New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-25
MURPHY'S PROFIT. $1,000.
"HEPS' OFFICIAL VIEW.
Russell Reported That These Huge
Earnings We're Illegal.

William Hepburn Russell ex-Comnnissioner OF
Accounts. who did the underground work which
landed Controller Grout and Charles V Fornes
in the Tammany ranks says that in exposing
the grating Of the Dock Board and the New
York Contracting and Trucking Company
owned by Charles F. Murphy's brother. Jack
and his alderman. James L. Gaffney in connec-
ton with the lease of the seventy-ninth-st
pier he 'slandered'' the Dock Board Commits
sioner Russell turned in a report 10 Mayor Low
signed by himself and Major Edward Owen.
his associate Commissioner. Major Owen stands
by the report
The dumping board on the Seventy-ninth-st.
pier has been operated without legal authority.
The Murphy company was ordered off by Con-
missioner Hawkes. more than a year ago. but
appealed to the courts and has succeeded in
holding on Commissioner Russell, in his signed
report of year ago. before he deserted fusion,
says that the company has no legal right 10
such occupancy.
The Murphy Dock Board leased this pier to
the Murphy company for 81, 200 a year. AS soon
the company got hold OF the pier It assumed
possession Of the dumping board privileges, al
though the lease does not give it such right
Commissioners Russell and owen, in COM
menting OF this feature of the grab say:
The lessee has gone further in arrogating to
itself rights and privileges contemplated by the
n
operate the its great profit without even
color Of authority. The revenue TO the SewYork
Contracting and Trucking Company for this dumping
privilege may inferred from this statement On
day an Inspector o this department Tailed AZ truck
loads and two small carloads Of dirt delivered at
dump which, at the regular prices agreed upon.
learn, by the persons enjoying the dumping
privileges and practically made official by action
the Dock Department, would produce revenue of
day.
From partial inspections made since. think a
perfectly fair of such would be st
s2fO daily, and this estimate makes account
Of zeyettre the Of che pier for
loading with rock. the unloading OF ma
brought the pier 1t u perfectly safe to
that weeks net revenue viii the yearly
noent leaving the profits from the
remaining fifty one weeks of the year for the sole
benefit of the lesser.
u is apen to question Illegal farm
let wharfage Of any public pier to
corporation. and IL would surely 20 be opposed
TO public policy . grant such privileges TO a firm
of contractors, VINO may, and, a. we have shown in
our report your OF September "a do, the
the detriment of others in the line of
business as themselves
In this strong language do Commissioners
Russell and Owen. both Democrats. point out
that one weeks receipts viii pay the entire an
nual rental of the Seventy-ninth-st. pier and
that the company used the privilege to the detrt-
rnent OF others in the same line OF business.
This bears out what The Tribune has asserted
for the last year namely. that the Murphy and
allied companies comprised q monopoly Of the
citv's waterfront business. Everything is ready
for q re-esta blishnent Of this monopoly if Tam
rnanv returns to power. J. Sergeant Cram. the
president Of the Murphy Dock Board will be ap-
pointed Dock Commissioner, and the same old
game will be resumed.