USA > New York > New York City > Old New York : a journal relating to the history and antiquities of New York City, Vol. II > Part 39
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Division Six, over which is Mr. Edgar A. Brown, includes coir, bristles, unmanufactured canes, raw cotton, Esparte and Sisal grass, both tropical growths; fiber, carpets and carpeting, flax, hemp, hair of all sorts, flocks, mats, jute, istle, hair mattresses, furs and all manufactures of them ; matting, rattan, palm leaf, oil cloth, shoddy, wool and all materials which enter into textile fabrics, except cotton and silk ; upholstery goods, worsted, horse hair or wool and silk-all kinds; woolen cloth and all manufactures of wool, including eloaks, dolmans and paletots. These last articles have given occasion to many customs disputes, the importers so frequently invoicing their goods below the value on this side. Two articles that are here examined are almost entirely the product of the last hundred years. The factory system did not begin in England until about 1770, and previous to that all goods that were made throughout the world were made either in the households or in small shops, which rarely exceeded eight or ten persons. The introduction of the mule and the jack, with the spinning frame, brought together for the first time a large number of persons in the textile industries. There was a closer discrimin- ation in the raw products which entered into them, and there was more waste. The refuse woolen particles, with worn out cloth torn up, formed the basis of a new article, shoddy, into which more or less new wool was introduced to give it cohesive power. Goods made of this, more or less mixed with cotton, have for years formed an important trade. Oilcloths do not seem to have
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been made in the United States before the revolution, but the in- dustry is one now of vast proportions in all civilized countries.
Covered by the Seventh Division are medicines, varnishes, apothecaries' glassware, anatomical preparations, artists' colors, moist and water, chiefly from England and France, aniline colors, isinglass, gypsum, gelatine, extracts, dye stuffs, corks, brimstone and bitters, coal tar colors, bituminous substances, chemicals and chemical apparatus, corkwood and manufactures of cork, drugs, earths, cardamon seeds, gums, leeches, quicksilver, plaster of Paris, resinous substances, vanilla beans, woad dye, vegetable and beeswax, sulphurous ore, sponge (from the islands of the Pacific), spunk, speci- mens of botany and natural history, perfumery, essential, medicinal and painting oils, mineral waters (exported from Germany), saltpeter, pumice stone, surgical instruments, printing ink, toilet soap, dex- trine, lemon peel, mustard seed, paints and squills. This division is under the supervision of Dr. Charles E. Stott. In many respects it is the most difficult of all, for it involves everything that enters into philosophy, medicine, and dyeing. Whenever an article is at all uncommon or strange it is referred to this division. For in- stance, if meteorites, an article unknown to commerce or the tariff, were to be brought either from Germany or Asia, this is the divis- ion in which it must be placed. There are thousands of things of which we only know the names, or which have names unknown to us. This is the place for them. Here Aladdin would have had to enter his roc's egg, here the bones of the phoenix would have come, and here Parr's elixir of life, and bottles filled from the fountain which was not found by Ponce de Leon, would all have been ex- amined. This division requires an excellent knowledge of chemis- try, both in its theoretical and applied forms, as well as an ac- quaintance with all the minor articles of commerce of whatever nature that are not dry goods.
The articles in the Eighth Division are confectionery, mostly of Parisian, German and Swiss origin, molasses, sugar, glucose, or grape sugar, honey and melado. The presiding officer here is Francis Gross. This is the principal importing sugar metro- polis in the world. The chief refineries of the United States are here, in magnitude far exceeding those of Great Britain, and the most improved appliances are here also. Nowhere else
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is refining so well understood. As but little sugar is grown in the United States, the bulk must be imported. It comes from Cuba and the other West India Islands, both raw and partly refined, and the process must then be completed. The cane sugar of the world is chiefly used in the United States and England, while the conti- nent of Europe uses beet sugar. Each hogshead or package that is examined is bored into by a long instrument like a cheese trier. This runs through the package, and when it comes out is a fair specimen of the contents. There are two rates of duty, one on the lower grade and another on the higher one, and they run together imperceptibly. The merchants of the United States and of all other countries, as well as their governments, obtain from the Dutch Government a standard, made with exceeding care, show- ing the appearance of sugar in all its numerous grades, from the very lowest to the highest. It consists of sugar in bottles, sealed up. When a sample of sugar is to be compared with this stand- ard, it is also placed in a bottle and looked at, both away from the light and towards it. The disputes in classification relate to the grades from 10 to 16. As the grades ascend, they become freer from impurities, and the crystals become more uniform and regular. The final determination is by a polariscope.
