The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-05

eighth bylaw OF the pilots In arbitrary: MERCHANTS
pilots they hked had no hostility to the pentieme
as body; MI. Walsh produced bill for 500 paid
Messrs. Parker 4 Gibbs Ibis: for the bark Mary A. Way
an overcharge or SIS; paid $50 for towing vessel
from pier to pier o; this should hive been done
for So; never made any complaint To Captain u
Port; felt fearful there was no redress.
James Il. Jones deposed-Am Captain OF the Port;
flied the position neariy two years; my position Is
sort OF Judicial one; It Is was worth last year
81, 500: received no more Than THIS amounts nave
under me regarding illegal fees; never knew tnau
towing men were exacting such exorbiiand
fees when formal complaints were made
remedied them once; consider my dhtN
has been done most thoroughly; never re.
ceived any present, excepting simple sean
ring: was only slightly acquainted with the
late Health Onlcer never heard Of the Captain O6
the Port sharing win that official; the Legislation
that would be beneficial, in my opinion Is that the
Governor should have the appointing power ana
removal for cause.
Walter r. Parker sworn-Am In the towing busi>
ness; don't know the Pilot commissioners. but ann
little more acquainted with the Harbor Masters aiI
anything In the charges spoken Of
Here Mr.. linden said ne wanted to ask the gem
neman one question: and produced several &C., cnecss
age; they had his endorsement These suns
were charged to be greatly excessive, and weres
compared with other towing bills 10 prove It, These.
or portions OF the amounts, IL was held, were pat
as ''bonus'' for lavors ana were extOrtions. Mr..
previously made, and he lnslnuated that merchants
often want favors and when granted did tile rathey
with harbOr MASTER June 10 last the bark Mani
toba was lowed by one Of Mr.. Parker's boats from.
at her pier. For this service $50 was exacied and
the bill paid.
BENNErT-well, Mr.. Parker, don't you think Mr.
Hinken was swindled In THIS transactionp
Mr.. PARKER-NO, sir. There may have been a
vast amount OF work to do before sne was property
berthed.
The witness testified that he was not especially
favored, as he knew, by the harbor masters; the
business was not very profitable, but had MADE
money; merchants frequently made oilers or money
for favOrs
BENNETT-so would one attacked on the highway
PARKER-I think OF getting out Of the business.
BENNETT-GettlDg too hOty
Henry HarbinsOn, swOrn-He was Sandy
Hook pilot and had held that position for tDlrtys
eight years; knew that pilots mad CERTAIN privileges
In every port OF the world, and considered the laws
regarding pllOage in and out Of New York just and
John Gibbs was the next witness called His evil
dence went to show that ne had entered into am
agreement by which he was to have a certaiI5
amount OF harDOr towage, ana ne had paid money
Tor the privilege; but not dollar OF tat money had
gone to the harbor masters directly or indirectly.
was then re-examined. He SAID that the agreement
Gibbs had mentioned was made with o person
duce witness to the Harbor Master In considerations
OF receiving two and one har per cent on all tow
age done oy deponent tnat came INTO his hands
time either J. w. Hustled or William Smelt haE
charge OF the district. The present Harbor Master
George Han testified that he was a stevedore.
doing business upon wharves along the East River,
never paid anything for the privilege OF bringing
vessels into certain piers, and never donated any,
thing TO "a harbOr master.
Mr.. Mckenzie, OF the General TRANSATLANTIC
Steamship Company, objected to the present pilot
laws because shipowners could not select any par
cular pilot to take their vessels out TO sea- had mo-
fault to find with the manner in which the plOtS
discharged their duties.
Gustavus A. Brett deposed that he was a Shipping
and commission merchant and objected 10 the
present system OF compulsory pllotage, and also
that clause which enacted that the pilot which
brings vessel In from sea shall be employed TO
take her out again; the Pilot Commissioners naI
always lent Wiling ear 10 any complaint he had
TO make, and the present Port Captain mad invari-
ably treated HIM with courtesy and cOnsidcratlon,s
ne mad abored under the impression tnat Captain
Jones mad received good portion OF bonuses that
had been paid to harDOr masters, but he now
believed such an idea to be utterly erroneous
George w. Blunt stated that he had been pilot
and HarbOr Commissioner for Jwenty.six years and
cOud nothing wrong In the present pilot system.
The twenty-eghth bylaw, which the merchants
were so much opposed TO, was just and necessary
one Pilots have certain privileges IN every part OF
the world.
The Chairman adjourned the meeting sine die,
stating that notice of further proceedings would
be given IN the press.