The New York herald., 1879-08-23

| HOH. In explanation or TINS proceeding MT.
! MacLean stated that the Pilot Commission
ers have been complaining lately that the
channels and the approaches to the harbor are peih
choked up by the dumping OF ashes and garbaSe oy
the scows the department in too close proximity
TO the shore Another consequence of this illegal
and vicious proceeding is to be seen in the amount
Of garbage that drifts along the shore OF Coney
Island, thereby creating nuisance ut that popuisr
seaside resort The captains of the scows have oeen
| expostulated with but, except they are virtually
caught in the act. they deny that they are 10 oIae
1t no easy matter to bring absolute ptoGr .r'i,
| movements, and generally manage to select
! time and place favorable to escaping
detection. Mr.. MacLean. however. had persohaiy
| convinced himself that tho law governing the dis
position of the street debris has been III conspicuous
Instances violated. The Commissioners visited oonay
Island recently and in the course OF his investsa
tons he discovered that thore was Just cause tor
plant and that the refuse Was being dnmpe ~i.hit
| forbidden bounds. He had received ample Pfooi
| that CAPTAIN Rightmeye was culpable in the dis
charge of his duty in permitting these violations OF
| the law and on that account Mr.. MacLean thought
that the Board should not hesitate 70 take vigorous
and immediate action in dispensing with the services
| OF CAPTAIN Rghtmeye.
Commissioner French thought no official action of
this nature should be taken in the absence OF ms
republican colleague; Commissioner Wheeler. % Mr.;
was that there was any special or particn-
lar cause of complaint He did not like to come to
hasty decision. and thought he would be better pre-
pared TO entertain the motion when he had con-
ferred with Mr.. Wheeler and sought his advice on
over until the next meeting OF the Board. when he
would be prepared to vote intelligently.
MACLEAN ON THE wARPATH.
Mr. MacLcan urged the adoption of his motion
there and then. Complaints innumerablc have been
received from all quarters on the subject OF the un-
warrantable and Illegal dumping of the garbage in
the harbor once having satisfied themselves that
such complaints were well founded. and having as
cartained who were responsible AN example should
be made at once. Prompt aud decisive measures
should taken to enforce the laws in this respect
and thereby put an end to these complaints.
Finding that Mr. MacLean was bent upon carrying
his point Mr. French said that he had candi late to
take the place made vacant by the contemplated
removal Of Captain Rightmeye. Ae would noni,
no doubt would not hesitate to assume the respon-
sibility of the. position. Mr.: Hunt was recently
made inspector OF and had been previously
captain of the Vanderbilt steamer Nicaragua. "He
s'' said Mr.. French. ''every way qualified for the
position desired be made vacant. and should like
to see him appointed" This was shrcwd flank
movement on the part Of Mr. French to capture the
patronage in the interest OF one OF his friends Mr..
Hunt is a republican politician. He has held sew
eral minor city Offices among which he retained for
some time the position OF Appraiser in the public
stores. On July 20 he was, by motion OF Mr..
French appointed inspector OF scows. at salary of
81 500 year. Mr.. French still desires evidently to
still further reward his retainer by advancing him
to more lucrative Office Mr. MacLean. however, it
was plain to see did not view the proposition with
favor and mildly smiled his suppressed surprise at
Mr.. French's change OF tactics In presence OF the
enemy.
Commissioner Morrison kept his eye alternately
on both the commissioners and watched their
strategic movements with interest AS if he had but
small sympathy with the sentiments in the premises
OF either party he demanded to know OF MIR Mac
Lean If the latter knew OF his own personal knowl-
edge that Rightmeye deserved to be removed. Mr..
Mac Lean replied in mphatic undSrtone and with
significant pressure of the lips. II do certainly"
Fearing that the game was i'll danger Of, eluding his
| grasp Commissioner French demanded to be in
formed how long the captain OF the tagbo1t % had
meye had held his present position or two three
| years. and fearing that that admission would be
damaging to his motion he hastily added. "and he
| has not been o good and efficient officer" This
| supplementary statement was impaired with MIR.
