National Republican., 1888-03-15

NOT THE COLLECTORS FAULT.
The Dtlay In Railroad Traffic ut Paso
del Norte.
TIE Boston Hcrdld OF the 18th OF Febru-
my last published a telegram dated the
lTth, ut FL Paso, Texas, stating that there
was considerable number OF cars with
merchandise destined to Mexico detained
at III Paso, Texas, because they could not
be- cleared hy the custom house at PAso
DEL NUite, Mexico, in consequence OF the
iusuflcieut numerical force OF It's clerks,
and that this delay was causing serious iu-
Jury to the railroad companies, especlallyto
the Central Mexican, aud those interested
IN the merchandise.
S,nor Romero, the Mexican minister, de-
tiring 10 ascertain whatever might be true
with regard TO this report, with the object
Of rectifying 1t, should it be inaccurate, or
10 request from the government Of Mexico
measures conducive to remedy the evil, IL
The detention was caused by the insufficient
hun Der OF clerks in the custom house at FL
Pasu del Norte, requested from that col.
lector detailed report with retereuce to
This case, which he has already received,
dated on the 18th instant.
That report states that railroad construc-
tlon In Mexico has caused considerable
ircreaee In the traffic bv Pdso del Note, as
that route, up to the let instant, was tho
tnly one that connected the United States
with the City OF Mexico aud by that route
are now sent rails, slippers. holdfast, nails,
&C., for the construction OF said railroads;
that this material arrived in sucn large
quantities TO the stations OF the Atchlson,
Topeka and Santa Fe aud the Southern Pa
ci6c railroads at III Paso, Texas, that all its
q 30.
and that the same thing happened ut the
station OF the Mexican Central at Paso del
Norte. The superintendents Of this road
and Of the other lines which reach Ell Paso,
Texas, came to this city with view OF
rtmtdSipg these evils, and the collector Of
Customsat Paso del NoIte requested OF the
government Of Mexico PERMISSION to re-
lease said materials from some OF the estab
lithed requisites OF the tariff In force In
Mexico, with the object of expe1ltiog It's
Transport.
He obtained authority to do SO, and as
far as the custom house is concerned no
car hes suffered single days detention, as
its duties are OF the simplest kind, consist
ing In receiving the clearing papers, clear
ing the goods, to appraise the goods, col.
lect the duties, and to issue the permits for
their being carried to the interior of Mexico,
and all these requisites do not demand at
the utmost more than four day, 1t being
frequently the case that In q couple OF days
everything is completely gone through.
The true causes of the delay, according to
the report Of the collector at Paso del Norte,
aiiee from the transfer of the freight Of the
Alchistp, Topeka and Saute Fe rallro .d
to the Texas Pacific railroad, and from
this to the Mexican Central, the sending o.
the freight cars to the place where the ex-
animation of the goods takes place, the
taking away Of the cars cleared aud the
bringing Of new ones, the payment oi
freights, the transportation OF the & ,ods to
their different destinations, and other work
Of this kind, with which the custom house
has nothing to do. Some merchants
nevertheless, In order to justify their owr
tackwardDess, lay the blame for this or
the custom house without any ground at
all.