The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-01-16

not part of the soothing system adopted to
prevent interference until such time as some
thing in the Mexican matter may turn up favor
able to Macmillan, or until it shall be judged
safe to leave that would-be Emperor to stand
alone. We may be informed of this when the
French Legislature meets next month. In the
meantime we may remember that just about
the time all this pleasant news was leaving
Europe freshly arrived French troops were
landing at Vera Cruz, and troops were moving
to drive Juarez from chihuahua.
The Docks and Piers and the Tribune
Warehouse job.
The Mayor in his recent message to the Com
mon Council informed us that the revenues
from the wharves and piers which are the
property of the Corporation are pledged to the
Sinking Fund for the payment of the interest
on the city debt, and that when he as Re
corder, and by virtue of that Office one of the
Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, was ap-
piled to by the Pier and Warehouse Company,
or what is better known as the Tribune Job
Association, to lease several of the most valu-
able piers of the city for term of fifty years
upon q mere nominal consideration, he recon-
mended that no action should be taken upon
the pplication-meaning, of course, that he
saw through the whole scheme, and was con.
vinced that it was one of the legislative jobs
by which the city was to be despoiled Of o
portion of Its property to benefit a few unscru-
pulous SPECTATORS.
We arc aware that the city derives very
little revenue at present from the wharves; but
that is no reason why they should be given away
to any and every one who has permission of the
Legislature to ask for them We agroe with
the Mayor when be says that a. New York, tho
greatest commercial city on the continent, hes
not single wharf or pier which Is not dis
grace to t." But We would ask, Is there No
way by which they may be restored except BY
surrenderlng them free offering to monopolists {
and greedy spectators. We think there b.
Let the law regulating the rates Of wharfage
be 20 amended that the fees from vessels win
be sufficient to pay reasonable interest o.
the cost Of rebuilding and keeping them In
proper repair and eventually they will return
. fair revenue to the Sinking Fund. to be sp-
piled to its legitimate purposes.
II is very evident that the rates, as now
established by law, are too low. Previous 70
the war dock builders and laborers could be
hired for from one to two dollars day. La
Dor Is now two hundred per cent higher, tho
price Of material has advanced in the same
proportion, the taxes on private whsrves have
more than doubled, and yet there has been
no increase In the rates Of wharfage. The
consequence is that the docks have been per-
mitted by lessees and private owners to 20 to
decay, and In some instances, where they have
sunk or been carried away by the Ice the tide
now GIBBS and flows over the stone heaps upon
which they were built, because It will not pay
to reconstruct them.
They should not be permitted thus to remain
disgrace to the city, and the Legislature, in
stead of giving designing men carte banchet 10
plumber the Corporation of it, property, should
endeavor to protect 1t and make II yield Q
revenue for the purpose Of enabling the city to
keep faith With its creditors We do not think
our merchants and sbipowners, whose interest
II Is to have good and safe docks, would oppose
the raising Of the wharfage to paying rates;
but they would unquestionably object to sur
rendering to a company the control Of the
piers, or of placing themselves Of the mercy Of
q complete monopoly.
We have no doubt II rates Of wharfage were
established even approximating the charges
upon vessels In other ports we would soon
have docks fully equal to those of any com.
mercial city in the world, with the exception,
perhaps, of those Of London and Liverpool.
where more strength and durability are re-
quired; and, as Mayor Hoffman says, they could
be made 70 yield revenue not only sufficient
TO pay the interest on the cost, but eventually
10 pay tho whole Of such cost.
Oar City Railroads and the 6fx Cent