MacLeans peculiar closing OF his dexter orb which
| 10
scored good point. Mr.. MacLean made
an Interesting little speech He r,s referred
headed New York's Danger" He said that he had
| read the article with much interest. and had re-
companying map, he said. served to explain the sit
| uation that they who ran might read. In
the article referred to specific dates were given.
in which those in charge of the hotila, 1t
alleged. had violated their duty. While he was
assured god authority that the dumping had
not taken pls9e within the proper limits. those in
| charge of the scows denied that there was any in
fraction.of the rules ut the dates specified but ut
the otial had been dumped in the bay. As the sub
ject OF preserving the harbor free from obstruc-
tons was an important one he thought that there
should be no unreasonable delay in dealing with
| ployes of the department VINO wanton1y violated
the rules. When called upon to explain their con-
shield themselves behind some petty apology.
| WANTS TIME For kEPLECTIoN.
| Mr., Morrison remarked that while he in favor
of preserving the harbor from all foreign obstruc-
tions, and of disciplining such officials disre-
garded the law and their instructions. he did not
favor the idea OF so suinmarily dscharging an old
| official. The Commissioners should. in advance, be
advised of the degree of culpabity of any officer.
| and then when the Board convened they could
act intelligenty and conscientously Captain Right
1neye may be guilty OF Nil that was alleged
| AGAINST him bur reasons able time should be given
! so that each of the Commissioners might have an
opportunity of assuring himself OF that fact. Re-
moving ono incompetent to appoint another would
| not remedy the evil He therefore was in favor OF
| laying the further consideration OF the removal
| over until the next meeting OF the Board during
be prepared to put the right man in the right place.
| Nevertheless. he agreed with Commissioner
MacLean that the strictest possible measures should
| be taken to prevent the accunulating OK ooStruc
! tons in the harbor
| Thereupon vote taken which resulted in Mr..
| MacLean's motion being lost Messrs. French and
| Morrison voting in the negative. Mr.. MacLcan a.
ceptcd the situation, but did not relish the defeat OF
| his motion There is no doubt" he said ..but the
garbage has been dumped not whore tho law requires
but where II is OF most convenience to those in
charge of the scows. 1t is. in my opinion. about
time that some practical efforts should be made to
put stop to such proceedings and thoreDy show to
the public our willingness to cooperate with the
Pilot Commissioners"
Mr. MacL.ean, who is Acting President or the Board
next read communication from Ambrose Snow.
President the Board OF Pilot Commissioners, COM
planning of the refusal OF those in charge OF the
to receive ashes from the steamer Niagara In
explanation Mr. Macean stated that the day ques-
ton stormy, and that ia consequence II in-
possible tor the to 20 to without running
the risk of being swamped In order to soothe tho
ruied temper OF the President of the PILOT Comnis-
sioners the clerk instructed to embody in
munication to Mr.. Snow the substance Mr..
MacLean's explanation.
OFFICIAL VISIT BUOY 4.
On Tuesday report circulated early in the
day that special detective boats to be detailed
by the Com mssoncrs to watch for other violations.
and 1T arranged that the inspector should go
down the bay with representatives of the depart
ment and show them Just where all future garbage
must be dumped. No seemed to have any
definite ideas about the geography of that part of
the bay so long supposed to be familiar to every
law abiding pilos. \ trustworthy steaintug was
ordered BE- IN readiness and Police Commissioner
alaclcan came down~to embark with the Shore
Inspector for grand reconnoitring voyage in
search of the legal dumping buoy. 1t was
Understood that some scows were In waiting
at oravesend bay. where they were moored to Mr..
Hopkins anchorage boat. When all WAS ready the
tug proceeded up the East River to transfer its pas
songers TO the police boat seneca. near the foot of
Sixteenth street; but arriving mt that highly
redolent neghborhood it was discovered that there
were scows to be dumped ut Gravesend Bay or
anywhere else. The garbage had been carried out