New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-13
WURPHY DOCK METHODS.
NOMINAL, RENTALS TO NINA
H0N'S FTR-N.
r1TY LOST HEAVILY on SPORTS NAN
,cF1rFNT OF THE DEPARTMENT

scF1rFNT OF THE DEPARTMENT.
william, Hepburn Russell. Commissioner of
accounts last night. At the Broadway Demo-
critic Club. in the X8Tth Assembly Dis'rio''
laid hare the inside history of Charles + Mui-
,bz.s hsndline. Of Dock Department dIIdliS
u-b,re 1lurpl1v was treasurer Of the DOCK Board
Mr. Russeu charges that Daniel F. Mcmahon,
now with Murphy. one of the Tanlmahy III
lyr7lvirs was financially interested IN the sea
hoard Contracting Company. and he produ'eu
transcripts from the records TO show that TINS
,o,,,,s,,z secured dock leases for merely nomi-
nal mice that should have yielded the city Ihou
san5s of dollars every year He charges that
Murphy rented a b,1Ikhead for $500 a year for
: tern, Of ten years. while a similar bulkhead
,..sed 70 The Sicilian Asphalt Company yielded
the CITY an annual rental of $3.50
Commissioner Russell charges that Brown d
Fleming. 4 firm whose identity is not exactly
clear At this time. secured from Commissioner
Murphy and his associates a dumping privilege
eor S7-0 = wear. which at auction in July Of this
YEAR sold for $500 a year for five years
Commissioner Russell spoke for an hour or
more and said in part:
On December 80 1901 pier 96 at the & foot Of mest
sfoners 10 the Seanosrd Contracting Company Tor
Isr ot Ten t yssr tO' fac9 here is that that lease
was made after the election Of NoEeInoeTr tl- atd
before the new city administration entered ,I5 ' r
-rol of The CITY government on January 4So- ! ne
second suggestive point is that the seaDoatd on, N
r6icb bsnei F McMahon is the controlling spirit
therie9 ae eP F Murphy vas not only Dock COMMITS
Iii md Daniel , NcNahon occupied like posi-
ron in that organization. To-day these men CON
stitute two Of The triunyIrste, and McMahon hes
dictator Of the Democratic party OF the CITY "i
This Sea board Contracting COMPANY was given
the absolute control for this period o. ten years
the pler, which IS % pN % Ieel 10 d5ed. anu az
,lse Of the water the northerly side for d dis
,,e-{ad of Ten Years was fixed in this contract be
tween these parties occupying this peculiar reIetlon
Undertook 10 fascen the contracting hTn thaJ NC
years upon the city Of New-York in its control Of
this important pier By providing in express terms
for 2 renewal of the contract for q second period
OF ten years and Il al annual rental OF but $l'So
the same character and dimensions as the iatteI,
and apparent reason exists why either OF them
IS in any manner more desirable. II is fair 70 ASK
what the reason was why difference amounting II!
fVenty wears to $4,000 $4,000 in the rental OF
hrn that secured the control of Pier No. &c. The
answer must be found in the relationship betSFen cen
other members Of the Board Of Dock Commission
We come now 70 4 lease Of dumping board priv
leges. which is but sample Of many similar leases
made by Charles r. Murphy and his associate DOCK
Commissioners In 1901 md that ] have not the
exact date. but II can be ascertained-Mr Murphy
Ing board privilege at the foot of East Thrtieth-st
or me SUM OF per year. on pleasure cI IN
goero-please note the terIi-on pledSuge %, ol ~
board permit That privilege was revoked by me
and that privilege was put up at auction and sold
Tor $500 per for i've years Several leases
ing don't know who the members Of that @ hrm
sie or what their relationship TO any OF tnese PEI PEI
pc may be. bur from pleasure of the board per
or two instances Al least to tventvyear contracts.
t7ne % these We have Investigated. and while the
ease calls Tor payment to the CITY OF oi.IS ny s P
year for the first years and $500 year Tor the
second ten years. Investigation made by Secret
service agents shows that DAY 10y DAY the 3S esSee
& low MAKING -" per day from Ils p fro7,,
ana contract II that same ratio of earnings IfoIi
PtIgee shoulo run Tor S'o cay IN he eI,r,'
o. $500 for which they would be paying to tne ne cry
snnum and the second years the sum OF $3.50 per
sanum The present revenue may or may noI ,|+ con
seter viii b ~ & P'eTge % ~ ~ s 761 n Year instead
me S5g per year that is being paid for the pa
aT privilege that have been discussing 1,ol, r,e-
partment Of the city Of New-1ork most eAI th
aihary comparison becomes possible between IN IN
iLlpis ~ the Dock Department oulIns @ sticb we
n i9n q the year 1892 that has passed Will ,,,Ger
nc aaministratioR Of Mr Murphy-a per pLIi,,sd
Isase Of comparison that canio1 % pe - Under
.ne Murphy regime. 4 comparison SHOWS @ tmdL ~ ~
ae months ri January. February "l9 datsoe -di.F %
cent The new characterization had not got into
power Those inveetieations OF the administration
- me nssers had not Peen nm ne ,lercentaCe
spIang up 10 Is per cent increase a. l "a %
With February iso,- And IN Msroh & ~ sPsbS Pfb 1901
Der cent Increase compared Win A1dIcIl-
and IN A1;rii n vas Is per cent greater than in 1901
N May a per cent greater. and IN June :" pei cent
create
More this, the Dock Depar artfneiiI' iin uiiGeI
omnissioner Murphy in lSs iet @ 9SPlial' T s no
competitive bidding for this work. the Dock SoIn,
nissoners exercising the power OF letunh IhsoI
contracts t,nder what | regard strained ana
certainly an unjust and unfair construction or 4
provision of the city charter reiatins 70 the io"e'
or the dock boards il letting contracts
But for the purpose Of comparison "sIlt 70 81
that al the present contract prices at which the
city NJ NewSork is letting its asphalt paving con.
fracrs fhe Dock Commissioners could nave inc
NeTk done for $500 900. round ngIireh or JUST -
Der cent. for exactly the same pork; OF Lle ptfgts
That they paid without competitive bldolns- w u"
sot the benefit of this difference OF S2gS', IN me
cost Of thai asphalt paving in 1901 In DOCK com
missioner MurDi1v's administration? Did II all go
10 the contractors Were there no favored nenen33
tisries outside the firms getting the contracts.
Is II possible that private individuals shared Ia 1t'
THAT ITp-ro-nATE. CONSERVATIVE NEWS
PAPERS
are appreciafed fs denonstrs ted by comparison