New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-02-11

.ss 90.
From this it wiz DC seen that the balance on hand b.
soG, 90 40 The expense. ior itgM'uhs g'"uns' ana
Thoauperntcndent of Wharyes Mr. Robert Earl, IN his
II would again call the attention II the street Commits
oner to the present unsafe condition al the piers the
North and East Rivers Most OF them air IN such dlap
dated and d0cayed condition as 10 be unfit for Use and
dangerous 20 o Several OF them need To heNnrcy r.
built and all OF Thorn require extensive repairs Ia order
but OF steps can be taken ~ this direction ut
maj pirposc Thcse piers originally Injured and weak
ened bybeng overloaded with heavy materials, have
been suffered 10 decay frou long neglect owing TO tho
trivial amount annually appropriated for thor Improve
ment being unequal to tie nagnlude o ne Work re-
priaons sufficient 10 put them IN proper and service
able condition has been repeatedly ana safhssy pfs,ed
have overlooked from year 10 year, and sums have
been appropriated for the purpose much SMALLER than
those asked for and entirely small TO accomplish the
ends designed and make wharf aud pier accOnsnOda
iOns such "a the wants and interests ~ this mercantile
community demand they should be- For The present year
no appropriation whatever was made, aud THIS Bureau
been obliged 20 conduct Us operations with small
balance Of about siioo reinalnS rom the hpIoptloh
Of last year With this limited means At my disposal.
very few repairs have or could he made by me- aud the
piers are now In unOus condition, entirely inadcqu,e
TO me wants. and injurious alike to the, Interests nnd
reputation Of this groa' commercial ciy regret That
things"
OF Lamps and Gas shows me alnOni or inquiries IN
cured BY tis Bureau on account Of lighting the public
lamps 10 Ice S95 g. The total actual expenditures by
the Bureau amount to s7Ci go "a and tho estimates OF the
amount required for lighting The Cliy the present year,
O55995 Tho following extract from the report OF Mr.
Charloc shows the reason OF the deficiency ia the apro
The amounts lighting that portion Of the city lying
between Grand and Forty secOndsts based upon tho
ght Company The very large excess Of liabilities over
the balance hand arises from the fact thai the appro
piaons oDhanps and gas for the years bGi and 1865
were made up at the prices paid the various gasght
companies under the terms OF their contraca On the 3st
Common Council, and approved by the then Mayor di-
recng the contracts TO be annued aud new ones made
I,ttff M fho
T NE s w. gss C" MES feo notified this DcnaTtment
in writing that they would insist upon greatly
increased prices, which demand, however, was not
recognized by the Street Commissioner nor myself.
Tie Harlem Gasght Company then instituted suit
against City and recovered Judgment In their favor
at the rates demanded by them. That Company wen
were then paid for lighting the public lamps In their
81 iheyear nos the rates demanded by them, while
The appropriations Orthosc years made up at tho
old rates; hence yOu will readily the OF the
deficiency in the appropriation. The Manhattan Gas
light Company have been paid 90 the old rates
up to Sept 1866 for ghtng the public lamps between
Grand and Thirty fotsts but this company has also
instituted st asns ne cry qr inc prices Gemanded
the city should be compelled TO pay the increased rates
from Jan TO- 1866 then the total amount duo this Com
pany for lighting the public lamps between Grand and
Thirty foufhsts from Jan 10, 1866 TO Dec. 81, 1885,
and the amount for lighting the lamps between
Thirty fourth and Forty for the same time viii
be Nl294 and the total amount OF the liabilities VIII be
The New York Gasllght Company ms n capital stock
Of 100000 and the price Of the stock is $500 The Man
OF the stock Is $50 The Metropolitan Company has cap
il Of s. 100000 and the price of stock $l2e The Harlem
Gas Company has capital OF 100000 aud the price Of
stock Is $50.
Mr. ChaIock thinks the Corporation should purchase
all the works nov in operation and undertake the
charge Of supplying the city with light He says: 1.-THE
city Is completely az the mercy OF the gas companies
They light the public lamps In their respective dis
ticts not just they please; they can, N so disposed
furnish poor quality OF gas and they can charge their
prices and power exists In the Street Department
remedy the matter and In order that the present
satisfactory state of affairs which exists between tho
companies and the Corporation should come 20 temiDa
Commissioners be authorized TO advertise for proposals for
lighting all the districts In the city, excepting the
now lighted by the Manhattan Gaslight Company, for
OF not less than three more than five years, and
that the contracts be made stringent IN then provisions
as give the city full control them In all matters
appetaning TO the proper Lighting and care OF the lamps
and the quality OF the gas furnished
Mr. ChaIoek further SAYS the city OF New-iork pays
more fOr the gas consumed In the public lamps than any
other city in the Union, while the very reverse OF this
should be the because the companies IN THIS city
are mostly situated in the midst Of theky populated dis
tricts wbe In OF the other cities the population Is
more scattered and consequently greater extent OF
mains is required In proportion 10 tue NUMBER or con-
and besides the companies OF TINS Guy are more
convenient 10 the coal regions than nearly al the other
cities whchvs OF itself very important eosaeIaton
statement made mp from official Information OF the
amounts paid lighting the street lamps IN inc munich
pal cities OF the Union aud also price charged per 1000
cubic feet TO private consumers shows inc IOo OF the
foregoing remarks Of Mr.. CharlOck The Harlem Gas
light Company and the Metropolitan Gas-hght company
charge $50 per annum for lighting each lamp ana ~ per
900 feet to private consumers The New YORK Gasght
Company charges t5. and the Metropolitan company N5
fQr oach ap aud ~ % aad 81 W respectively " PtTae