New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-05
OPPRESSION OF COMMERCE.
MORE HOPE FOR THE MERCHANTS.

INQUIRY BY THE LEGISLATIVE CoMhlIItE lNIO
ALLEGED IRREGULARITIES IN THE HARBOR-
MASTER SYSTEM AND THE PILOT COMMISSION
THE HARBOR- MASTERS RNG-A CASE OF
PERJURY THE TRIBUNE CHARGES sUs-
TANNED.
The Sub Committee Of the Assembly Com
mittee Navigation and Commerce assembled yester
day at tn rooms OF the Vessel Owners Association, No.
50 Pne-st Mr. Judd OF Richmond presiding TO inquire
into the workings Of the Harbor- Master and Pilot sys
tens OF this port The following letter concerning the
investigation was sent 10 THE TRIBUNE Office and every
assistance In their power afforded the Committee
by THE TRIBUNE reporters.
TO theEditor OF The Tribune
SIR: WIN you obigc the subcommittee OF Commerce
aud Nav CATION. investigating the management Of
Harb0r Masters by sending for our use to-day copies OF
THE TRIBUNE containing charges or complaints against
the Harbor Masters By so doing you will aid those
pushing the investigat on. Yours truly,
Neto- York, March 4, 1872. DAVID W JUDD
lots Of this port and licensed by the United states my
State license repealed in 1886 have been pilot 81
| tRc Pilot Commissioners.
F. W, r Fellows, Yce-Prestleut of the Pacific Mail
| Steamship Company, testified The Commissioners re-
fuse 10 allow us to employ competent pilots whom we
wish we were fined for employing pilots not licensed by
the Company; one OF our steamers the Baltic. was run
ashore by pilot OF the Commissioners. IN 1867, in day
light believe that II would conduce to the interests 81
commerce pilots appointed by the Port Warden.
Clinton Hunter of spOnord Bros. Co.. shiIeowner,
testified decidedly object TO the present pilot laws on
the ground OF their iresponsblity tho pilots are not
| amenablc for any damages which may be inflicted
through their careessness the ship Orion was damaged
through pilots careessness or Ignorance 20 the extent
OF $1,000 have repeatedly suffered loss In the
manner we have been several times sued for refusing
to take pilot when at beyond pOtage ground; do
not find any fault with the rates but consider the POt
Commissioners entirely unnecessary we are obliged to
| be underwriters, as we have no redress even
| from the Pilot Commissioners; would always prefer
that pilot whom knew should take my vessels out;
is be 10 nav for damages the last bill which We paid
81 9UO the ship Calhoun boarded outside by
ofshore potage; the pilot asked to come board and
was, favor allowed to; he sent In bill, which we
| IN HnNs pnnN
tain and The pilot did not occur within the limits OF Tue
State of NewYOTk and do not consider myself DOund
| on the high seas by any laws OF the state.
! Mr.. Judd-Havo You suffered any from the extortons
money for berth for ali our vessels chartered other
parties. notwithstanding we have wharf OF our own
| paid for berth; l believe firmly that the exorhtant
charges made by the ana otner oncss
acting very documentary upon the oI tls
pori; only q short time took charter from Bau-
more u Rotterdam and return az less rate than from
NewYOrk; put the vessel III ballast ana sent hr 70 Ea
timore lOad-a in preference 10 paying the extOr
tons this harhOr; believe that the legitimate eee or
the Harbor Masters EQUALS more than $500 per annum
pay lease Of the pier we occupy TO the wharf
SteVedore on Pier No. r. r. who We believe to be
midde-nan for else amounts to SIS to $50 on
Archibald Heney, shipOwner No. 25 Coentiessp, tes
titled We always instruct captains not TO pay of
shore potage; we believe that this is tax on Ou YES
sells which should not be paid as the law exists to-day
the pilots arc responsible to the Board OF 70 US
away, and In receipt OF at least 20 letters
from shipowners in various ports who tell they
viii not send their vessels York Iobec the
! bonus which every ship-owner Is compelled to pay 70
get his vessel the dock; the bark Toryburn, which
came 20 u.s. was compelled guarantee the payment OF
s75 get berth; the following bill was rendered
Bark Torryburn and -n.,,,.- n
Parker Gibbs towing from Pier E. R. to Pier 3 F. e'5
| Cls9tsi8 N Corr.
