The evening world., 1894-04-05
after THE
DOCK BOARD.
Pier Builders Mean to Wipe
II Out Through the
LAWSON Bill.
MERELY A TAMMAhY TENDER.
Contractors Testify that the
Grossest Extravaganza Is
Being Practised.
HAVEN FOR POLITICAL HACKS.
Millions Of Debt TO Be SaddIed on a
Euturo Coperatjon il the
HAVEN FOR POLITICAL HACKS.
Millions Of Debt 10 Be Saddled on a
Future Generation if the
Tigers Jobs Succeed.

The Committee OF ~dock-builders and
d~redgers, who appeared before the AS
sembly Cities Committee at Albany
last Tuesday to advocate the passage
of the Lawson bill. providing that all
work Of the Dock Department exceed
ing a cost OF $3.50 be let by contract. re-
turned to the city this morning.
The Evening World has secured n
complete resume of the testimony pre-
scented to the legislative committee. The
portions heretofore published fail to
convey al accurate idea OF what "A hot
house of political jobbery and %cxtrava-
gance the Dock Department is. accord
ing to the testimony Of the promoters
of the bill. The dock-builders presented
facts and figures to show that the Dock
Department Is merely a tender to Tam
man Hall, whose primary object is to
supply soft places and things" to camp
followers at the public's expense. They
showed that millions are being wasted
on private snap contracts, and in this
connection they incidentally refer to
the fact tina Andy" White gave up mn
5000 a year police justiceship, with
eight years to serve. for n 500 Dock
Commissionership. with half the time
to serve.
To spend Millions.
A member of the Committee showed
c~onclusively that the Dock Department
coud save the city from 10 to 60 per cent.
on work which is done on Trcnsurcr's
riders II 1t was given out on contract:
As the Dock Department Is authorized
as It proposes to build new docks 10 cost
between $50, 900, 900 and $50. 900, 900, cXClu-
-sive of the yearly allowance, there is n
chance to save the people OF New York
ntlIinn nf lila
The d~oek-buiiders call attention to the
fact that the bonds Which are
Issued ,rd for TWENTY yns DOCK to- th mifpar; y"@rs
to run, and 1t is n future generation that
Will be made TO suffer from official ex-
t%raSy,ai n mnne or we wot re- enr rnS vpiVut s"I pecS Et
One OF the strongest arguments the
Committee made in support of ITS 1 hSIn,,
wasted was to point out that men were
employed by the Dock Department not
because OF their fitness. but because they
belonged to Tammany Hall. knowledge
of dock building does not appear to be a
necessary qualification TO get on the city.
payroll; aGcSS,rddinf to the ]svppoT1ers a on
OF pull"
The Departments Argument.
Both sides were represented at the
hearing before the Cities Committee,
The dock builders by John Monks, of the
hTH CI JOHll NiOllfS " JON, W mann !
jerks, OF the firm of Fearon q jerks;
Augustus Walsh, Of the firm Of 7. n a.
Walsh. and James W. Flaherty,. OF
and the Dock Department by President
Cram, Assistant Engineer Benson and II
man named Gately. who is secretary Of
a society known as the Bay Labor Club,
which Is a Tammany Club. run under the
auspices of the Dock Commissioners. and
confined to their employees.
Dock COMMISSIONS Cram, in his evil
dence said the Dock DEPARTMENT car
ried out all the work executed in far
better shape than 1t would be done by
contract. He acknowledged hat the
work could be done cheaper by contract.
and that II contracts were given, a
saving Of from 10 to 20 per cent. would
thar made up by the ceierity with which
the Dock Department executed all work.
as the rent. received while contractors
properly carried out more than Offset
the difference in price. ii" also claimed
that. no contractor in New, York had a
derrick which was Of sufficient power
TO be used In building a sea wall. The
Dock Commissioners had 80 men on the
payroll. whom the contractors would
If his bill becomes a law" said
ment might as well be abolished, MS il
would not be worth while to keep Il
department in existence to carry out
work which woul not exceed SGll.'
Dock Commissioncr Cram further said
tnt stone piers III IlNtEIbbI, WIl'N We're
built by contractors, were not as good
as the sea walls built In New York hv
the Commissioners. Tho Liverpool piers
alluded to were huilt By DAYS work.
'This bill,' H. added, IL got ny by
a few cheap contractor. Who win not
employ American, citizens, but Will hire
foreign labor at low prices"
Assistant Engine"r henson was OK
amined. but after a few questions a'
to the figures produced by IN" DOCK
Commissioners. was allowed to retire.
builders State Their Crsr.
Augustus Walsh, of the firm OF r g
A. Walsh. flatly contradicted Commits
sioner Grams statement that The con
tractors in New York could not build a
of sufficient size to lay the blocks, and
said that in thirty day they would build
one which would be far superior to thoac
built by the Commissioners, and thirty
stand why Mayor Gilroy should he
against doing work by contract, where
the Dock Department was concerned
while he was in favor OF contract worn
In nearly every other department. H.
instanced the proposed underground
railway. and said Mayor Gilroy ex.
pressed himself AS being opposed To sucI
an undertaking being carried out by tn,
city on the days work principle.
Mr.. Walsh was positive the dock worl
= would be done 40 per cent. cheaper, con
slderably better. and in half the time b,
contract, as compared with the eNpcns,
incurred and time wasted by the Docl
Commissioners.
Mr.. Walsh attacked the constitution
OF the Dock Commission, and said Their,
had rot been a Conlmis=!cner who knew
anything about his business since j. +
DimnIock left Office. All the other Com
- m~issioners were merely political office
holders.
Gately. the Secretary OF the Bay Labo
Club, denounced the bill in toto. II
thought 1t would be a shame TO allow
plant worth $4,000 20 lie idle. and tha
would he the result Of the passage Of IN
Bill. II the work was done by contraC
thu. contractors would employ cheap labo
zens.
Gately then threatened the COMMITTEE
that IL they passed the bill the labo
vote In New York would be cast agains
Its members, and also against the Al
aemblymen and Senatorn who VOTED h