The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-11-17
QUA wmAayrs AND PIERS.


The Senate Committee on whsrvss - .d,onr,
agAia yesterday 1t the City Hail. pursusss - n.,,
ment Mesna fiersop Ia Bau, Stanford ana
present .pu,
Mr.. VIZ. ALLEN BuT1m said that on behalf OF N -
Commissioners, which no represented he would cali
attention OF the committee TO the several laws Of h
State relating 70 the regulation Of piers They those
statutes, commencing In 1887 down this time which
have heeu passed by the Legislature comforting powers
ssca this commission with reference to harbor, and
this fast somewhat extraordinary that the State Of
New York. from the beginning until the year 1857 never
legIslsed with reference to the regulation OF this vast
property beopgng TO the State which lies on either side
Of the city, from the shore Of each river Ths IN eS
traordnary fact that this property which everybody
believes TO belong 70 the State never has been subjected
70 direct legislative control on the part OF the people
ne s..e very early commenced making grants These
granite were made to tho corporation Or Now York and
70 various owncrs In brooklyn by which u claimed
for Brooklyn In respect to owning the water 'front.' The
State has surrendered the CONTROL by virtue Of which
croachmsnts arc made by private individuals In that
city the State has no right to interfere The Supreme
Court In that district has rendered decision which sup
ports that claim; and suits com menced by the Pilot
for the purpose OF testing that question
are oeemed !" embrace Questions oil objections ana legal
forms which have rendered u impossible for us 20 got
decision In our favor Thodecision urges that the state
surrendered not only the use &c that property bat tho
Of New yor, has is Che control d ,i,is cnre prop
erty, 50 FAR as relates 10 It's use aud the
prevention OF its Rhuies, 90 tue control OF
the city authorities by various cs extending from the
last part Of the last century down to 1851 Until that
the Legislature mover undertook to interfere or In
errupt its use have stated this fact with pre-
cision, because think is very important conslders
ton for this committee, and II throws light upon tho
legislation which since 1867 has been had upon this sub
Jecf You viii perceive that is very crude Though
they give very restricting powers the state has never
city and the rights Of the people to DO properly protected
In regard 10 this great subject These lava relate In the
hrs place TO encpFnbranccs upon the piers Tho most
oil these piers are occupied for extended business
which some require that they should appropriate TO these
and no other uscs. They have more right 10 the
elusive US, OF these PIERS wharves and bulkhcads than
you uhe commteel or T. AZ Individual citizens, to the
exclusive Of Broadway The piers and wharves
belong TO- tho public, just tho streets belong
10 the public. II s utterly imposs bio for any private
individual or corporation, matter What the
sites OF It's busness or tho amount OF It's capital. or
enterprise and public spirit to eet the exclusive right 10
any pier and wharf except by direct grants from tie
Legislature The law requires the Board 10 keep the piers
FREQ from encumbrances but does give the power
10 have them removed. They only commence suit.
and The Law cannot be carried out The natura power TO
confer would DO the power of removal IL hnr left the
whole matter in certain cases to the collection OF
penaes Thus In reference 10 distractions in tho har
bor do not speak Of distractions upon the pisrs hut
OF distractions water such sunken vcssels-legis
laton inerered in 1850 and gave the right 10 remove
them at tho expense Of the county but there was no
power by which this great city Of New York could liz,
those vessels out Of the harbor and pay tho mechaG
Tor the work. All the Pilot Commissioners couG
do 10 raise these vessels aud let the persons
who did IL trust 10 suit claim against
the city for thor pay great deal IL sad in the
papers by gentlemen who slt down and wrto OF lead.