Attempts have lately been made to impugn the correctness of the tests in New York, in the interest of Boston, but after a pro- longed examination and the collection of evidence by experts, it has been proved that New York is right.
Embraced by the Ninth Division are iron and all manufactures of iron, much of the raw material being Russian ; marble in blocks; cutlery, a large percentage from England ; Dutch metal ; building materials ; chalk, cement and clay ; emery ; ores, except sulphur ; mica ; watchmakers' tools ; pen tips and holders ; slate ; steel pens ; machinery ; lithographie stones ; metals ; busts ; asbestos ; car- riages ; epaulets ; coach hardware ; buttons, except silk and wor- sted ; gold and silver leaf ; harness; models; needles; pins; sad- dlery, which is almost exclusively English ; polishing stones ; stones for building ; plaster ; monuments ; hardware; gold and silver galloon ; gold beaters' skins; burr stones; blacking ; bronze powder and asphaltum. The business of this division is managed by Joseph C. Biglin.
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Few persons can have an idea of the complexity of modern manufactures or of the sources of supply, who have not made a special study of it. Our mining machinery is mostly made here, but textile machinery is still much imported. The leading article of importation in small hardware is cutlery. Mr. Biglin, like sev- eral of his colleagues, is a perfect reservoir of information upon commerce.
The Tenth Division covers ale and other beverages ; groceries, except molasses and sugar; wines; gunpowder; hops ; porter ; chocolate ; cigarettes (Havanese) ; cordials; fireworks ; nuts, ex- cept drugs or ivory nut ; cocoa ; coffee ; fruits; oils, not essential, medicinal and painters'; cigars ; lemon and lime juices, from Spain and the tropics ; food ; cordials, chiefly Dutch and French ; malt ; plants ; seeds, not medicinal ; spirituous liquors; grain ; snuff and tobacco ; tea ; soap stock ; grease and soapaline. David C. Sturgis is at the head of this division. This is the commissariat. In no other department has the growth of luxury been more evidenced. The United States furnishes everything necessary to support man, and almost everything can be made here that is required by any one. The exceptions are the products of the tropical countries. Yet each year our wholesale grocers bring in a larger and larger . supply of novelties. More than twenty kinds of cheese are im- ported, while at the same time we export vast quantities not iden- tical with the others. Each of these kinds of cheese has, however, a flavor different from those made here. The monks in France distill their liquors for us; through this department come the wines, the coffees, the teas, and the other beverages ; some untaxed, it is true, but all to be examined. A very interesting section of this warehouse is where the tea expert, Mr. MeGay, tests the fra- grant herb of China. A huge round table revolves on a pivot, upon which are a dozen or two dozen teacups. In each of these is placed a certain quantity of tea, the cups then being filled from a tea kettle containing boiling hot water. He looks at the herb, and the infusion ; smells it and tastes it, and compares it with other teas. He is thus enabled in a very short time to determine the value of the goods, and their healthfulness. There is no duty on tea, but certain impure and unhealthful teas must not be admitted.
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There is therefore ample reason for the testing, and done in this way there is no doubt as to its value.
