New-York tribune., 1903-06-03
BLOW AT MURPHY'S TRUST
Bids To Be Opened To-morroso for
Privilege on 97th-st. Pier.

Dock Commissioner Hawkes. viii tomorrow
at u o'clock open bids for q new dumping
board privilege on the new pier at Ninety
seventh-st and North River. This step is taken
by Commissioner Hawkes. with the deliberate
intention Of breaking UP the dumping and
wharfage monopoly granted by Charles F. Muir
ply and his associates IN the old Dock Board
four days before they left Office to the New
York Contracting and Trucking Company. OF
which John J. Murphy. Charles F. Murphys
brother is president. This concern is known
everywhere as Charlie Murphy's company"
As such it secured from the old Dock Board
thirty years lease OF the entire pier at Ninety
sixth-st, and with the pier was granted e. right
to erect and maintain e dumping board. For
the entire pier and DUN ping board privilege
the old Dock Board imposed a charge of only
S3, zoo year. The net profits from the pier
estimated by contractors 10 be upward Of $500
day.
When the New-York Contracting and Truck
ing Company was ordered by the city to vacate
the Seventy -ninth-st pier, in order 10 allow the
city TO build new pier there II refused and
successfully resorted TO the courts. The case
is still pending. Since then there has been war
10 the knife between the Murphy company and
Dock Commissioner Hawkes..
Commissioner Hawkes. rushed the work Of
building q pier at Ninety-seventh-s just
north Of the Murphy pier. and now that 1t is
nearing completion the commissioner has ad-
vertised for bids for the building OF dumping
board new dumping board there Will ma
teiaIly cut down the profits of the Nurphys and
Gafneys on the next pier. The election Of Al
derman John T Mccall TO the Sinking Fund
Commission. where, If he stays, he will have
voice IN ratifytng dock leases. will not avail 10
protect the Murphys and Gaffneys from legiti-
mate competition. Their monopoly will be
broken.
Various contractors have called at the Dock
Department Offices to inquire about the new pier
and dumping board. It is TO be let under a five
year permit The minimum price Of the priv
ilege is set at $1.S60 year. Il can be much
more than this as the bidders wish to make il.
Another monopoly of q pier and dumping
board privilege on the Canal-st. pier. now con-
trolled by Brown & Fleming. a contracting firm
favored by the old Dock Board. will be broken
up IN similar manner. Commissioner Hawkes.
is rushing the work Of rebuilding the Canal-st-
pier. Brown & Fleming hold this pier and
dumping board under a thirty year lease at an
annual rental Of s.. 500 It is regarded by con-
tractors as the most valuable pier and dumping
board lease in the city. doubtless yields the
lessees $500 d day net profit. The less valuable
lease of the Thirtieth-st pier sold at public auc
ton last year, under the direction Of Comnis-
sioner Hawkes.. for five years 1T S1S.500 a year.
To guard against the new privilege falling into
the hands Of the Tammany crowd the following
stipulation is made in the official advertisement:
No bid will be accepted from any person who is
in arrears 70 this department or the corporation
upon debt contract. or who is a defaulter as
surety otherwise upon any obligation 10 this de-
York