New-York tribune., 1901-09-10
INSPECTORS HARD WORKED.
SUCH MOUNTAINS OF BAGGAGE TO BE
EXAMINED THAT To FINISH 1T
QUICKLY is IMPOSSIBLE

These are the days when the Custom House IN
spectors who examine the baggage OF returning
tourists work hard 1t estimated that more than
one hundred thousand persons the other
side of the ocean preparing TO come home within
short time. Each steamer coming this port
is bringing its quota. and the number of pieces
OF baggage that each passenger carries is limited
usually only by the size Of his purse or the num-
ber of the feminine members of his family who
are with him. As consequence the inspectors
have little rest.
Last Friday. for instance. the Auguste Victoria
arrived with 4Si passengers, Wi Ose baggage IL was
necessary to examine. and the French steam
er. La Savoie. brought 4l3 There thirteen
other steamers of minor importance. but they
kept the inspectors so busy that they worked
steadily from early in the morning until after
midnight before the last piece of baggage
finished and they could go their homes and
snatch few hours of sleep-not many hours
however for they were obliged to be hand
early Saturday morning to meet the Bohemian.
which brought ninety-twO passengers. with their
accompanying pieces of baggage.
Eleven steamers entered port on Saturday. among
which were. besides the Bohemian. the Bulgaria
with 26 passengers: the Monterey with 1ls passen-
gers the Philadelphia. with 80 passengers; the
Umbra. with 5s5 passengers and the Celtic. with
40 passengers. These only the big steamers.
which carry number of passengers sufficiently
large to require the presence OF considerable
force OF examiners. The others not consid-
cred because their passenger lists small. and
the baggage does not consume much time.
Every available examiner has been called into
service. and even these seem To be insufficient to
meet the heavy demand Passengers who are in
hurry should remember this but few of the
do. The travellers who have made many
trips abroad the best tempered. because they
know from experience that all expedition is used
To facilitate their departure from the piers Inn
patient ones usually people who have never
before passed through the experience of having
their baggage examined. and who appear 10 think
that the government provides force of inspectors
each steamer pier equal TO the number OF pas
sensers carried the vessel
Colonel James Story is in charge of the force OF
examiners the piers. He meets every steamer
that comes into port from foreign country and
directs the attacks of the examiners Ol the bag
gage. Nowadays he is not only worked ard but
his life is bothered OF him. almost. ~ passan-
gers who think they should have extra accOrnmo-
be asked a score of times each steamers
assign him to examine the baggage OF one pas
who is In hurry or course ft is impcs-
sible for him 10 accommodate people in this
and demOraize the service. well rob other
passengers of their rights but the hasty ones DO
not think OF that. and usually away from tho
colonel exasperated and feeling that they have
been treated shamefully-
As one of the examiners put it yesterday. The
word for the inspectors Is work Just ard
for the passengers. patience