The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-05-08
SENATORMAS0N' SPLAN
He Wants &c Make Chicago a
First.Class Port.
COLLECTOR RUSSELL APPROVES 1T.

Says Chicago Is the First Port In the Coun'
try i'm the Amount of Customs Receipts
Should Have a Naval Onicer. a Sur
veyor and an Assistant Appraiser
Much Time Elapses Now Before Ac-
counts Are Audited at Washington.
Chicago, May 7-Senator Mason's
plan 10 raise Chicago TO the dignity of
first-class port will receive hearty APP
prevail and cooperation of Martin j.
Russell, collector of customs. 1t is
along the line of an effort made by the
collector himself two years ago. On
the other hand, those interested in lake
transportation will take little interest
in the scheme unless some substantial
benefits are likely to result to them.
Senator Mason's proposal comprehends
the addition of a naval officer TO the
Chicago custom house force. while Col
lector Russell would have 1t go further
and give the Chicago port a surveyor
and an assistant appraiser.
II am heartily in favor of Senator
Mason's move to make this first-class
port" said the collector Chicago is
the first port of the country in the
amount Of customs receipts, and l do
not see why we are not entitled TO the
benefits OF the rank. New Orleans.
Boston and other ports which do not
begin to do the volume of business done
here have long had the honor and bene-
fits of a first-class port In the matter
of receipts Chicago ranks first Boston
second. Philadelphia third and San
Francisco fourth, and yet all of these
ports have what has been denied Chi
cago.
Need of an Auditor.
I'm arrivals and releases Chicago
leads any one of the ports have named,
and yet all of the smaller ports have
more employees than we have. A naval
officer at a port is particularly a repre-
sentative of the auditing department.
He Is the auditor of the port where he
is stationed. Together with the collec-
tor. he goes over the entries and con-
Jointly with him issues the permits.
When they are through the liquidations
need no further auditing at Washington.
AS 1t is now, months sometimes elapse
before the accounts are audited. and the
correcting of mistakes is often not easy.
i would go further than does Senator
Mason. and insist upon Chicago's hav-
| ing a surveyor and an assistant APP
| praiser. The surveyor has charge of
| the inspectors. weighers and outside
force. The Chicago port has been so
economically handled that it costs less
TO collect 81 in customs than it does at
any other port. The average cost. con-
sidering all ports, is 4 cents and % mills.
The cost here is one-fourth of cent.
| The plan proposed will increase the
cost slightly, but will greatly benefit
| the service and add to the official dig
| nifty of the port.
Secretary Gage Can Help.
"Of course Secretary Gage can do no
| more than make recommendation,
and presume Senator Mason has writ
ten him in order to induce him to do
| this and make the senator's course cas-
! ier Two years ago tried to have Car
| isle secure legislation for giving Chi
cago an additional appraiser"
Captain James S. Durham said he
| didn't think he would lose any sleep over
Senator Mason's scheme. II don't see
why we shouldn't have a naval officer
| and first rank" said he. when ports
doing a much smaller business have
| them. If nothing more, naval officer
| here might be an ornament to society
We have more arrivals here than have
| any three ports in the world combined
If raising Chicago to first-class port
will tend to get us an appropriation that
will widen straighten and deepen the
! river. then l will pull off my coat and
work for it. Our lake vessels are get
ting to be as large as two-thirds of the
! ocean freighters. and 1t is almost i'm
| possible to get them into the river"