The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-25

experienced oocknunder 10 discover nom the ap-
what part had been 1enewed in the wear ending July
1855 ~ o'u more fully to accomplish the OBJ
Snder q an experienced and skiliui dock,
Uuiuei, - addition. 10 act independently OF General
Sdsc his assistants have both their reports
sse dockbnilder in question reports that IN making
hS examination ne was guided where inquiry was
necessary, by parties who could not possibly have
any interest in informing him wrongfully, as they
nation; that he confined himself TO work done
within the time specified In the charges-nameiy,
rH IRON Sy 1 1857, to July lsesNand that he care,
between WORK done BY private individually and that
lor Ine Corpotation. He also reports that in the
progress OF MS Investigations he found that very
large amount Of old timber had been relaid, and
mat TINS fact should be largely taken into
abor rsan,rea determlnlng the amount OF
as criterion no just conception OF the
smount OF labor required could be formed. He
further reports that I'm making an estimate always
calculated that from two and half three per cent
OF timber will be wasted In fitting and making joints
&C., to repair or rebuild pier. While the pier was
being used particularly In the down town districts,
should calculate from 200 to 800 per additional
labor according TO the location OF the pier and that
would be low estimaten General Vieie reports
that he employed Mr.. T0wle and Mr.. Mead to make
the surveys and measurements. He says:-"Mr.
Towle Is sklful and competent surveyor and engi-
neer, In whom have the utmost confidence, and Mr..
Mead Is also competent and reliable" He reports
that twenty.nve piers were surveyed, embracing
turns OF Messs. 1owle and Mead with the statements
OF the Superintendent OF Wharves and the dock
builder empoyed py this Department, and there Is
no material discrepancy
Before proceeding with the charges and answers
IN detail refer the public to the annexed afidavs
OF Messrs. Niver and Lynch as to the mode in which
the surveys and inspections were made ON which
the charges TO which MI Cooper has subscribed his
named were founded. Now as to the particular
charges In this report
FIRST CHARGE
'That during the twelve months before mentioned
there was put on pier No. East river not more than
5000 feet OF lumber bat your records show that the
city was charged for H. 200 feet alleged to have been
used IN repairing this wharf.n
ANSWER, AS REPORTED TO NE.
pier No. East river-I find this pier has been
an s In for S S0S
has been entirely removed and replaced with three
inch plank upon top OF this for fifty feet engthways
another part Of the pier Is a patch nineteen feet
lengthways and nve feet wide Of four-nch plank;
tne other measurements are patches OF from two to
OF feet used about IA. 100 feet"
SECOND CHARGE.
. o '"rhat during said twelve months no more than
5000 feet OF lumber were used upon pier No. East
river, while your records show that the city was
charged FOR 1856 feet in repairing this wharf,"
ANSWER.
'Pier No. East river-One half OF this pier be-
longs 70 the corporation. md this pier has been
plank and twelve inch timber placed underneath
as strngers, which would necessitate the removing
timber"
THIRD CHARGE
no more than 5000 leet Of lumber to have been
used; but the city was charged for 1905 feet"
ANSWER
''Pier No. 5 East river-I find this pier has been
patched In twentythree places with iOurinch plank
laid down and sheathed with three-nch plank on
seven inches thick. MIR. Levi Goewey, OF Ia Broad
street, who has charge of the pier, says he was
the pier most all the time the men at work and
showed me what they had done. find On this pier
10000 feet of timber and PLANK"
FOURTH CHARGE.
'On pier No. East river the inspection showed
not over 900 feet to have been laid while the city
was charged Tor "a, 44s leet OF lumber"
ANSWER.
"Picr No. Q East river-Nearly the whole OF this
pier has been repanked, from four to seven inches
in thickness. found ffty-three different places
where the pier has been patched. The wharfnger of
the pier and a gentleman in an Office on the pier
showed me what work had been done. There has
been new ranging tmbers put IN and great deal Of
work done under the deck. The old plank were used
for leveling the deck III places where the pier had
settled and the timbers have been blocked up in
many places. The old timber must have been re-
moved from the deck and relald. Taking the new
timber furnished and Old timber relaid together
TINS pier, the total measurement OF work done IL
this work to be July up TO the amount charged the
Department.
FIFTH CHARGE
"On pier No. East river the inspection showed
more than 1000 feet TO have been laid, while your
records show that the city was charged for l7,27s
feetn
"Pier No. East river-This pier has been patched
In fty-eight different places; the old deck taken up
and three and four inch plank put In its places the
aeSK 81 s pe Of bee r ana
SIXTH CHARGE.
"On pier No. IL East river the inspection showed
no more than 800 feet to have been used while the
city was charged for 1888 feet"
ANSWER.
uPier No. IL, East river-One half OF this pier be-
longs to the city, and is now In splendid condition,
and the way the pier has been repaired so as not to
interfere with the working Of the pier, must have
taken great deal Of labor Upon this pier the men
were still at work, and they were working under
great disadvantages, as the pier was crowded with
trucks and merchandise.
1Mr N Briggs, lessee of the pier, who has an once
the pier, says that before you sent men TO work on
the pier he could not sign his lease or pay any rent
for the pier II entirely unit for use and that
he could not Lut twenty tons OF freight on the pier,
and that he now considers It to be in good con.
the plank as could be wished, and put plank
where they were not needed and that the pier was
AL or that Is
complaint about the work not being done, that II Is
UNJUST the men did the best they could under the
circumstances and that n the work was being done
for him he would be perfectly satisfied. measured
AZ go feet Of timber and plank that had been put
feet OF new timber was shown me as having been
laid during the year ending July l, 1885,"
SEVENTH CHARGE.
"On pier No. p East river, the inspection showed
that 5000 feet and more, had been used, while
the city was charged with 25,eo2 feet"
ANSWER.
"Pier q, East river-This pier was In very bad
condition. and 1t must have taken o great deal Of
labor to put 1t in a. good repair a. 1t now is In. In
place surface of thirty feet In length and seven
teen feet In width has been covered with three-inch
plank in another place, for $50 feet In length and
twenty-five feet in width, three-inch plank has been
laid on the ranging mbers; this has been sheathed
for ninety feet In length and twenty-five feet In
width, with four-nch plank. Another spot fifteen
feet in length and twenty-five In width has been
patched with fourinch plank. In still another place
has been laid plank to cover thirty feet engthways
OF the pier and twenty-five feet In width,
plank three inches thick The old backing piece
has been replaced for ninetytwo lineal feet with
timber twelve inches square, making the total num-
Der OF feet used 25.yA. The pier has been raised
and leveed up with old plank formerly the deck
of the pier laid upon the rangers, which IL ~ eco-
nomical arrangement as could possibly be wished.
The captain of steamboat lying at the pier told me
he was greatly pleased with the way the work had
been done, and that he was under obligations for
the facilities afforded to work his boat while the pier
was being repaired"
EIGHTH CHARGE.
ION pier No. 30 East river, used o. dumping
board, the inspection showed that $500 feet at most
used. while the CITY Was CHI arQed 4 Oh feetn