Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-02-29
LOCAL SKETCHES.
o." LsBoTTsFoap.n
NO. Q.
THE CUsTOM MOUSE, ITS FIGURES
AND OFFICERS.
NO. o.

WORKING OF the custom house. MIL
ions of dollars of business is annual
ly transacted at this port, and the
of each department is as
regular as time itself, and as true as
educated experience and strict in
tegrity can command. The pleas
ant offices, located in the depot
building and on the main platform,
are admirably situated, but are not
sufficiently capacious, yet being oc-
cupied by officers who entertain for
each other the most cordial relation
ship, there is never the slightest
hitch in business procedure. That
government positions are frequently
sinecure is general impression, but
the Custom House officers at Island
Pond know that the "duties" which
they have to perform necessitate
almost unceasing labor, and every
dollar received therefore has been
conscientiously earned. Collections,
duties, examination of baggage,
steamship supplies and all pertain
ing to interchange between the land
of the stars and stripes and where
waves the Union Jack, are here at
tended to, and it is happy to state
that the officers hereinafter named
are as competent in carrying the
country's standard in the days of
peace as they were in defending it
when confederation tried to despoil
it. At the deputy collectors Office
the members thereof are at their post
at half past five o'clock in the morn
ing, and remain thereat until 8 at
night, while the inspectors only leave
to seek their pillows at twelve on the
breathing of new day. The col
lections at this Office, including du,
ties on imports and fees, amount to
$l75, 900 annually; aside from that
there is from 100000 to 100000
worth of business transacted in ex-
portation and bonding. AT the end
of each fiscal year statement is
made, a few items from which will
aid in proving the immensely of la
Dor devolving upon the representa-
tives of the Government. Last ifs
cal year the value for duties of mer-
chandise for consumption was
81 ,4O2, 1856. The duties themselves
were 45,S73.98. The number of
cars (Stamped) which arrived in
transit from West to East was 9433,
and tho whole number of cars Gu
tered from Canada, lO,O56, besides
those stamped by the Consul at
Coaticook, which numbered 1868.
The same rule applies as to from
East to West. The number of cars
in bond was 6194, and the number
of pieces of baggage examined from
Canada is represented in the stall
wart figures, lO,368, showing no idle
part in inspectorship.
The head of the department is
Adjutant Austin H. Hall who was
born in Waterford, CALEDONIA Coun-
ty, Vermont. Until 81 years of age
he was engaged in the cultivation Of
the soil, and in July, 1861, he an
swerod the command of "fall in",
with the rank and file of the gallant
Sd Vermont, and fought with the
Army of the Potomac and through
the Peninsular campaigns, was
wounded at fredericksburg and a
gain at Spottsylvania Court House.
BY true merit he rose step by step
from the ranks until he became Ad-
jutant. Upon his return at the
close of the war, having served from
1861 till 1865, he was appointed In
spector at the Custom House at Is
land Pond where he has resided
ever since, and has again risen to q
position for which no man is better.
Mr.. Hall owns dairy farm encom.
passing in all 200 acres, upon which
are imported Ayrshire cattle, and is
regarded as one of Island Ponds
most highly appreciated permanen.
cies. Mr.. Hall is ably assisted in the
Custom House by Messrs. I. A.
Chase and w. II. Norton. Mr.
Chase fought nobly with the Srd
Vermont, and was wounded in the
service of his country. Mr.. Norton
served in both the 18th and It'll
Vermont, and rose to Lieutenancy
The Inspectors are severally w. III
Currier, e. NJ Dunbar, G. w. Hill
and Louis Follett, Jr., all men wor
thy of any position Of responsibility
Lieutenant Currier gained his epau
lets also in the 3rd Vermont. Mr.