Year: 1859

REFORM AT THE New York Custom HoUsE-A ra


duction in number of employees in the Custom
mouse mas been in contemplation for some months.
j. b. Guthrie, Special Agent of the Treasury De-
partment, has been in consultation with tho bood
men and chiefs connected with the various Rpreaus
and last week left the city for Washington armed
with schedule containing the number of employ
ees now under the control of the Collector. Naval
olhcer, and Surveyor, and the special duties to
whlch they are assigned. Among the many hum
dred clerks and other employees, there are scores
VINO nave no duty whatever connected with their
positions, with the slight execution of annaar;no
once month at the Cashiers Office to draw Their
paw. There are other scores whose duties are so
light that they be dispensed with and tba;r
desks be merged into others. For instance where
as at present, three bookkeepers in the Warehnnse
Bureau perform certain duties; under the systeno
OF reduction and economy two book -keeners will ba
Obliged to keep up the work. In this way soma ton
or hiteen Clerks can be dispensed with in each of
the Departments. Some of the gentlemen in cbarga
nI Bureaus have reported to the Department Mt
Washlngton that it will be impossible to reduce the
force at present employed in their divisions to tba
extent required by the Secretary of the Treasury
but that small reduction can be made and the "a
mainder OF the force employed will have to submit
TO reduction OF twenty-five per cent in their sala
RES 1t Is said that the reduction will be appled to
all engaged in the service after the st of Juv from
Ihe highest IN authority to the lowest messenger
1t is also rumored that the service of Chief Clerks
will be dispensed with, and their duties which at
present are merely nominal will devolve upon den
utles IN charge This latter reform has already been
applied to the Warehouse Bureau 1t is estimat
that with these reforms and the reduction in the
number OF supernumeraries connected with the
warehouse Superintendents office and other De-
partments the expenses connected with the collec-
tloh OF the revenue at this port may be reduced
some two hundred thousand dollars per annum.


The number of inspectors, Weighers, Measurers
and Guagers, connected with the Surveyors office
being fixed by law, of course reduction can take
place IN this Department, unless by the intetposi-
ton OF the next Congress. In the mean time, that
oranch OF the service, admirably conducted by
surveyor Hart will remain as at present Chis
ana FEVER are now quite prevalent among those who
have been in the receipt of handsome salaries from
Uncle Sam during many years past, and Great any
lety Is depicted upon the countenances of the yene-
rable recipients. Even those who have had but
few years taste of the life of an office holder look
with dlsnay upon the prospect of being forced to
lose what they considered their firm grip upon the
money bags of their Uncle Samuel. There has been
some talk OF their giving out the work connected
with the public stores, No II Broad street. by con-
tract, to the lowest bidder. Practical men of great
experience, after giving the subject thorough ex
ination, are of the opinion that the contraet
TEN is not feasible and therefore it has been aban
doned. ~


The Secretary of the Treasury intends to decrease
the expense OF collecting the revenue at this and
other ports throughout the United States: but
at the same time it is his intention that the mercap
tile community shall meet with every facility in the
transaction OF their business and with the least DOS
sible expense.


The business arrangement of all branches of the
Department will be greatly simplified. and the nun
Der OF checks well the number of clerks. will
De greatly reduced, to the qualification ofthose per-
sons who compelled to transact business in that
institution.