them by the Deputy
Surveyor for that purpose. Of these
inspectresses there are nine.. ain 1861
| there werelonly four. The inspectress
I es perform their duties, both at Castle
I Garden and on. the docks, in rooms Sc
apart for such searches, Recitals O
| their experiences are at once amusing
| and hunliliating to believers in the nat
uraI goodness Of men. German Jew
are more addicted to smuggling thar
people o.. other nationalities, but nom
| are altogether free from the vice
/ Modistes and dress-makers are natur
7 ally the most frequent offenders. Extra
| gold watches; laces. silks, linens
wound around the body sor limbs; hu
man hair in toupees, wigs, and switche!
| sewn into skirts; new dresses stitched
| to old ones; silks and laces made up in
| to several volum nous skirts--art
| among ordinary discoveries. One un
lucky wight, suspected OF completely il
| feminine designs, was found to have
| two sets Of pofnt-lac in the crown Q
his hat--R. Wheatsey. IN Harper
Weslr ~ stjss ssts 1a8s