The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-08
NEW RE CUSTOM HOUSE
The Washington Authorities
! Threaten to Abolish tt
Action to Be Opposed

There is totbe4a hearing at Washing
tom tomorrow on a bill in Congress %
consolidate a number Of custom. houses
in the u1Ited States. Should the bill be
enacted the Newark Custom House would
be affected, and ii would either be abol-
ished and the business moved bodily to
the New York Custom House, or made a
part of the New York Custom House,
and a deputy put in charge in Newark.
There is every reason why Newark, as
a port of entry, should not be abandoned
and the custom house abolished. The rev.
enue from customs at the Newark Gus
tom House last year was $136. 800. This is
only on goods on which duties are paid. In
addition to this ores. chiefly lead, are en-
tered at this port for refinement and for
expectation, ON which, if the metal was
not exported the duties annually would be
in round numbers, 5000, 600. Last year the
duties would have exceeded that amount.
These ores are sent to this country from
Mexico to the Belbaeh's Smelling and Re-
filming Works. The silver and gold are
extracted and the base metal is export
ed, as the law provides. because duty
paid. the lead cannot be sold in this oun-
try at a profit. AT one time, when the
price of lead was high, the lead was sold
in the United States, and the duty was
paid.
But the actual receipts from customs
at the Newark Office far exceed the ex-
penditures. The receipts last year were
$13s, 800 and the total expenditures $4,000.
More usfnes could be transacted at the
Newark office. There is sufficient room
in the office, but the appropriation for
- /. 49, g. 49, -, ~ ror-;1A
for a larger force. Some time ago New
ark was made a port of immediate trans
portation. Nothing has been done under
this provision of the law, because the APP
preparation has not been sufficient. Coulf
the collector of the Newark office take
advantage of this provision the business
OF the office would increase greatly. BY
this plan the delivery of goods imported
would be greatly facilitated.
The express companies in Newark have
frequently urged that action be taken I'M
Ger his provision Of the law. The bust
ness of the New York office is greatly in
arrears, and shippers are constantly trou-
bled by the delays there. An importer
called at the Newark Office only last week
and stated that he has had thirty pack
ages of goods lying at the New. York Office
for a month and he has been unable to OBJ
tain them, the work of the office is 50 far
behind. There were originally thirty-six
packages: six of them ave been deliv-
cred, but that is all.
To make the Newark Office a part of the
New York office would only cucumber the
New York Office with a greater amount of
work. If the Newark lfdce could take adj
vantage of the law hking it a port Of
immediate transportation the New York
office would be relieved.
1t would be a great Inconvenience to
Newark business men to consolidate the
Newark Office with the New York Office.
Action should be taken by the Board of
Trade of Newark against such CONSOLE
dation. There could be no saving by con-
solidation. The expenses of the Newark
office are only very small. and the ex-
penses Of the New York Office would be
increased as much to provide for the adj
dftional labor needed. The Collector at
Newark also acts as custodian CT the
public building in Newark, and finds much
to do in tina connection. Should the office
be consolidated with the New York office
a new custodian would ave to be ap-
pointed for the public building here, and
that would entail additional expense.