The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-07
EXCUSES NOT VALID.
No Good Reason Why Sugar Is
Not Entered Here.
4 CUSTOMS BROKERS' VIEWS.
He SAYS white Men Can DO what
Chinese Merchants DO - New
Steamer Line the Remedy.

The explanations. given by the agents
for the san Franclsco sugar hapoEt e4S'
for the remarkable fact that the ahllss
on tho sugar shipped from China 70 Sc
attic In paid In the Tacoma CUSTOMS u.
office. are considered by George b Bush,
the customs broker in this city. TO be IN
satisfactory in most respects The only
statement considered OF any consequence
BY him In that IL Is more convenient Tor
them 10 transact all OF their business at
one place: but while the importers may
not consider the matter Of much import
apce. yet the loss % $1,000 per month In
business to the custom house and banks
of this city will not be rated in that man
ner by the business men OF Seattle. Mr-
Bush is probably as well informed on
sugar importing and custom house mat
tiers in general as any one In the city. lie
said yesterday:
..The statement that IL is necessary for
n Seattle agent personally 10 go 10 Ia
coma to have the goods bonded TO this
city Is ridiculous. The Chinese merchants
do not find II necessary As n matter OF
fact. II the importers would only require
s. the customs Office must do that work.
Every sugar shipment for this city Is
billed here in both the manifest and bills
of iading. When the sugar for this city
came by the Canadian Pacific steamships
n was brought here IN bond from Van
couyer and no one ever went there 10 ar
range for IL, either In the banks or the
customs Office.
arhe fact IN that the Tacoma customs
Office has represented that goods cor
signed 10 Denver could not go on 10 that
city in bond and that the duties must be
maid IN Tacoma Such IS not the case.
Denver has surveyor Of customs who
has full authority to receive the duties.
The situation here Is precisely the SAM.
The Tacoma people are making II ap-
pear that tho goods cannot come here M
bond. and are getting the credit or Sc
attle's commerce. besides the handling OF
from $1,000 70 $4,000 ia cash every month
.sghe rice imports and all goods coming
on the Northern Pacific steamers are en-
tered there also. The company is using
every effort 10 concentrate the business IN
Tacoma, ard has nearly accomplished X
already. For shippers through that port
n allows every facility. and If there is a
claim for freight. or over charges, the
officials rush Il through in the quickest
manner a practice never heard or among
other transportation lines. The deputy
collector IN Tacoma, who as chemist. Is
supposed to analyZe the teas. makes a
very quick examination. He may look IN
eide of the chests and may taste the sam
niles but he has no microscope or other
appliance. They rush these goods through.
while other customs officers require sew
ersl dave for the analysis. and thus IL -
10 the advantage OF the importer 10 enter
the goods az Tacoma.
In regard 10 the statement that the inn
perters pay the duty in Tacoma because
OF the lack OF facilities in this city. j. $.
goldsmith. OF Schwabacher Bros. q Co,
the owners OF the bonded warehouse, said
yesterday:
'"rhe facilities IN Seattle for handling
this business are rot excelled by any city
on the coast. We have two bonded ware
houses Of ample dimensions to accommo-
date the traffic OF Seattle on our dock.
The insurance and charges are fully as
low az In other cities and goods can be
landed on the dock and placed in the
warehouse with a charge OF - cents for
wharfage and 70 cents per ton for stor-
age The Northern Pacific Steamship
Company lands Seattle freight at It's dock
In Tacoma. II is then transferred 20 Sc
attic by local boats on q through rate. II
desired by consignees. the company will
land the bonded freight at the Union
dock, where 4. viii be placed I'm the bond
ed warehouse without extra charge. This
is fully as cheap at it can be handled al
any other point.
In conN ersation with the shippers thcv
state that the only reason they pay their
duties In Tacoma is that under present
arrangements II Is more convenient for
them TO do SO. This state of affairs viii
last until regular line OF steamships
from the Orient lands freight for Seattle
merchants at Seattle docks This may
take some time. but Il will come IL the
Northern Pacific Steamship Company
cannot land ships at Seattle It cannot be
helped. but perhaps the day Is not far or
when the amount Of freight destined for
Seattle viii cut some figure. and II so the
Northern Pacific Steamship Company viii
appreciate what business it is favored
with