New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-26
LIBERAL CITY OFFICIALS.
MORE THAN 100000 OF PUBLIC MONEY
GIVEN AWAY.
REMARKABLE ACTION OF THE SINKING FUND COM
MIssIoNERs AND THE DOCK BOARD In THE RE-
IEAsTvc OF ptrp az

REMARKABLE ACTION OF THE SINKING FoND N"'"
MIssIoNERs AND THE DOCK BOARD In THE RE
LEASING OF PIER 49,
That ancient adaee about the soulessness of corpora
lions ought to be amended at once. Its inappisc%
bty to municipal bodies was demonstrated ions
ago, but the Commissioners of tho Sinking Fund, Dy
their recent action in urging the Dock Department 10
release Pier 80 to the Williams e. Gulon Steamship
Line for ten years at yearly rental Oh Sol'ooV,
when two other equally responsible bidders stood
ready to take it at 10000 and 500, respectively,
affords fresh and striking illustration Of the fact.
This case is especially interesting 1t not only
shows what Big generous souls may dwell within tho
breasts Of corporation officials, but also AFFORDS an
opportunity to examine display OF that pecuhar
mental quallty-usually described by the term elias
tIcy of mind, with which the Corporation Counsei,
Mr. Beekman, is so richly endowed-that power which
enables Its possessor to hold the most diverse views
any question without experiencing the slightest
shock suffering the least inconvenience.
The main facts of the matter familiar to many
The Williams d Gulon Line obtained from the Dock
Department q lease of Pier 80 for ten years from
May 1, 1873, at annual rental Of $4,000. This
lease provided that the company should keep in good
repair the plankng, string pieces, moofng piles, and
all other parts Of the pier except the undersructurc
1t also declared that the essees should erect at their
expense all sheds platforms and other structures
needed, but 1t did not contain q single syllable OF
covenant for renewal, such is contained In nearly
all dock leases The absence Of this important stpu
latlon In the instrument does not TO have been
noticed by the company until about year ago. In
February, 1887, Stephen P. Nash, counsel for tho
steamship people, went 10 the Dock Commissioners
and asked for a renewal Commissioners Stark and
Marshall gave him such favorable assurance that he
cabled the home office that the lease would be
newed at $31 800 year, the usual increase OF five
per cent The two commissioners afterward recon-
sIdered the matter They began to think they had
ham hat raCh In nicfn 20
they had really grounds to justify such an action
They appealed TO the Corporation Counsel for advice
In his reply to this communication, Mr.. BeekmaB
brushed aside all the questions raised By Mr.. Stark
and Mr. Marshall In regard to their personal under
standings with Mr. Nash by telling them that only,
their actions a board were binding and declaring
that the Dock Department was under legal obiga-
lions to the lease the application for which,
he added, should be acted upon as II It were new
natter To disnterested people this advice seems
sound sensible and buslnesslke. Tho steamship
people had neglected to obtain covenant for .
newa in consequence Of which 10 appeared only Just
that they should suffer the penalty for their renIssness
Hence the satisfaction felt the opinion of Mr.
Beekman.
AS 1t was known that tho pier would In all
probability be let to the highest responsible bidder,
application for It was made by the Inmsn people, and
by c. p Huntington In behalf OF the Southern Pacific
Company. Each offered SAC, 900 year but aftcrward
Mr. Huntington raised his bid 10 $40, 500 by advice of
his counsel Simon Sterns This the condition Of
affairs when the Sinking Fund Commissioners, Mayor
Hewitt, Recorder smyth Controller Myers, Chamber
lain WINS and Alderman Diver, took up the question
at their meeting April 8. The Mayor at first took
a square practical view of the case. II the present
value of the pier f0 000 proved by others
offering pay this sum, he thought that tho Williams
& Guon Line should not got 1t for a smaller sum.
These opinions he had previously embodied in letter
- Ia t1Aa zeal fo1ln he
course would be to give lease TO the
parties their assigns at the current market value,
less sufficient amount to enable them 10 reeoup the
cost of tho she'd In ten years. II 1t be assumed that
the present value Of the pier is $4,000 and that the
cost of the shed $4,000, allowance Of $4,000
per would to be Just as between the city
and the essees In other words, new lease at $4,000
a year might be made without exciting unreasonable
criticism"
Mr. Beekmans reply TO this was read at the meeting
and proved rather startling to every who had road
his previous opinion the subject. The contrast
between the two was striking. Instead Of reiteratng
the clear-cut views expressed to the Dock Commits
soners or even ndorsing tho liberal treatment sug-
gesed by tho Mayor, he made himself practically tho
advocate of tho steamship company, Offering In us
behalf elaborate pathetic argument, Of which this
is sample do not think that It Is TO the interest
of the city that this company should DO either driven
from It, or be heavily handicapped by rcnt based In
part upon the large expenditure II has made upon TINS
pier IA the expectation of receiving renewal Oh Jus
leasen The company, he maintained should DO placed
upon as far as practicable the same basis as Its COM
peltorsn In other words, Che city should according
to his notion make good to the company all that IL
had lost through carelessness and Indifference ana
give It The pier the same terms on which us rWMs
mad obtained theirs through attention ana orcSighc
Strange to say tho Commissioners sdopea Mr beeh-
mans pc 'ulIsr views Mayor Hewitt IN iac., was SO
he actually proposed to give the company me pier
for 81 600 year less than It's representative dccareo
he was willing TO pay. Tho other Commissioners
however declined to 90 far, and II was agreed eo 70
recommended the release of tho properly .. foi oou
The Dock Commissioners were not bound 10 obey
this recommendation. Commissioned hstthews was
said 10 be opposed TO ID, but as messrs Matsha ana
Stark were disposed 20 be liberal with tho interests
of the city tho Williams Guion people VIII suffer no
inconvenlence from their csrolessness. At the
meeting of the Dock Commissioners last week tho pier
VS. foTmay re Leased 10 the Williams g Guon Line
fr ton wears al sal 500 per year AS Mr.. Huntington
offered $40 500 this means an actual gift 70 the VIII
Jams Guion Line Of more than SlOooOO OF city funds
49, NJ tan