New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-15
BEsIEGED BY LABORERS.
!. nav OF WORRY FOR THE DOCK BOARD

CORPORATION COUNSEL GIVES AN oPIN-
ru,T WORK ALREADY BEGUN Be
o,, rur CONTRACT LAW WAS PASSED
NEED NOT BE STOPPED
commissioners had 2 bad day of IT yes
IN IN, The rank and file Of Tammany Han went
terua' ,,,or 4 10 the number of about four hum
o0 rd laid siege to the Commissioners doors.
ua rovvd was greatest about O'CLOCK wheh al
In 400 IN front of the pier shed was hileu WIFI
inc orshippers Of the Tiger The crowd was com
ID - Of district leaders ana worKmeh "no "e''
pos.' inns under the department which were
po",aa nv the Commissioners order discharging
aoo'' occount of the new law. The workmen
" favored employees with pull ana "ahteu
" ,ovc why they could not retain their positions.
70 ,,,r,c, leaders looked anything but pleasant.
Ia assisted on their favorite men being retained
EXPLANATIONS USELESS.
,,. commissioners explained, or tried to explain.
49, ancry-looking leaders that, as the new law
odo I, obligatory to give out the work OF me ue-
ort by contract. it would be impossible 10
pa, men by the day but. Commissioner
,ar said with a weary sigh. when the disguised
many 'industriap' army had raised the siege
s cone off to talk it over: you can't make theh
a.rs,and the situation. You can say one ui'iie'
W. . ,.e life Of Dock Commissioner to-day Is
', ..o,n,ely and utterly miserable I walked across
S' Park coming to the Office and was sur
Did on all sides by indignant people. what
M gc do? The bill throwing these men out OF
v uas not a bill advocated by the DOCK Beard
sergeant cram came in for his snare OF the
General misery Of the Dock Board and went away
s,, 10 ponder over the opinion Of the Corporation
Counsel
Mr. CLARK'S OPINION.
,,.....o,io, Counsel Clark has given the Com
.~,r,ers m opinion on the subject Of the act
.r5o,orv 10 Section IA Of the Consultation act.
" % It's application to improvements ordered and
-, nr,or 20 the passage Of the act 1t ADVISES the
commissioners that the new law does not compel
them necessarily TO suspend work on improvements
under way before its enactment
lie says: ,,.u,
7. ,s reasonable to suppose that the Legislature
Intended the amendment IN question 10 control am
determine the method OF Pr9ceqe a. 5,S nt in
eeI 5 ,ba, work in progress and nearing completion
tsn 9sr he existing system should be stopped until
sn1cacatjons couid be made plans perfected and ad-
yer;isement and contract thsietoL maze hos ,rds,
taken TO construct certain piers, as 10 "nch tie
Board has entered into agreements - lease a, a
..d hr da,s work and the delay inc1ent 10 cnang
Ing 70 The contract system for competitor VIII pre-
vent the fu.himent Of the agreenlen 20 Tease au
wise that the existing method should be continued
ana the piers Immediately completed. 10 90 otner-
Tsa would under the circumstances, WORK graf
bic roisrbjef and involve great loss 10 the city:
The application Of the amendment 70 WORK 70 Dc
e9sivocal 10 new work should be bssin 9therw:se
than by contract. and DO not VISA 10 h,tNte ln's
is.,er understood a. advising that any work or any
Wind when can be considered new work shall be
undertaken. $500 , ,h. -
Roard OF Docks is building some 80 feet OF sea
vail on pryaie property under an agreement win
,he owners 70 do the work with the force OF the
department at the expense Of the owners an asrte
Tsnf approved By the Comm's siOners or the sink
ing Fund The agreement thus made with the
owners referred must be fulfilled; the payment a.
the force Of the department should however be r.
ouirea to be made by said owners. ana the payroIs
sould he met by such owners on the requlsit!oA o.
the Commissioners.
Your letter further mentions sections Of sea We as
follows 80 far as the sections OF the wall WhlcA
were begun before the passage Of the act are CON
cerned Il Is doubtful whether they could be Dullt
al ali other than by the force of the department:
In relation 10 such sections / advise you that
blocks prepared for therein may be put in posi-
ton BY the force Of the department. but such work
only shall be done is absolutely necessary 10
enectually secure the work already in place until
the contract system shall be put in operation there
fore that the preparation Of blocks should not
be undertaken, or any work other than that which
Is necessary 10 the safety and preservation OF the
portions already constructed.