Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-08-22
PORT OFFICERS
TELL OF WORK
Local Officials Do Not Believe
There viii be Consolidation.

iIiSEe VIII U6 OUHSUlludllUii'
Local custom house officials stated
today that the idea of consolidating
the ports of Perth AmbOy and
Newark was almost an impossibility.
They declare that this is owing to
the large collections at both ports at
the present time, also to the extern
siye territory necessary to be covered
if the ports were combined. Another
setback. the officials declare, would
be the protests registered from the
New Jersey representatives in con-
gress.
A consolidation with the ports of
Egg Harbor, Burlington, or other
smaller ports, would be feasible, the
local officials think.
The port of Perth Amboy is the
Oldest in the country north of St.
Augustine, Fla, and for this reason
many believe 1t will be preserved If
any consolidation is decided upon.
Newark Is Alarmed.
Business men, professional men,
artisans, mechanics, laborers, men
and women as well who are interest
ed in the financial welfare of the city
of Newark are up in arms over the
gossip incident to the national gov
eminent cutting Newark off the map
as a United States government port
of entry, which 1t has been since
1884. In many quarters the umo
is pooh-poohed as unworthy of pass
ing notice, but the Board Of Trade
does not view it in that light. Iniu-
entail members OF the latter body
are much incensed over even the
mere rumor that the national gov
eminent proposes to make Newark a
mere way station when it comes to q
port of entry,
One of the latter is former Assem-
blyman George L. Smith, who held
the position of collector of the port
of Newark for ten years prior to the
appointment of Alfred N. Dalrymple
to the office. The latter. because of
his being a government employe,
cannot criticize what is alleged to be
a movement formulating in the ma
tional treasury department. With
Mr.. Smith it is different. While out
Of the government service he knows
what he is talking about and as a
business man with no governmental
obligations he expresses his opinion
at will.
Il am averse to believing that the
secretary of the treasury has in mind
such a proposition as the abolition of
the port of Newark" was the manner
in which Mr.. Smith met the PROPOSE
ton.
Says Newark Is Important.
In the first instance continued
former Collector Smith, Newark
should be one of the most important
customs stations in the United States
and it is one of the oldest. 1t was
opened IN 1884, the same year the
New Jersey railroad, later the Unit
ed Railroad and Canal Company of
New Jersey, operated its first train
in this state.
at that time Newark. while only
a town, which did not become a city
until a few years later, was not far
port Vi 6utry' Given IJs Just Que or
city, considering its population as
compared with New York today, is
proportionately as big a port of en-
try as New York.
During my term as collector of
the port I e~ndeayored TO have our
Newark importers have their goods
shipped direct to Newark. It made
no difference so far as the salary al
lowance of my Office was concerned,
but it would in the stated receipts.
In the jewelry trade, for instance,
the imports of diamonds and other
rare jewels to our city are in excess
Of those shipped direct to any other
municipality In the country. An old
custom has those precious stones
shipped to New York and conveyed
in custody of a bonded express com
pany to this city.
AS a result, while the goods are
actually imported to Newark. they
are listed and appraised in New York
and the duty collected swells the re-
ceipts of the latter office rather than
the custom house in this city, where
the duty Of final inspection devOlves.
1t IS not because our merchants
and manufacturers lack pride in
their city. 1t is due to cIinging to
old customs on their part that this
system prevails" continued Mr..
Smith. Long before I became col
lector Of the port l Joined a move
ment to locate the home offices of our
big plants in this city and it met
with a hearty response.
Strange to say, many of those big
firms which today have their home
Offices in our city instead OF in New
York as formerly. still have their
goods shipped to New York and car
ried in bond to this city.
THE duties of cost of tr~ansporta-
ton are no more, no less, but on the
face of the government returns it
shows an increase in the collected
duties at the port of New York.
which ordinary should be accredited
to Newark, where the goods are as
signed"