The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-20
THE MISMANAGED DOCKS.
WHAT COMMISSIONER vANDERPoEL THyNKs-
HOW THE WORK SHOULD ~ DoNE-soME
VALUABLE SuGGESTIONa

WHAT COMMISSIONER vANDERpoEL THyNKs-
now THE WORK SHOULD III DoSE-soME
VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS.
In an interview had with Dock Com missioner Van.
derpoe yesterday that gentleman stated some facts TO
HERALD reporter which are not generally known and
which VIII bear repeating. Sir Vandcrpoel the ne
Commissioner, and his posltion-f The testimony Of
those VINO pretend 10 know Is 10 be taken gooi-is
not one oil tue most com orta0ia now comm 8.
s'oncr with hla own ideas ol reform aud soma
very ra,,onal notions OF economy il not
tho most dcirabic person to be brought INTO board
commission, which, for good cv &C. is set in
It's ways Of doing certain things lie has had t.ou bo
70 nnd things out. His fellow COMMISSIONERS do not
help him, bat no has arrived VI certain conclusions
and holds Thorn with the grip OF u man Of strong
mental muscle
IN FAVOR or CONTRACTS.
In the lrst place the Comm ssoner IL against tho
day system under which the department has beea
working for some tme aud says that as soon as u
suits the leisure Of those associated with INN to
produces the necessary figures he win move
thinks that tho present system OF builling
UuSheads ID false IN principle and ouiragoously expen
sivc new plan has ucen adopted quite recently
witch tue engineer IN charge. who seems 10 have
the department until the advent Of Mr.. VapderpoeL
says VIII be both eilcieut and cheap Abou, tnis plan
Mr. VanierpocI has his doubts
rus cotFER DAN PLAN
He thinks that the building OF bu kheads should be
done 10 the open air, that Golfer dam wheel port
able saa be used IN laying tue iUundations Of sea
wall tuat IS 10 last for ages. The building oil stone
pleTs does not meet with mucu favor from tho new
COMMISSIONER, who has expressed the opinion that
wooden ones urc equal 10 all the requirements and In
many respects more desirable than those o stone
rHR NEW RIVER RoADwAys
When Mr.. VanGcrpocl lrst went into the Dock Com.
mission he announced thai he was in favor Of carrying
out the law passed py tho Legislature, laying out
roadway $50 feet broad on the Hudson Rivor and 200
feet on tho East River irouts He thinks this
could 10 donc cheaply and that the department. need
not wait until the whoe stone Dulkhcad Is built To
widen the levcc. lie has been told by the Police Com
mssionors that II such work was iuaugurated they
ana DIRT Of the city saeep'ngs, and give
the latter as filing Tor the new ground to
be made. BY sinking crib at the bulkheai
line and ung up the space between II and the present
street line the new cvec couu be made IN snort
time, and tho relief 10 the shipping interests OF
town would 90 immense TO tins ena a meeting Of
whcn the question oi Immediately rushing tho work
Will DO discussed.
TmE PRUNING HOOK.
Four gentlemen OF leisure who we're employed by
tho department Tor Two or three years to watch aud
guard pcs that ten teet under water have Just
been discharged by the new Commas ioner, Together
with u number OF men who were only ornamen tai
Ia the GanscvoGrt street YARD. The Commiszioner
says that, although the department has been OK.
.rayagan.iy managed, no TAR idea OF IT'S
WORK Is found IRON report In which ! alone is con-
cerned Tho reccpis Tor pier leases are not credited
TO the Department. but 10 to the sinking iund. Inc
expenditures OF the department last year dd not equal
by s3u,uOo the reccpis Tor rents. Mt Vandcrpoui
iavors the selling OF all the floating stock OF lc de-
plrtmcnt, Tor tho work can DO done by contract Tor
itlo more Than halt what II costs the city DO u.
Thus, Tor instance, the charge Tor dredging by the
scows vi tire department Is nifty ceuts per loot while
II can DO contracted ior Tor tweuysix cents per foot
Attention TO these changes and the building OF the
bulkhcad wall ny Contract aud Golfer dams, he
thinks, VIII save tho city niillions OF dollars aud
spread tho work along the river fronts