The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-08-04
TOURISTS WERE SAD.
PAYING DUTY ON IMPORTED CLOTHES
WORTH MORE THAN 500.

The stem iship Majestic of the White
Star line got into the port of New York
the other morning, and her passengers
were the first arriving on any large
steamship TO be subjected to the clause
of the new Dingley law placing duty
upon personal apparel and effects pur-
chased on the other side in use year
or less and exceeding 500 in value.
Surveyor Mcguire, his deputy, Mr..
Bowling, and ~ staff officers went
down the bay to meet the vessel.
On the pier of the steamship COM
pany were 90 other custom house in
spectors, and in addition to the regular
group of men from the appraisers Office
IL extra men TO help out
AS soon as the men reached the Ma
jestic they got to work, and they had
their hands full.
They took their places as usual at the
head of the long tables in the dining
saloons and the work of declaration was
begun.
AS each passenger came forward to
declare his baggage the man into whose
hands he fell explained to him that the
new Dingley tariff law was in effect
and that if he had over 500 worth of
personal baggage purchased on the
other side within year he would have
to say so and pay duty on the lover
and above" as the custom house men
called it.
Most of the passengers came right out
with their declarations and paid their
! duties without grumble There were
many humorous and laughable scenes
and bits of conversations, however,
among the passengers and the officers,
but nobody was caught trying to Snug
gle in anything.
Morris X. Jesup, the banker, said
that he had been away only six weeks
and had hardly been outside of London,
yet he had bought lot of things and
when he got TO the pier he paid down
Sl70 for extra baggage without MR.
muir.
larger sums than that, and it was said
at the pier that the receipts for the day
from the Majestic alone would amount
to neat little figure.
Commodore Elbridge L. Gerry was on
board He had a lot of baggage and
kept himself and the custom house in
spectors assigned to look after his bag
gage busy for quite awhile on the pier.
The printed blanks to be used in the
declaration of personal baggage were
not ready when the Majestic arrived,
and so there was little confusion in
taking the declarations.
There was not much, however, and
Deputy Surveyor Bowling expressed
himself as quite well pleased with the
days work.
After the passengers had declared
their luggage they got a stub, as usual,
from the declaration papers. Arrived at
the pier they bad to present these stubs
at the desk at the street end to get an
inspector to examine their luggage. 1t
was this that took mp SO much time and
caused all the delay and confusion that
ensued.
A great rush for the desk occurred as
soon as all the kissing had been finished,
and a long line stretched all the way
across the pier for an hour after the
steamship had reached her dock.
AS general thing there is only one
inspector on hand for every ten passen-
gers, but that morning there was
man for every six or seven.
The appraisers were not kept very
busy, for most of the passengers told the
truth about their baggage and did not
attempt to undervalue it, 1t was only
when the inspectors suspected that pas
sengers were putting false value upon
their property that they called upon the
appraisers to help them out.
The customs house officers had some
interesting experiences with some of
the passengers who were inclined to OBJ
ject to the new law
Among the first of those on board to
come forward on the way up the bay
was a stout man with an atmosphere of
Importance surrounding him.
"The Dingley law has gone into eff
fect," said the inspector.
Rht o"AN WIZ BoSoOhSNib oAu
glad to hear that! am Republican,
and believe in protection, but l do not
come under the new law, for l put all
my money into clothing for myself and
my wife. ! had 1000 with rue, and
got enough clothes to last year or so.
Ha, hal"
But the new law does affect you"
"How?"
The inspector explained.
"But am friend of Mr.. Dingley
and am friend of McKinley" expos
tulated the man.
"That makes no difference" explain
ed the Inspector "You said $1,000.
That makes
Hold ON. You made mistake. Let
me see. said only 500"
A compromise was finally effected.
The women who had gone abroad to
get their winter clothes in Paris and
London were much aggrieved.
why, have spent $500 for travel
ing in vain," said one.