The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-09
MEMPHIS CUsTOM-HOUSE.
ITS GROWTH SINCE MADE A PORT
OF FIRST ARRIVAL.
Singular Policy of Local Importers Who
Help Maintain New York and Other
Foreign Brokers or Agents Compare
tive Statement--"A Little List.

The growth and expansion Of the Mem
phis custom-house, under Capt. T. L. To-
bins intelligent and energetic supervis-
ion, is theme endowed with peculiar in
terest. An APPEAL reporter called upon
the surveyor yesterday and obtained quite
an array Of facts and figures, which COM
bined present valuable object of study
for the public, especially business men.
Capt. Tobin was asked for information as
10 importations received at this port Of
foreign goods transported direct in bond
without appraiscment, and released upon
payment Of duties at the port of Mem
-phis.
''since the facilities forhandling imported
merchandise with dispatch and accuracy"
said he, "and with the least expense and
trouble to the importer, have been afforded
this port, there has been marked in
crease in the practice OF importing by the
merchants at large, but not more than one
tenth what IL should be, and which will
vet no doubt be increased when the great
pccuniary advantages are apparent. There
are great quantities OF imported merchan-
disc consumed in this city which are re-
leased at ports Of first arrival, New York,
New Orleans, baltimore or elsewhere and
there attended 10 by custom.house brokers
and others, who exact their commissions
and other incidental charges, aggregating
in the end 10 quite considerable sum,
and our merchants are assisting in the up.
building OF these exterior ports at the cx-
pense OF Memphis, M well rs 10
deprive themselves of the brok-
eragc and commission, which they
should keep in their own pockets.
Suppose Memphis merchant has u lot con.
sisiing OF ten packages Of goods shipped 10
him from England or France. The pur.
chase is made through an agent in New
York, who has them entered In the New
York custom.house aud the duty paid
there. His usual fee Is $500 for each en-
try. After the goods arc unloaded from
the ship, he has them carried to his bonded
warehouse for nearly all the brokers
have such establishments and stored
there For that he charges 80 cents q
month for each package. Suppose they
remain a month, and that Is another
s. added 10 the cost. There il another
fee OF % cents ON each package 10 have
them carried from the dock 10 the ware
house. When they are carried from the
warehouse 10 the railroad for shipment To
Memphis that lee is repeated. The items
amount 10 SlD, or 4 per cent on the orig
inal cost, all Of which Is unnecessary II the
goods are shipped through from Europe TO
Memphis, and not sent in care of any one
ut New York. There is no commission,
no cIirtage fer, and the storage rates 10
cents per month instead Of 80 cents rs j.
charged In New York.
''But cannot Memphis merchant order
goods through a New York or some other
foreign agent and have them sent to him
direct, and thus prevent these numerous
tecsY"
at frequently happens that merchants
purchase goods in Europe through New
York agents At stipulated prices, with or.
ders 10 have them shipped direct to them
q this port, hut the agents invariably try
10 have the goods released al the custom
house, New York, and then forwarded
here as freight, giving all manner Of rca-
sons why il IL besi 10 10 80 hut the true
reason is that they sell the merchandise at
one price while the real price they pay for
n in Europe is another. Whenever goods
are shipped from a foreign country 10 an
interior port in this country the United
States consul at the port from which the
goods are shipped Il Obliged 10 send an in.
voice, certified and sworn, 10 the surveyor
OF collector OF the port where the goodsarc
destined, showing the true amount paid
the foreign firm Tor them. win cite an
instance whore one OF these agents had
the goods directed 10 the merchant nj the
interior town, but took especial pains TO
have the goods sent 10 his (said agcni'rl
care, which Of course neccssitaied his NJ
leasing them nj the port 81 ilnt arrival,
and the merchant received his goods after
several weeks delay And, upon com.
parison Of the invoice which he received
from his agent with the true and correct
one recriycd by the surveyor from the
United States consul, u developed the
fact that he had paid the agent from whom
he had purchased the goods fully ~ pc
cent more than the agent hal paid 10
them In Europe, In addition 20 the broker
arr, commissions, etc. OF course In
brokers, agents, commission men, etc.
In New York and other ports must hav
their profits, and I cannot understand VIII
our merchants do not see that they mus
paw every agent and broker who touche
their goods at these exterior ports"
us there any reason, such ~ lack Of "a
ciliiies, etc, why Memphis merchant
should contribute 10 the maintenance q
thcsc brokers, agents, etc2'
''Tbe facilities now possessed by thi
port are such a. 90 give the commission
and brokerage fees 10 the importer, sine
NIL the lines of railroads entering this poF
from exterior ports are bonded carriers, q
we'll ~ the ~. Louis X New Orleans An
ehor Line steamers from New Orleans, la.
10 Memphis, Tenn. Goods can now com
under bonded seals direct TO this port, an
inspected In the prtscnee Of the importe
himseli, II ho - dcsircs, and the dutic
paid here. Then, II refund OF duty b
claimed for missing or damaged mcrch.r
di-e, Il will lie entertained 10y the urycyc
and Immediate steps ior refund be mad,
~ many 81 our merchants know who Ia,
rccrived refunds during the past year. II
thus doing the importer saves los In n
premises, which he would otherwise ha,
trouble and expense in gaining through
broker al port OF first arrival. aGood
when examined nj port Of lint arrival, ri
rarely ever rcpackcd with the care th
tioy should be, and the examination
handling aud replacing might osu-e son
depreciation In their value. This,
course, Is avoided when done at the 20
81 destination and in the presence OF II
importer. A case In point IN this In D
tobcr 1885, the Sisters OF the Good She
herd received lot OF staluary from EuroI
through a broker In New York. ri
goods were released nj New York NJ
shipped to them nj Memphis over one
the freight llncA When they arrive
after much correspondence and della