The New York herald., 1875-11-18
THE SENATE COMMITTEE.

The general lovelness or the state OF affairs in the
Department Of Docks was revealed yesterday in a
most forcibe manner by the testimony Of the Presi-
dent Nr Wales before the Senate Investigating Com
mittee sitting at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. The
mittee was derelct this time, Mr.. Wales being
PEELED 10 wait Tor his fellow republicans Messrs Booth
and Davenport an hour after the time appointed for
the opening of the session. The sitting, which
exceptionally long, was wholly occupied with this
single Witness who exhaustive in his statisti-
cal figures as he was fluent in poetical quotations Mr.
Wales testified folows:-
MR.. WALES TESTIMONY.
In 1857 a commission was appointed to examine into
the value Of the citys front property and they
reported it about SIS 600 600; in their opinion
would require about ST. 100 600 to put this property
in good conditions about 500 900 in rents was in
arrears that time from essees who refused to pay
owing to the wretched condition Of the docks; the
bukhead property highly valued by private own
ers some OF them rating as highly ST. 900 per foot
but it his impression that this property would not
be OF great value after the bulkhead wall
had been lnshed the private wharf property in the
available district probably valuable than that
Of the city
President Wales defined the powers OF the commits
the city docks As regards the private dock
property no changes could made until the Of
law the Board had the power apart certain streets
for certain commercial purposes, and the leases must
be awarded the highest bidders Under the old plan
leases limited to three years but under the
system leases had been made for much longer terms
The Erie company had lease Of thirty years they
were about TO make Improvements costing probably
$3.50 600 and OF great advantage 70 the pub
lie 10 have permanent railroad termini
spEcULATISG ~ DOCKS
'Thoro arc men In this city" said Mr Wales, with
considerable indignation, "who rent docks without
having any interest whatever In commerce. and sim
ply FOR speculative purposes. There who
makes Sl0 900 a year by releasing wharf which he
mad rented from tho city"
President Wales gave an or the two modes Of
constructing the wall and said, grave apprehensions
had arisen tho minds Of the Commissioners rs to tho
value Of the mode OF construction adopted In.
vestigatIng commission had been appointed by the
Mayor, whose report would soon be ready.
President Wales gave many figures in regard to the
bukhead and other matters The cost 81 the Oulk-
head wall for the proposed distance Of five miles would,
in his opinion, be less than $4,000, 600 In the con-
structi0n Of such works he observed apOogeucaly,
great many difficulties encountered which persons
unfamiliar with the work could not possibly appreciate
In The first place the work mad TO be done without
foot Of solid ground stand upon and was principally
under water and many concessions had TO be made 70
the requirements OF local commerce.
Az ORNAMENTAL FRoNrisP1EcE
Mr. Wales said the estimated cost oi the stone pier
No ] was 5000 600 1t an ornamental frontlspIeee
to a hne OF works which different m character.
He asked tue cost % that work ner inesl foot