The New York herald., 1877-03-19
THE PUBLIC DOCKS.

THE PUBLIC DOCKS.
WHAT THE SECRETARY OF THE DOCK coalfIs.
SION HAS TO sAx IN IT'S DxFENCE-How
HE ACCOUNTS ToR THE ExrRAvAoANcE AND
wAsrE-THE ENORMOUS EXPENDITURES OF
THE DEPARTMENT IN SIX YEARS.
To TIE EDITOR or THE HxRALD:-
After most thoughtful consideration Of tho subject
feel be my duty to ask OF you the privilege OF
using your valuable columns Tor the purpose Of Pre-.
sen.ing TO the taxpayers and OF this city
certain facts relating to the Department of Docks
which appear at the present time to be overlooked
Tho tenor OF the various articles which ap
pcarcd from time TO time o late in the newspapers
this city makes certain that the writer's OF them
not well advised in regard TO this department, and
from the reports received from Albany OF the
plated merging of the department. into the Depart.
mcnt OF Public Works, as bureau therein 1t Is alse
equally that some of our Senators and Assem-
blymen do possess tho knowledge OF this depart
ment necessary 10 enable them to egslate wisely il
the premises.
Having been connected with tho department from
It's ORGANIZATION propose 10 state, concikey as
may the true claims It possesses tor existence
department. and reasons why 1t should be SO con.
tnued and desire to say here, at the beginning, Mr.
Editor, that this written without the knowledge oil
the Commissioners Of Docks, and without any prompt
ings OF o personal nature my part other than an
honest desire to gvc full knowledge OF tho depart
ment to all interested In the commercial welfare OF the
CITY,
The Department Of Docks is vested with certain
powers and duties by section chapter 574 Laws Of
1871 by Of which has sole charge OF the water
fron of ho cit hat law red In
manent Improvement to be prepared, which were COM
pleed around The entire island, but only the plans Tor
that extending from foot Of Sixty0rst street,
North River southerly and eastcrly to loot OF Grand
street. East River have been approved and adopted By
the Commissioners OF the Sinking Fund.
IMPORTANCE
The importance OF this work forced The Legislature
to make proper PROVISIONS Tor funds to carry 1t for
ward regularly and avoid stoppagc tor want Of ncccs
sary appropriations; and the law provides that the
Commissioners Of the Sinking Fund, the highest
thorty the city. may direct bonds 10 be issued ia
carry on this permanent Improvement; also for the
purchase of wharf property and rights not owned By
tho Corporation and to keep existing city wharf prop
ery in repair &c. but limits the issue OF such bondA
not exceeding 50, 0000 900 per annum; and not one
dollar be placed at The disposal Of the
any wharf property or right be purchased by
it, except tho direction and consent OF the Com mis-
s,oners OF the Sinking Fund. The law also limits ths
stationery and similar disbursements to not exceed
ing Sl00, 600 per annum.
The law further requires all collections OF wharfage
rent piers &C., and other receipts to be deposited
with the Chamberlain 10 the credit of the C0mmS
soners of the sinking Fund.
there has been expended. in round ngures, the sum
OF So 000 being proceeds OF ''dock bonds issued
by order oil tho Commss. OF the Sinking Fund;
OF TINS amount $50o,000 has becn paid Tor the
purchase OF derlcks steam tugs dredging machines,
pile drivers, scows, &C.. all Of which property is, al
the present time in good working order. consider
able sum been expended IN organizing the de-
partmeut. making surveys, borngs, soundngs, &c.
and in preparing maps tho front OF the
island all of which are OF great value, Tor the pur
poses Of the department
ment and deposited with the Chamberlain is, in round
figures $3 560 00O The revenue from wharf property
during the first year Of tho department was about
the amount received during tho past yeal
is ABOUT $67s thus showing increase in revenue
amount OF moneys expended. The amount expended
includes the cost OF work on permanent improvements,
the permanent Improvement now completed is subject
TO lease. and p' cducing an income equal 10 nearly
seventeen per cent per annum on It's cost SO that.
after providing per cent. the annual average
ratio OF be paid on the bonds issued to pay
Tor tho work, there Will remain over ten per cent
per annum net income. Assuming the lie OF
the new piers, built OF wood and therefore
perishabe, to DO ony twenty years and for
which period, believe including renewal terms they
are all leased free expense the city repairs, il
follows the end oil that period there Will have
been deposited 10 tho credit OF tho sinking fund.
ana above the amount OF interest tho bonds,
equal 200 pcr OF the cost Of the work. or su
retire the bonds issued and rebuild The whos
work anew. But 1t should borne in mind that
portion OF the permanent work, the bulkhead wall
will require rebuilding at the cnd oftwenty years
for that Is fact, imperishubie and will last, beyond
doubt than century without requiring even
small REPAIRS that the piers are the only portion re-
quirIng fund for rebuilding and u Is estimated that
these cost about iorty per OF tho thus
lar expended on permanent improvements thus show
ing that at the erm'naon or the twenty years .nS
the bonds, will DO enough to rebuild the perishaolo
work twice over.
With these figures ana facts in view II would secm
that correct Judgment ought readily be had as 10
whether the interests of the city demand that the
muneut provement OF tho water front proceed
as rapidly practicable and the work be paid Tor by
the Issuing OF udock bonds'' having thirty years 10
run, or whether the work be paid for 5y direct taxa
ton each year, and as probable result progress
slowly.
owned by tho city generally claimed to be between
$3o $4O O0o and tor this vast interest
OF the corporation the Commissioners OF Docks
virtually trustees and the many important questions
affecting vitay the commercial prosperity oi tho city
which arising In relation to this prop
erty and the rights vi owners adjacent upands aud
grants OF land under water, by virtue OF the
law subjects for the consideration and decision OF this
department.
In regard to the general management OF the DEPART
men the results assuredIy give evidence that IL has
been Tor the most part efficient, conservative, and,
believe Tor the oil tho CITY, particularly
when consideration the TACT that during
the seven years of organization less twelve
different commissioners have been members ol the
board governing its AFFAIRS who have formed, to all
intens and purposes, six different boards OF manage
ment within the seven wears.
THE TWO DEPARTMENTS SHOULD BE SEPARATE.
In conclusion submit the following as the princi-
pal why the Department of Docks should not
be merged into the Department oil Public Works. bet
should he continued with all the powers and duties
vested IN It by the law, as separate aud inde.
pendent department Of the city government.
FIrst-The wharf property owned by the Corporation
produces the largest revenue received by the cy from
between $50 600 and $40 0p0 000 together with its
distinct character when compared with all other prop
erty OF tho city, demands that the management OF
large important interest should be IN separate
snd Independent department Of the government.
Second-Tho Department of Public Works Is virtually
a department simply Ior construction, and the work
carried under OF entirely different character
from that under the control OF the Department OF
nocks