This biz was never paid.
john Ernest Miller, shp-broker, testified; have been
IN the business - years what have always objected TO
the clause in the statute that all masters OF foreign
! compelled take pilot )" am opposed 20 making the
OF persons il my business does not pay will leave it aud
seek something else II may be well 10 license me pilots
garding the HarboT Masters abuses are forced TO
pay from $50 to $40 in excess Of what the 6 would nave
been had the stevedore been compelled 70 make an
arrangement with deputy OF the Harbor-hastefi we
tions arr, greater under the present officials
before have recommended my captains 70 avoid this
port sCrupuously in the Summer; there are not tue
( same extortons in Boston and Baltimore; we do not
| know the HarbOr-Masters now; We never see them;
have Harbo Masters rice or Ferris although
have several bills rendered by them; am inere5ted
in so vessels know that the commerce Is INJURED Py
the present eXOrtons the IooNl@ " tne VII Ior Iho
| NgwioEE Oct. 9, 1871
Brig Clara jenkins and owners,
To towing sCe pa menu cas- IT, TosKs soi r. g.
The Clara Jenkins was tOwed directly from 20 Pier
No 10 East River and made fast to the end OF the
pier $40 paid for towage and berth next TO the end
we then wanted TO take 500 barrels OF and we
were refused permission to remain there but got 1t by
captain with the stevedore the following are few Of
! the bills rendered by William Marshall: - So,
Brig TeneriEe to steamer wm. Marshall Dr..
! For towing from Brooklyn to Pier Is e H. 90
10 ''' RED payment VIZ MARSHALL
Brs Clara P Gibbs to steamer WIN. Marshall Dr.,
| For towing from Enc Bann 70 rer "A T. !. -,
To services rendered so
Frank E. Nv Walsh silpbroker testified would con-
| firm all the testimony which have heard this morning;
90 think that the rates for the actual services OF
the pilots are excessive regarding the HarbOr Masters
| abuses would say that have never paid to Daniel
Hart Que cent although forced TO 90 to his DIS
trict s managed independently we have reported
anv case TO the Captain OF the Port because we dd not
Master was forced 10 reduce the bill by Cap
tain, who was a friend OF Wm NJ 4Weeui tue 4OhO"HAs
""s 'H' O1'' EEw.YoRE Nay a. 1871
BARK mary A. VI @-D O'-'' To Propeller President Dr.
To towing from Sectional DOCK East River to Pier No z T. r. 100
James E. Jones' Captain OF the Port, testified: have
heru An nv present office for two years have charge
of the afborMasters in sort Of judicial capacity OBJ
tanned the appointment through several personal Trends
bonuses we're collected; never gave them any lnstrne
tons not TO assess or collect any extra Iegs Tue
that charges had been made by the steamboat men
had known Of u cases never mingled MIN 1 oe Sp
satisfactory l empowered 10 take amdaVIo
but have 10 power to compel Sne tGt ,he are
abuses existing IN Harbor Masters systems reeve
present in the shape OF ring rom te I1 h U read
charges which made III THE TRIBUNE, Du dla no,
take action upon them regarding leglsatloh
should have the sole power OF appointment ana
this he does not have by the v Rres oersd o yd
the Captain OF the Port he certainly never u u4'i
Wv" w r. Parker of Parker & Gibbs, tOwboatmen, test
fed have heard that charges were made asaLsI O S
IN THE T4PSSk s ps he We
Mr. Hncken OF Boyd Hincken, presenter S ShSc
for $40 which wac paid for berthng the Hghlahu MARY
| of len forb hertz