The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-24

What the Commissioners Think Of the Petition
Presented in the Legislature Praying for
An investigation Of the Department
What the Department Has Done and
What It Has Cost To Do It.

YORK, oflered at Albany yesterday petition"
purporting to be signed by "many prominent cit
liens ana taxpayers" This petition sets forth
that the Department OF Docks OF the city OF New
YORK has expended over $3,O00,0O0 in four years.
without any material Improvement to our system
OF docks, the greater portion OF the money being
expended IN supporting sinecure oflcias. The
petition concludes with prayer for an investiga-
ton into these charges and the general admins
tration OF the affairs OF the department.
The officials connected with the Department OF
Docks profess to regard this petition with indirer-
ence. They state that Mr.. Coughiin is young
and ambitious legislator, who wishes to make
sensation and capital for himself under
the name OF reform. 1t Is also limited
that certain parties connected with the
petition are simply disappointed applicants for
positions under the Dock Commissioners At any
rate, the Dock Commissioners specifically deny the
charges made against their department In the pc
tition and make the following Official statements
regarding the matters In question:
ECONOMY OF THE NEW REGIME.
In the first place they state that since the in
auguration of the present Board Of Dock Commits
missioners, May 90 1873 the salaries Of all persons
connected with The department have been reduced
to the lowest possible figure and that the salaries
paid this year are lower by many thousands Of dol
lars than those paid previously. Thus, in
stead Of five commissioners at $4,000 EACH
there are now but three, whose joint salaries
amount to only 1850 the President, Jacob A.
Westervelt receiving $4,000. the other commits
sioners, William Gardner and william Budd, re-
ceiving each $1,000
Again, General Graham, the Chief Engineer of
the present Board, receives q salary of $500.
whereas General Mcclellan, who formerly occupied
this POSITION received $4,000, 80 that $4,000 is
M, ounh Anf
officials.
EXPENSES LESS THAN APPROPRIATIONS.
1t Is also claimed that during the last four years
the expenses Of the Department OF Docks have
been less than the full limit OF the appropriations,
or that the sums actually expended have been
much less than the sums that could legally have
been expended during that period.
The law provides that the Comptroller, when
directed by the Commissioners OF the Sinking
Fund, shall issue dock bonds bearing seven per
cent interest and redeemable within thirty years
the supervisors raising by tax the interest and the
principal thereof, and the amount OF said bonds
not TO exceed $4,000, 600 in any one year. Now,
during the three complete years, from May, 1870 to
May, 1878, the department was entitled by law to
expend &c. 900, but by references to the several
reports it will be seen that only S. lao, 100 So was
expended.
1t Is also claimed that not only are the expenses or
the t department now less than the APPROPRIATIONS
been returned to the city treasury in the shape OF
rents received for docks, &C, as follows-
RENTS DErosrTED WITH CITY CHAMBERLAIN.
1S69. "--'...---.. Bog !s72. .....$42 545
While the subjoned list Of work done since May,
1878, speaks Tor itsef:-Thlrty piers repaired,
twelve piers rebuilt, thirteen bulkheads impaired,
docks at Blackwei's Island repaired, docks at
Bellevue Hospital built and repaired; dumping
boards used by Bureau of street Cleaning repaired
and kept In good order; slips dredged and about
| 10000 cubic yards OF mud removed.
In addition to this tabular statement the following
items are to be noted The old barge office at the
Battery, for which the government paid only 81, 500
| has been recently leased out for $4,000.
The Dock Commissioners are erecting three new
pliers the foot OF street 1--WE
have been leased to the steamers of the White Star
Line and are to bring into the city an income Of
$4,000 per annum. Other new piers are to be
leased to other steamboat lines, and thus the in
come Of the city is tO be increased, while at the
vicinity of the piers increased and the volume OF
the business of the metropolis is enlarged.
WORKING FIGURES OF THE DEPARTMENT.
On the monthly pay rolls OF the Department OF
Docks, in addition to the three Commissioners and
the Engineerln-Chief, are eight clerical attaches,
Wiz
Salary per
Names. Annat1n.
william W. Burnham, Bookkeeper. ..s5, 900
William NJ. Whitney, Chief Clerk. ............ 5000
Louis A. Jackson, Assistant Secretary...... $500
George W. Sterritt, Assistant Bookkeeper... 1000
James Haggerty, Clerk to Treasurer. 1000
william 0. Stoddard, Clerk to Engineer IN
There are also II collectors and superlntendents
at salaries OF 81 500 each clerks in the repairs
and supply department., and 10 under the Engineer
in Chief, and IS men on the tugs and dredges. In
the semi-monthly pay rolls are 3o4 men, chiefly
skilled laDorers, in the Engineers field corps,
averaging wages 81 IS per day; lab men in the
repairs and supply department., averaging ABOUT
So so per day, and 25 scow men, &C., about the
same compensation, forming total OF $40 men in
all capacities, from President down to dock labor
ers, in the employ Of the Department OF Docks at
the present time.
MISCELLANEOUS.
1t is also claimed by the Dock Commissioners
that the city can and does build docks more
cheaply than private individuals, while the sub
joined tabular exhibit Of the gradual increase of
the dock rents OF the metropolis during the last
four years Is very nattering:-
Increase 1870 over 1869. ................ $16 1873
Increase 1871 over 1868. observation-disclosures. 60 555
Increase 1872 over 1869. ................. SI9Sl
Increase 1873 over 1869. ................ l26 GA
majority OF the leases will expire May, 1875,
when 1t can reasonably be expected they will yield
the city largely advanced revenue