The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-03
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SMUGGLING IN LEAD ORES
The Cunning Mexican Trying to
Cheat This Government
Out Of Duty.
San Francisco's Revenue Officers
Get On to a Nice Little
Scheme.
Assays Which Do Not Show the True
Character of the shipment
,t.1 by Long Odds.

SAN Francisco, Feb. IA well-known
assayer OF this city stated yesterday that
attempts were being made by ore shippers
of Mexico to defraud the United States rev.
enue authorities in this city of a large
amount of duty. Until the new tariff went
into effect all imported ore, upon it's arrival
here WIS weighed in bulk. Silver and gold
ore we're free of duty, as now, but it OCCUR
red frequently that such ore contained
large quantities of lead, which thus came
in free. The Mckinley tariff provided that
silver ore and all other ores containing
lead ''shall pay a duty of IL cents per
pound on the lead contained therein, &C.
cording to sample of assay at the port of
entry
Alocal importer of lead ore desired TO
take samples of ore from all the sacks CON
signed to him in order to have an assay
made which would yield an average sample
of the entire lot, and thus enable him to ar
rive at an estimate of the value of the ore
for selling purposes. The request was sent
to the Washington authorities to decide
upon. An answer was received from Wash
lngton refusing the permission. The usual
method of sampling pursued by the APP
praiser is to pick out a few lumps of ore
from any of the sacks and have it assayed.
The yield governs the duty fixed upon the
entire lot.
1t was learned yesterday upon the author
ity of the assayer. who is frequently called
upon to make tests for the appraiser. til at
there is every probability that Mexican re
fill this market with foreign lead duty free.
He fully explained their modus operandi,
which in plain words is an open attempt at
smuggling on a wholesale plan. Both sill
yer. gold and lead o.es are usually shipped
IN SACKS or hide covers, arriving here on
presumably familiar with the present
methods Of fixing duties. They know that
assays are made from samples taken close
to the top of any of the sacks. They know
moreover that silver is admitted free of
any duty. Their scheme. then, is to fill the
sacks with lead ore to within several inches
of the top. Them it is nicely covered with
silver ore. A sample of the Inter may be
taken to an assayer, who %pronounces it
silver. On that decision the entire con-
alignment of lead is let loose duty free.
A systematic working of this smuggling
fraud would in one year cheat the govern
ment out OF n handsome revenue. Accord
ing to the statements made by the assayer
referred to, there is every probability that
this species of fraud has been resorted to
time and again. I'LL
Deputy Collector Jerome said that he had
heard nothing definite about the Mexican
shipping impositions. although, according
to tho usual methods Of taking ore sam
pies, the plan might possibly operate. He
also stated that il had besn proposed to
have all ores sent to a smelling works,
where they could be ground down. Thus
an average sample could DO obtained which
would form a basis Of valuation for the as
Sayer.
In the instance of the local assignee al.
ready mentioned u satisfactory compromise
was effected. He will be permitted to take
samples OF ore from any portion of evsry
NTH sack for the purposes Of assay. and