An important adjunct to the Appraiser's office is the chemist's laboratory, over which Dr. Edward Sherer presides. Here the polariscope tests are made, previously spoken of. Although the laboratory is not an expensive one it is fitted up with everything necessary to determine the chemical composition of any article likely to go there. Mr. Sherer has with him several gentlemen of long experience in analytical chemistry. Last year this labora- tory examined 261 specimens of alcohol, 62 of copper and copper matte, 120 of fats, oils, essential oils and wax; 243 of glycerine ; 233 of manure and manure salt ; 16 of medicinal preparations ; 54 of minerals; 16 of metals ; 26 of miscellaneous; 495 of opium ; 16 of rosins and gums; 139 of special fabrics; 119 of gold and silver ore; 113 of tea; 159 of vinegar; 769 of tincturing sub- stances ; 31 of chemical compounds ; 39 of vegetable dyes ; 5 of pigments ; 30 of aniline oil; 22 of preparations from coal tar ; 8 of coal tar products ; 19 of wool ; 6 of animal fibres ; 4 of veget- able fibres ; 4 of yarn ; 3 of paper ; 57 of flour and starch ; 106 of cocoanuts and chocolate ; 16 of confectionery : 2 of tobacco ; 3 of boots and shoes ; 1 of scientific instruments, and 45 miscellaneous. The total amounted to 3,401 examinations. Much of this will in future be done under a clause of the law of August 30th, 1890, which declares it shall be unlawful to import into the United States any adulterated or unwholesome food or drug, or any vinous, spirituous, or malt liquors, adulterated or mixed with any poisonous or noxious chemical drug or other ingredient injurious to health.
/ The examination of sugar is by the process of light, and the instrument is known as the polariscope. When viewed through an intense light, the rays of sugar are rotated to the right hand, making a certain color. Quartz in thin plates possesses the same quality, some kinds, however, deflecting to the left hand, and making another color. If two contrasting plates are used to- gether, they neutralize each other. If sugar is placed between ' them, it requires a greater quantity of the quartz which is its neg- ative to produce the former equality of color; the polariscope is so constructed that a greater or less thickness of the left-handed
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quartz can be used, till it reaches the thickness which corrects the disturbance made by the introduction of the other substances. The plates are wedge-shaped, and moved by a screw. When an equality is reached between the colors at the right and left of the centre, which when the process began was a disk divided sharply into two hues, both sides look alike, and the register at the side tells the exact percentage of saccharine substance present, the rest. being impurities, upon which the light does not act.
The head of the appraiser's office is Marvelle Wilson Cooper, an eminent citizen of the metropolis, who has in his long life been distinguished both for political activity and for ability as a merchant. His whole career has been a preparation for the position he now fills. He was born in Windsor County, Vermont, being the fourth of seven children of Phineas Sanger Cooper and Harriet Foster. Both families were among the oldest in New England. In 1636 John Cooper, his ancestor, came to Cam- bridge, Massachusetts, which had but a short time before changed its name from Newtown. He was then only eighteen years of age, and was accompanied by his mother and stepfather. His mar- riage a few years later with Anna Sparhawk, the daughter of Deacon Nathaniel Sparhawk, allied him to another family which remained distinguished during the entire colonial period. In the early records of the town of Cambridge we find that he filled many positions of responsibility. He was a deacon of the Church from 1688 till his death, on the 22d of August, 1691; town clerk from 1669 to 1681, and selectman from 1646 to 1690. The succession from that time. down to the present is as follows : John', Samuel?, Samuel3, John', Barnabas5, Phineas Sanger", and Mar- velle Wilson." The first four were all deacons in their churches, an honor then much more esteemed than now. Samuel3, removed to Grafton, Massachusetts, John4 went to Croydon, New Hamp- shire, and Barnabas' removed to Rochester, Vermont. All of them, including Mr. Cooper's father, were well thought of by their neighbors, and were chosen to local positions of honor and responsibility. More than twenty instances of this kind could be named. Phineas Sanger Cooper" was born in Croydon in 1796, and was married to Miss Harriet Foster in May, 1819. Her father, Major Rufus Foster, had taken an active part in the war
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of the Revolution with the New England troops, but was cap- tured and thrown into the Sugar House prison of this city, shortly after being removed to one of of the prison hulks in the Wallabout. Here he suffered untold agonies. Fortunately, however, his constitution was a strong one, and after his release his temperate habits enabled him completely to recover from the injuries then inflicted. His grandson, the Appraiser, remembers him as a tall, well formed man, with something of a soldier's air, who delighted in narrating to his children and grandchildren the events of the war. Phineas Cooper reached the great age of eighty-his wife, with whom he lived in unbroken felicity for fifty-eight years, surviving him for six years.