ing ar'ic with rapidly and make II exceedingly atirac
tive 70 the public Let lave facts and hog u IL
that this vast city OF New York has provided law
by which hcsc sunksn vessels may be sed out OF this
barber unless You find mechanic who ,s willing 20
40 hs work for nothing or trua TO getting his pay from
inc city through the Board Of Supervisors The Iessia
turo established certain lines beyond which should
illegal TO build That Law being cont nuay violated
b. soness corporations who build their great sructnres
outside 81 the me ciabs,ed What Is the remedy for
thatY BY the laS of 1860 the Board 81 Conn soners
were rected TO notify them To remove tho encroacl
mems and they are not removed they arc Subj ct 10
penalty OF $25 day until thcy removed: " they
did not tho Board Ii empowered to go aud take
them away, bue tey have no money. rlere !, the
have the powor to ~ tho repairs which shalt be
made upon dilapidatcd p'drs risre e general d.po
ronbie between tho Pilot Commissioners and private
pier owners Tho % those piers which are ruined
II the corporation or New York be- mad, 70 ray So
day Tor every day Cha, the piers are IN this condition y
the other pocket ~ would be tho people suing the
people and collecting Judgment against themselves |
W pny luo.,"h arises as 20 Tue rencns. nrFs ~,
take ~ the time OF the committee in sespg over the
statements FOR their consideration rnc-e matters
q statistics II IA hero shovn the eSter 10 which The
law Is violated and a'so thai the law IL adoanato Tor
the protection OF this property II ~ hgh tmc ihnt
the people OF tho State Of New Yor take w this sub
j~et, for the purpose OF protecting sa properly. |
There gebli men here TO urge The ,stsr.ss %
commerce, OF whariown aud tie interests ofthe city
The interests which we would lervu 10 sunst the
COMMITTEES The interests Of the public shittc people
OF tho state 70 tie matter Of property This vaT
property Of the people 81 the State Of Ne Gcf should
be properly guarded are proc.lsd ~ suF
Gent Legislation, and whatever rssoiv.' 10 recorn
mend 70 the Legislature. whether yau proposs 10 deal
or TO sell t. whsr'owncrr the peopie shc 10 not 10
abridged In the slightest part 81 their rights IA" necss
stiles of do not justify the Legislature in
sbrdgng the rights Of the city in this thing there
anything which is tending to deprive tho people ms
iered ask you reject upon tho ground a pIllc ~I
Icy the principle that this vast property belongs
10 the people and should never BE- surrendered pto any
private hands TO give yon an iden how major. arc
rzrried will say that between Piers ~ Ard ~ here
IS bulkhsad The cukcsd Is noe entirsy n;,ed NJ ~
he wharf erected by a corporation The esz.f as |
lower part o Pier Is and on rurfay nj hf week
10 morrow workiDen Commenced 10 erect q .sa'forn
forty feet vide and twenty thirty feet ibry sirsly
patside Of thai buikhead line In the ssto a ths har
bor In direct violation of law Thy began saturday
nirh, and on Monday morning ~ the oshcr day
% Monday morning. we found broadway occupied by
new raironft vas fnlshcd The next day they were
served WITH Injunction Issued out " tho supreme
Court, Restraining them from doing anything ard
enng tbs, work They Obtained .njuncton Of res.
Iran from the court, and e took esnt daysto
violating tho law also uded tIst this
foreign Corporation fosi-red under The laws Of another
Saie. You perceive thea this whole suhject ome~hst
embarrassed not oniy ~ the action 81 the ihrslstare,
bat by the action ~ Courts and II q 10 BE- bourd
that out OF this chaos oraof may BE bropgas ~ this
AZ the csuclrsl,n % tho r,marks n Mr. 3n,ls Mr.
HKsRr BKRcn addresses tic commdiec al tine length
upon hs ragged coassion o the outside oi the city
Hs argued that the r"r not property protected
from destruction us-m,ch "a wholo cargo was oftea
allowed 20 ups0 the pier while yosae, DIS
charging Nothing that the ~ the wharf could
say or do would make any difference. here vas
redress He In fsvor Of putting the piers IN the
market and seIng them 20 the highest bidser.
Nr WsuSoaK sssd that the Pilot cornrSsrioness lad
not dope their dssy, that be had notified tse ~
where the law violated and they haAfzed 20 hass
u rectGed n tbey hsd used due diligence the os,Tac
tons which he had planned 81 uould ahve boon
moved II he. mlsrepsssentsd the Pilot C1mmiss
he would apoi,glse.
Mr. BrrLEn rrp ID BY aging that In tie cases 81 vahh
he spoke nohius could be done more tAaD waa done
they were b,ssss tho soprem. Court fos adjudication
Mr.. wBnsoss here gave humorous statement 81 the
case, which cfas>d much tnetrmept after which M
yoHsso~ spsks IN favor u the canal nsosest.
Mr. wnAls Messy. Jr, argued IN favtr o. construct
ing docks snl,ar - tho.c ~ Liverpool Ia tho natural
basin between ths Battery and Goysraors Island and
tsovernos Island snd tue Atlantic d0cka
Mr. sssAsAHAs ssid that crest mar snch surs~y sns
bad been rnada but unfortunately, tnsy could not he
carried There nothing brit restraint ssa where
the pD,s rn,D6 prepared Tor the UNDER II