New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-06
] SERGEANT CRAM SPEAKS.
He Believes Dumping Privileges Should Be
Given Away-So the Figures Show.

J. Sergeant Cram. who was president OF the
Dock Board during the Van Wyck adnllnls1ra-
1ion gave out the follow ing statement YESTERDAY
regarding the dumping hoard privileges on llle
new pier at West Ninety seventh-st and Norlh
River. granted To Mrs Sheridan for $3.50
year:
I am glad to see that public auction sale
has shown the valuation put upon such prop
erty by people in the business The use OF d
dirt dump on that pier practically lnoAopol4LSS
its facilities. The character Of the Nork ana t--e
lolas line Of carts collected and congested there
prevent any other considerable use Of the per.
Yet 81 ST5 was the biggest price bid Tor IL ms
shows that we got a good fSure LOT me au
ioiuing p;er when we leased il 10 the New
York Contrasting and Trucking Company IoI
So. 200 a year.
for dumping purposes has been so pez'Slstently
misrepresented that I am CONVINCED that me
truth about IL ought 70 be told ana th4l II VIII
prove of public interest
begin with. though necessary one Al pullu-
ing operations depend IN some, degree on Sueh
privileges and facilities in my personal OPAL
ion so fsF from belssg HANDLED 10 produce reFe-
me 10 The City and add 10 the Burdens upon
real estate they should be made free. oflclally,
however never departed from q conservative
course and followed precedent in the matter
most carefully. Our board never IaterIerea VIZ
an existing privilege Of this kind except .Wheh
forced TO do so by work OF permanent improve
1nent We never made changes. IN the rates N
renewing such leases. but when we eSla o4IShsu
new, dumps we charged q rental that was more
than the city ever got before in that particular
place. The details are readily accessible IN the
books Of the department. They are elther over
looked or nisrepresented
Mr. Cram WAS asked If he remembered the par
ticulars of Mrs Sheridans old lease without
going into the hooks.
Yes, / DO" he replied. all OF the particulars
Of her relations with the Dock Department.
How she or any ore else can find anything 70
complain about in the case Is more tnall can
understand. When the property came INTO me
ownership of the city she was in possession. o.
part Of the pier, under lease from the former
owners. On the expiration OF the lease s1e
applied for a renewal for her part, and john Z
Kane & Co who had the rest Of the pier, ap-
piled for the whole Of il and tried TO shut her
out We refused let this be done and LETT
her in possession with the same tenure that
she enjoyed before, and, i think, on the same
terms
The Tamlnany Dock Board under Mayer Van
Wvck. gave Joseph Egan. whose identity Is NOT
fully esra blshed although the Law Depart
rnerr Of the city has spent much time in looking
il up a thirty years lease Of the bulkhead be
tween TYenty-eighth and Twenty-nin1h SITS. Tor
$50 q wear. This just after the election IN
the fall OF 1901. The lease was not advertised
Dock Commissioner Hawkes. advertised Tor olds
for 2 similar bulkhead dumping board palNl-
lese AZ West ThirSieth-st-. where the lease had
expi-ed and the highest bidder. the Independent
citing Company. leased il al S1S.SNo year
for i've wears On these terms the city wlll re-
ceiye for the Thrtierh-St buikhead for i've
wears $40 Geo while for the Esan bulkhead. II
the lease Is not set aside by the courts. the city
will receive from Egan for thirty years 81