Marvelle W. Cooper received no more than the ordinary education of a country boy. The country was thinly settled, the distances to school great, and the roads were stopped by snow sometimes in the winter, so that he could not always go, and his time was too valuable to his father, after reaching ten or eleven years of age, for him to attend in the summer. He supple- mented the district school with a course at the high school, in his native town, and when eighteen, determined to earn his own livelihood. He secured a school at Stockbridge, Vermont. Dur- ing the time he was thus engaged he assiduously pursued courses of study for himself, of which he has felt the value ever since. In 1849 he received the offer of a clerkship in a dry goods house in New York, and came hither. During the next few years he had mastered the calling, and in 1857 became a member of the firm of Smythe, Sprague & Cooper. This house ranked very high among the commission merchants, and in 1857, although bank- ruptcy came to nearly half the business men of New York, its credit was unimpaired. Iu one year it transacted business amounting to twelve millions of dollars. In 1864 the firm ac- quired new partners, and changed its name to Sprague, Cooper & Colburn, and in 1867 to Cooper, Vail & Co. Its reputation stood high'and its trade remained good until its expiration by limitation in 1870, Mr. Cooper then continuing its business through Whit- temore, Peet, Post & Co., until its dissolution. His subsequent business was in his own name, without partners. His retirement took place in January, 1884. The business was a commission one,
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and during its continuance he represented many of the largest houses in New England. For a long time he was a director in the Lorillard Fire Insurance Company, which had a profitable con. nection, but concluded to liquidate while its profits were still in- tact. He is a Trustee of the Citizens' Savings Bank and of the American Surety Company, and has been interested in many other enterprises. In June, 1862, he was elected a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and many years ago became a member of the New England Society, composed of natives and descen- dants of natives of New England. He was elected its Presi- dent in 1882, and his administration proved so successful that at the meeting of December 10th, 1883, his name was unanimously presented for a re-election. Mr. Cooper was not at that time at home, but conceiving that his services might again be required sent on the following letter to Cornelius N. Bliss :
SUMMITVILLE, COL., Nov. 29, 1883.
My Dear Sir : Fearing I may be detained in the mountains by the storm beyond the time for the annual meeting of the New England Society to nominate candidates to fill the vacancies which will occur, I write you to say, in case my name shall be presented for re-election as president, you will withdraw it, as it is impossi- ble for me to perform the necessary duties.
The active services and wise counsels of Vice-President Wood- ford for many years in the interests of the society will insure his election as president. Yours truly,
M. W. COOPER.
At the meeting of December 14th, Stewart L. Woodford was, as suggested, elected president, but there was a profound feeling of regret that Mr. Cooper could not see his way clear to serve another term. On Forefathers' Day Mr. Cooper presided at the dinner at Delmonico's. Many distinguished persons were pres- ent, including President Grant, who made the longest speech of his life, filled with happy hits. During Mr. Cooper's incumbency the society had grown very rapidly, the number of members reach- ing thirteen hundred and eighty-five. It appeared, also, that it had distributed over $73,000 to the poor since it began in 1805.
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Mr. Cooper is an earnest Republican, joining the party at its start in 1855, and ever since remaining faithful to it. During the Fremont and Lincoln campaigns he was most zealous in the support of its principles, and has since spared neither time nor money in its behalf. He has had a number of important offices tendered to him by the various administrations. During President Arthur's incumbency an incident occurred which showed how much he was thought of by the business men of New York. It was generally believed that there would be a change in the office of Collector of the Port, a position then held by William H. Robertson, whose views and those of the President did not harmonize, although both were Republicans. Without his knowledge Mr. Cooper's friends prepared a petition to the President, asking the latter to appoint him, and the signatures to this probably represented more good men, in proportion to its length, in the sense spoken of by Shakespeare, than any other ever sent on to Washington. It read as follows :
To the President :
In view of a possible change in the office of the Collector of the Port of New York, the undersigned, merchants of New York City, desire respectfully to recommend for your consideration as a candidate for that office Mr. M. W. Cooper, a well known mer- chant of this city, who by the industry and honesty that have characterized all his dealings during a business career of twenty- five years, has won for himself the confidence and respect of all classes in this community. Mr. Cooper's thorough knowledge of mercantile affairs and his extensive acquaintance with the active business men of New York, in our opinion, render him eminently fitted to discharge the duties of the office. Believing that the best interests of the government will be subserved by the appointment of a thoroughly experienced business man to the collectorship of this port, we unhesitatingly commend to you our fellow mer- chant, and venture to express the hope that you will see fit to appoint Mr. Cooper to the position.
