The New York herald., 1872-12-21
OUR DOCKS.
Why the Work Of the New River Front
age Is Not Pushed Forward.
The Obstacles in the Way of
the Commissioners.
COMPTROLLER GREEN'S ECONOMY.
What General Mcclellan Saws
on the Subject.
THE WORK AS 1T STANDS

THE WORK AS 1T STANDS.
In the troubles which have anected more or
less oil the city boards the Department OF Docks
has been one OF the most unfortunate Since
Comptroller Green took the reins Of power In the
Finance Department he has appeared to frown In
the most decided manner upon the docks. Where
he has shed comparative financial sunshine upon
the parks, which are ornamental, the DOCKS which
are useful do not seem to find any favor with him.
As natural consequence the Board OF Dock Com
missioners are just at present in the most severe
monetary straits and the immediate effect VIII be
widespread suffering among the employees Upon
entering the spacious room wherein the members
OF the Board and their clerks have their
quarters the first thing which strikes the eye
OF the visitor Ii the notice, mo employment
can be furnished to wOrKingmen at present"
printed In large characters, which have an omin-
GUS, f0rbiddng look The cause OF this Is readily
to be found. On November 80, 1872, the Board OF
Docks had in bank the sum OF S26.664 so. Since
then sl2, 600 have been expended for labor About
six thousand dollars must be expended for labor
during the present month, besides the salaries
OF employees. 1t will be seen from this that on the
be absolutely deprived OF money, and all work
viii have to stop. Nearly oil the men in the
Engineers bureau will then be discharged as
matter OF necessity and many Of the other Ia
bOrers. But what makes
THE POSITION OF THE BOARD
still less agreeable, II that be possible is that
the 1st OF January about forty thousand dollars
becomes due on con tracts, which 1t will be impos
sble to pay, making the Board virtually bankrupt
IT seems strange that in a great city like this
matters can come to such pass in one OF the
most important OF the departments. But the
reason is simple. Mr.. Green refuses to pay over
to the Board the money which the law provides for
1t. True 1t Is that he has no reason for this. He
holds that II the Board win send In its bills to
him he will examine and pay them but the Board
holds on the other hand that, by the law OF 1870 it
has the right OF expenditure OF its own moneys,
without being obliged to make any account thereof
to the Comptroller being responsible to the Mayor
alone. And the Board besides hold it to be a mat
ter OF absolute necessity that it alone has the
privilege OF expenditures, as by constantly making
contracts varying in price and Importance, ready
money Is the only means OF accomplishing these to
the best interest OF the city. The case has been
already brought up in the Courts, and man.
damus is demanded by the Board obliging the
Comptroller to pay over $780, 900 which he holds be-
longing to 1t, but which he refuses to pay over 1t
will be hereafter to what inconvenience, de-
lays and expenses
THIS CONTROVERSY
has given rise. BY the law OF 1870 the Board OF
Docks is empowered to have bonds issued by the
Comptroller at the demand Of the Commissioners OF
the Sinking Fund to the extent OF 000 600 annually
which 1t may draw the needs show themselves.
Instead OF having received 100000 which might
have been drawn during the past three years, only
81, 00O, 900 have been altogether expended dur
ing that period for the building and
.ae s7soSco SemanSeS of the s comptroer ns
this year only $780, have been furnished leaving
the half million which Mr.. Green refuses to hand
operations OF the Board during the past year.
And this is why the great work of the remodelling
OF the water front OF New York, which was spoken
shout so much two years ago, has not been pushed
forward more vigorously. 1t will be remembered
that shortly after the passing of the Frear charter
and the organization Of the present Board OF Docks
General Mcclellan Whose salary has been cut
down within. the past two months from $2o, 600 to
100000, who was appointed engineer-nchlef or
the department., submitted plans for the building
OF a new water front, which were very magnificent
| in detail and ensemble The plan. which has al
| ready been described sufficiently, was adopted by
| the Board and since that time
WORK HAS BEEN PROGRESSING SLOWLY
| upon II. Several months were consumed in Dasng
and surveying gigantic work which OF itself
showed the earnest OF the Board in the matter.
/ bankment at the Battery and extending to pier
i No. North River. For u time work went bravelY
on, and in fact is still progressing visit to the
place shows that great deal has been done in the
| right direction, and though quite small in compari-
son with what Is to be done, gives very fair idea
OF the whole work. From the river-the only point
| ut which all the details can be embraced-shows
the magnificent bukhead which has been built, and
though the pier is as yet invisible at high water
at low tide an idea OF its extent may be obtained
as 1t has now reached point just few inches
above the low water level The bulkhead, which
itself extends 250 feet out from the easterly side of
West street and which Is built OF solid granite ma
sonry is supplemented by the pier which n. extends
! plan which will be followed throughout the river
| front Of the city on both sides.
THE COST OF THE IMPROVEMENT
| will be 81, 500 900 per mile. The work at the Bat
terry has already cost something over 100000, in
Guiding the unfinished pier The whole Is splen-
ress is but slow, ana, at the rate at which the
thing is now being done, eighty years would
ssv The words Of GENERAL McceSp tse seea hn
gIneer in Chief, IN his last report hitherto unpub-
lished, give, Ia = concise manner, the reason for
GENERAL M'CLELLAN's OPINION.
'Tregret extremely that we cannot report greater
progress in the construction OF the new river wall;
but the Commissioners understand that the 0bsta-
cles were Of a nature entire beyond my control.
"You are well aware OF the many serious incon-
viences under which this bureau has abored for
several months past, In consequence Of the made
quacy and uncertainty OF the financial supplies at
the disposition OF the department., and you will
not regard me as going beyond the limits OF this
report when repeat what have often stated to
you here toore that 1t is and will always prove TO
be impossible to carry on work OF such magn-
tude as ours with economy and despatch unless
the appropriations are sufficiently large. and the
amount allowed to be expended accurately known
before the opening Of the working season, with a
certainty that the funds VIII be forthcoming when
they are needed.
| "The disturbed condition OF affairs during the past
| few weeks has been such as to render the supply
! OF money for carrying on our work matter OF
great uncertainty but ee II due to self to state
that in consequence OF this uncertainty as to the
amount that would be at the disposal OF tue board,
/ | have been
UNABLE TO MAKE THE ARRANGEMENTS
| for the supply Of materials or the making OF the
contracts for the construction of the river wall be-
| yond the portion commenced last year. All these
| arrangements for future work should have been
| perfected during the Winter, ana we ought now to
be engaged in the extension oil the new river wall.
As IL is the locality even OF the next work to be
are not acquired nor an arrangement looking
| to future operations has been made, with the
| execution that the general working plans are