The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-07-26
TESTS OF DUTlGBLE GOODS.
Extent and Variety OF the Functions OF the
Laboratory in the Appraisers stores.
(New York Times.)

(New York Times)
On the top floor of the big story Gov
eminent building known as the Appraisers
Stores, at Washington and Christopher
streets, is the largest and most important
laboratory of its kind in this country 1t is
the scientific arm of the Customs Service at
this port. being III official parIance the
United States Laboratory connected with
the Appraisers Office at the Port of New
York. The chemist in charge is Dr.. Russell
W. Moore, and he has force of twenty men,
most of whom are skilled in various bran
ches of chemistry. This laboratory is especi-
ally well equipped for making a large num-
Der and great variety of tests, and all of
the imports and exports of this sort which
require aschemical analysis tested here
Each test is made in duplicate.
An enormous quantity of sugar is tested
in this laboratory. The gross amount of
customs duties dependent upon these sugar
analyses ranges from $4o,OoO,OOO to $50, OO0,-
900 each year. About $4,000 separate sugar
tests $4,000, counting the duplicates,) viii
have been made here this year by August /.
The average number of sugar samples tested
daily is about 100; the mum Der has gone as
high as 900 samples in one day. The rule
requiring each test to be made in duplicate
is rigidiy enforced, and operates an effee-
tive check against error. In order to make
test acceptable the duplicate must agree
with the original test within three tenths of
per cent; when they so agree the average
of the two tests is taken as the basis for
classification of the goods. The "sugar
room is the largest department of the lab
oratory. 1t is well equipped with appliances
for making polariscope tests, and it usually
employs nine or ten men, under the super
vision of Edward Sherer.
An interesting feature of this Gov eminent
laboratory is the distillation room, where
S. +. Ball examines all alcoholic prepara-
lions which, under the Tariff act, are en-
titled to drawbacks. There are a great
many medicinal preparations made partly
of alcohol which are carefully analysed and
the percentage of alcohol reported to the
United States Appraiser. Foreign wines and
liquos are also analysed here for the pur-
pose of determining their spirituous grade.
The rows of little sample bottles in this
distiIlation room embrace an infinite variety
of liquors, good and bad, from different
parts of the world. There is an assay room,
in charge of W. d. Crumbie, in which ores
and bullions are tested, and samples accu-
rately weighed on minute scales. Mr.. Crum-
bic is assisted by Raymond f. Ozias. Or
ganic chemical analyses are made by H. M.
Baker and Theodore B. Wagner, upon whom
deyolves the important duty of examining
and testing all coal tar products, which
embraces the analyzing of innumerable
dyes.
considerable quantity of candy and
sugar crackers is sent abroad from this port,
and samples of each expectation are sen to
the Government Laboratory for the purpose
of ascertaining officially the percentage of
sugar in each Article. This sugar, having
paid duty on its importation, is entitled,
under the tariff law, to a drawback when
sent out of the country. The amount of the
drawback is equivalent to the import duty
on the sugar plus per cent for collection.
Mr.. II. l.. Follett, who looks after this sugar
drawback business in the Government Lab
oratory, finds that the American candies
which are exported contain from 30 to 80 per
cent of sugar.
The general work of analysis which DR..
Moore and his assistants are called upon to
do in the laboratory covers a wide field.
All investigations requiring chemical tests
relating to more than 70 per cent of the i'm
ports of the United States are conducted IN
this laboratory. Whenever Appraiser Wake
man, OF the head of division in the Ap-
praiser's Office, is in doubt as to the charac-
ter or classification of any compound, a
sample of the compound is sent to the lab
ora tory for analysis and report. Here, also
all of the intimate knowledge of the
character of imports exports obtained in
the Customs Service by physical examine
ton is obtained. Often tests which have
been made tor the local United States APP
praiser have to be repeated few weeks or
months afterward for the Board of General
Appraisers in consequence of appeals from
the local Appraisers classifcations. FIRE.
auently the original classification are based
on the laboratory tests, and the dissatisfied
importers therefore are confronted by the
same tests when they go before the General
Appraisers. Dr.. Moore is occasionally sum-
moEed as an expert witness before the
Board of General Appraisers.
The expense of running this Government
Laboratory, including salaries and supplies,
is between 100000 and So 5000 yearly. DR..
Moors said yesterday that the value of the
work done in this institution could scarcely
be calculated in dollars and cents, but he
was satisfied that the same amount of work
If done by outside chemists under contract
would cost the Government fully twice as
much as it does now.
INTERESTING PROGRAMME