President Arthur, however, determined to make no change, and Mr. Robertson remained in office until the Cleveland administra-
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tion came in. The President, however, was heard to say that he had never seen a stronger list of signatures, the best bankers and merchants being represented, and the total number being about one hundred and fifty.
For the last few years he has been active in everything that would advance the interests of our city. He was an original mem- ber of the Union League Club, and is now the chairman of its Executive Committee. Here he has his home. He is also a mem- ber of the Union Club. In 1885 he was appointed by the Presi- dent a commissioner to inspect the Southern Pacific Railroad, to see whether it had been built in the manner required by the grants made to it by the United States. He is a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Incarnation. He was ap- pointed to the position of Appraiser in the month of April, 1889, and immediately took possession. He is eminently a man of habit, and very speedily saw where the public service could be improved. He himself sets the example to all the other employees of the Government of being prompt in attendance, making full hours, never leaving when there is anything to be done which requires his attention. He has, among other things, established a regulation that no drinking or intoxication will be tolerated. His assistants are able and skillful men, and the affairs of the office have moved along very smoothly since he came in. He has had, however, together with all his subordinates, a great deal of extra work on account of the Mckinley bill. A measure so sweeping as this, and which covers so many articles, imposed upon the offi- cials new methods of examination, new standards, and the deter- mination of new rates of duty. They have now been occupied for several months in grappling with these problems, and have at length solved most of them. The labor has been great, but Mr. Cooper and his assistants have not been weary in doing their part.
Few people here have an adequate idea of the importance of the commerce of the Port of New York. Our exports are more scattered than our imports. In many articles we import ninety. nine one-hundredths of all that is brought hither; on a large minority, nine-tenths; while there are only a very few articles in which any or all other ports equal ours. Thus in sugar we have.
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$44,396,318; all other ports $37,833,527; in books, maps, en- gravings and printed matter we have $2,439,467; all other ports, $+74,475. Buttons here were $2,824,824; all other.ports, $427,- 582. Colors and dyes in New York, $1,529,301 ; all other ports, $157,155. Linen goods here, $11,781,616 ; all other ports, $2,959,- 679. Fur here, $4,748,971; all other ports, $579,085. Precious. stones here, $9,498,209 ; all other ports, $1,273,424. The articles in which New York exceeds all other ports, the value being a million and upwards, and paying duty, are books and printed mat- ter, buttons, bristles, coal tar, colors and dyes, carbonate of soda, watches and parts of watches, cotton cloths, embroideries and laces, knit goods, earthenware, beads and bead ornaments, dolls and other toys, hemp, jute, sisal grass, linens, lemons, oranges, plums and prunes, raisins, furs, silvered glass, hats and bonnets, pig iron, wire rods, cutlery, jewelry, precious stones, calf skins, dressed and finished skins, gloves, musical instruments, paper, rice, linseed, dress and piece goods, silks, laces, ribbons, sugar, leaf tobacco, cigars, sparkling wines, still wines, carpet wools, clothing, cloths, dress goods, knit goods, and yarns. Those in which all other ports combined exceed New York, the items being over a million each, are horses, sheep, barley, carbonate of soda, bituminous coal, flax, bags and bagging, hay, iron ore, ingots, tin and tin plate, machin- ery, skins for morocco, molasses, cigars, lumber, clothing wools, combing wools, and rags and shoddy. The value of merchandise paying duty that enters New York is $311,020,224 and free of duty 8161,133,283; the total is $472,153,507. All other ports brought in of dutiable goods $177,624,350, and of non-dutiable goods, $95,353,795, or a total of $272,978,145. Thus it will be seen that through the Appraiser's office in New York must pass nearly two-thirds of all the goods which pay duty, and over three- fifths of all that do not pay duty; and of the whole amount, free or otherwise, over five-eighths are here examined and distributed. The duties amount to a million of dollars each working day.
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