New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-20

ro,I srrrrisod and protested against the eXtraOr-
dinary repairs so suddenly thrust upon them
The Denartment refused TO reduce the amount.
About this time we learned that the railroad COM
pany desired to remain, but we had houheu thenl
to vacate on May l. went several tlmes 10 me
Dock Commissioners and representeu ;,n h&a,ushlp mar
of having TO make such excessive repairs, put they
said they could do nothing. Az one OF these ln-
terviews was told by Dock Commissioner that
if we did not choose 70 make t1at amount OF re-
pairs the New-York City and Northern Railroad
Company would take the lease of our hands and
make the repairs. He added that the railroad
company would pay bonus for the lease, and
that he would see the railroad company in my
be half and see if they would not pay me counsel
fee refused the proposition on the spot and
advised Mr. Phelps accordingly: we took posses
sion of the dock, and spent slo,ooo IN REPAIRS
Who was the Dock Commissioner = asked
Mr.. Clark. ,,,
The next witness was Timothy Shea the we'll
known wholesale oyster-dealer, and he told n
tale which beat Mr.. Rochforts. He said that the
tween Tenth and Eleventh SITS, on The North
River, were in the habit of renting the space
they occupy from the city at a rental of $4,000
n year. The leases ran for three years. Twice
in 81 and again in "a, the agent repre-
sentative of the dealers he had gone to the
sale at the Dock Department., the property was
knocked down TO him and the lease made out in
his name. When the lease expired again in S87
committee OF the dealers, consisting Of j. II Hill,
Jacob l. IIousmap and William II. Van Name.
was appointed to attend to the rerental. They
came back and announced that they succeeded
in getting the rent reduced 10 $500 year,
but that it cost 81 900 to do it,.
Shea said he asked of Mr.. Housman, one of the
committee. But Mr.. Housman refused any infor-
nation, except that " IT cost 81 900 at the Dock
Department to get the rent reduced"
But Mr. Shea's story not ended. He said
that early in the present year movement was
started to obtain legislation at Albany giving the
@l,a Tlnlng 10
Oyster Dealers and Planters Association, exclusive
use of the strip of water front between Tenth
and Eleventh SITS, so long occupied by them, H.
dependent of the Dock Commission. The leaders
in this movement, he said, were William Foster.
j. w. Fraser and James w. Boyle The oyster
men, he continued, were assessed sums which
Boyle and Colonel John O'Byrne started 10
Albany. State Senator Murphy introduced the
bill but before il had got very far along Corpora,
ton Counsel Bee1man and Engineer-in-Chief
Greene jumped on it. They pointed out: what
| told people all along, that such an effort 10
take the property out o. the hands OF the Dock
Department was special legislation, and the courts
would declare it unconstitutional. Then the com
mittee told them that they had raised the $4,000
ana something must be done for the money.
So." proceeded the witness, dryly, they
amended the bill TO leave the matter still
in the control of the Dock Department and
came home with it, When the oystermen
saw it, they refused to pay, over the
cash until the Dock Department had passed
resolution in conformity to the BILL which IS chap
ter 52l of the laws of $3.50 The Dock Depart
ment did pass the resolution on July 10, and on
July II the money was paid over in Colonel
O'Byrne's office But it leaves the association
just where it before as 10 its title to the
waterfront property, for II winds up with the
usual proviso, during the will and pleasure of the
Board.
Mr. Shea exhibited an exemplifed copy of the
resolution of the Dock Board and also the demand
for his assessment. The latter is dated July O.,
$50. and says:
Your pro rata share for the passage the legislative
bill is:
w OelOm
"Christna" O79 II
Total -..sl44a 4o
Payable the 10th inst.
II is signed by the president and secretary.
Il wasn't member of the Association Mr..
Shea added, and refused to pay. | told them
considered il 'bunco.' But the other fellows
peid-they raised the s13,Oo0-and what have
they to show for their money!"