New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-26

ATTITUDE OF THE OUTGOING COMMISSIONERS
The outgoing Commissioners feel that they have been
unfortunate FIRST having had 10 create department
rather than TO carry 1t has been enterprise
subject the hand to extravaRant praise which
has led public expect great things from IL at once
and subject the other hand TO much prejudice and
fault-hndng They state also that In raising rents on
improved property, and IN carrying out regulations
framed by them for the better management OF the old
piers they have made many eGemies who unjusty take
sides against them They feel, secondly, that they
have been unfortunate in this, that, whereas, they
were empowered by law to spend 100000 in wharf i'm
per annum. subject 10 tue hpprOVal Oh tne
commissioners Of the Sinking Fund.- or 100000 IN the
three years they have only bad granted them by the
Commissioners Of the sinking Fund.- sS5OOoOO and nave
Dee 81 1874 only 5000 OO 1t being understood that the
earnings OF the Departments are PAID over 10 the city,
controer in reGusitions nch have approved
by the Commissioners Of the sinking fnnd. Inc want
carving on their work and prevented much valuable
Accomplishment They feel that they are unfortunate,
thirdly IN being cut of about the middle Of the term
OF office which they were appointed, when much OF
Their work only In its inception and mas hardly TAKEN
In reply TO the complaint often made that they have
done little even for the time during which they have
been In Office they say that they would gladly have
done a far greater work had the means been forth
coming and they feel prepared TO show that In view OF
their limited time and means they have done fair
amount OF work In reply to the charge often made
that the Department. IN extravagant one they can at
enon first 10 the fact that they have Kept iar WITHIN
the sums which they legally empowered TO spend
secondly TO the fact that large part of their work mas
been preliminary, the less yaluable-the sur
veys observations, borings Sc thirdly to the fact
these preliminary tOptfatOnb ndfo
derab accessOns OF property, or property value, 10
the Corporation Thus the great floating derrick prob
ably the largest in tue world. winch can manipulate
with the greatest Beton blocks OF 100 TONS aud tue
boring and dredging machines and other implements.
which are now cty's property, have been included
i'll the Departments outlay; also the land at the Can
yard which equal In extent 10 over 20 CITY
lots and at the East Seventeenthst yard, which Is
equ IN extent nearly AZ city lots has been converted
from almost q swamp into desirable property. They
call attention. fourthy TO the fact that they have ac
ouired from the Land Commissioners OF the state o
grant 10 the city or submerged lands around almost
the entire waterfront, IN general LOCO feet out
along the North River. and varying distance along
tine East and Harlem Rivers, amounting IN all 10 aoont
LOO acres or 700 city l0ts The grant was made
on Sept 9 ls7 and the lots worth on an average,
perhaps 5000 apiece, total OF about SlSOO0o They
are at least great accession TO the properly OF the city
They cali attention. hnaly, TO the ngures below IRON
which it appears that their improvements on the Old
piers and tile advantageous leases have increased
the the city from this source during the four
years ending Dec 81 1879 oyer what would have Deen
AT tho rate OF Of 1862 s257 6I or an aver
age increase per annum OF &S9 Al. AS shown above
the actual cost OF the Department 10 the city, up to
March 81 of the present year has been s9S2s5 As, ON
which tue yearly interest at per cent, would DC
Sos $50 &c. which considerably less than the increase In
Dock revenue per annum, as above stated The folow-