Griggs courier., 1890-10-10
BEATING THE. TARIFF.

BEATING THE TARIFF. \.
A Day OF Bustle &C tho New York Custom.
House-The Collector Keeps Opsn.shop
Until Midnight. So That Importers of
Incoming Merchandise May Take Ad-
vantage Of tho Old Rates-Hesvy Re.
ceipts.
New York, Oct. 6.-For the first time
in the history of the New York custom
house that institution was kept open
for business until midnight Saturday.
1t is also probable that Saturday was
the most remarkable day in the history
of the custom house. 1t was the last
business day of the ''old tariff, " the new
tariff going into effect to-day, and
though the rush Of business had been
great throughout tho week, increasing
steadily as Saturday drew near. nobody
had any idea of the rush of merchants,
brokers and clerks which was preparing
for the last hours of the old law. As the
afternoon approached the rotunda and
corridors Of the custom house become
crowded with persons in various stages
Of excitement, nine out of ten
of them holding packages of invoices or
other customs papers in their hands.
When Q o'clock drew near the crush was
increasing to an alarming extent, and
it became evident that many merchants
were likely to suffer disappointment at
the last moment in their efforts to get
goods through the custom house. The
result was that Collector Erhardt,
who has been working night and
day, to use set phrase, since the re-
cent pressure of business began, was be-
sieged with callers who begged him to
keep the custom-house open until $50
p M, at least, in order that they
might get all the benefit possible
from the old tariff. The collector tele-
graphed to Secretary Window for in
structions.
While the answer to the telegram was
anxiously waited the crowd grew larger
every minute, and those who wished to
see the collector had to make their way
to his presence through dense mass of
perspiring brokers, who filled the
ante-room and overf1owed into the cor
ridor. One young broker who had been
waiting since 10 o'clock in the morning
said that the failure of the City of Chi
cago to enter in time to bring her cargo
in under the old law would cost the
firm he represented between $50, 900 and
$40, 900 in extra duties
Many of them present were interested
in business connected with the City of
Chicago from Liverpool, sighted and
supposed to be putting on every pound
of steam she could carry in her efforts
to "beat the tariff" others had their
hopes centered on the Netherlands
American liner Zaandam from Roter-
dam. This vessel was also ''re-
ported" according to the custom house
reach port in time to save thousands of
dollars for the. consignees of her cargo.
The Etruria,. of the Cunard line, from
Liverpool, was also due, as were the
Furnessia of the Anchor line, from
Glasgow, theSt Regulus from Antwerp,
the Thingvalla from Christiana, the
Rugia and Australia from Hamburg,
and the Peconic from Gibraltar. In
addition to these transatlantic steam
ships there were number of coastwiso
steamers expected.
According to the stories circulated
about the custom-house the fastest tugs
procurable had been chartered by the
agents of the lines interested in the ar
rival of s'tariff steamers" and they
were waiting down the bay, under full
steam, ready to take of the captain or
some other officer of the expected
steamships and bring him to the city in
time to enable him to ''pass in his pa.
pers'' and save the cargo from the new
law.
At $3.50 dispatch came from Secre.
tary Window telling him to use his
discretion, and the latter said he would
extend the hour of closing to midnight.
Business was promptly resumed on all
sides with feverish activity.
The entries made Saturday were over
800 up to 3.p. M; the ordinary number
per day is, 400. but even this
increase of 100 per cent. in
the entries, does not give an
adequate idea Of the actual increase,
for the entries as = rule were for very
much larger' amounts than usual. In
addition the receipts forSaturday, up to
8 p. m., were 81, 154, ,5s4. 46, and for the
past week SO, 8,O45, 900. The average re.
ceipts per day at the custom house are
about $500, 00O,, or say $4,000, 600 per
week.
The only ships to arrive were the City
of Chicago, St. Regulus and Etruria.
Captain Haines of the Etruria tottered
into the custom house with his papers
only one minute before 12 o'clock. 1t
was calculated that the failure of the
other steamers mentioned to get here
on time will cost the importers an extra
million dollars