New-York tribune., 1903-04-27

District Attorney Jerome's inquiry into the
doings Of the old Tammany Dock Board is likely
to disclose the concealed sources of wealth OF a
dozen or more Tammany men who in the last
six years have amassed riches with almost IN
credible rapidity.
The announcement in The Tribune yesterday
that such an inquiry would be begun at an early
day by the District Attorneys Office created
v-idespread comment This interest will be
heightened by the additional announcement that
the city is out round 100000 by the award
70 Brown & Fleming Of a twenty-year lease OF
the enormously valuable pier and dumping
board privileges at Canal-st and the North
River. The CanaI-st- pier is so-called cry
pier and as such. in ordinary circumstances
would be retained by the city for general pubic
purposes. The old Dock Board short time De-
fore it went out of power, however, gave Brown
& Fleming a well known Tammany contracting
firm a twenty-year lease of the pier and dump
ing board privilege for $500 year City con-
tractors who are willing to talk at all about the
lease agree that this is about the richest Of all
the plun1s given out by the Dock Board under
the domination of Charles F. Murphy
The independent Contracting Company, after
public advertising by Commissioner Hawkes., bid
S1S.s0o a year for a fve-year lease of the pier
and dumping board at Thirtieth-st. and North
River The Canal-st- pier is conceded to be
more valuable pier money Garner than the
one at Thirtieth-st-, and if it had been adver-
tised there is little doubt that it would have
brought about $4,000 q year for twenty years.
In connection with this the interesting dis
oovery has been made by the Commissioners of
Accounts that Brown & Fleming, the lessees,
seem to have very cordial relations with Naugh-
ION & CO. The moving spirit in Naughton & Co.
is Daniel F Mcmahon chairman of the execu-
rive committee of Tammany Hall. and personal
friend Of Richard Croker.
Croker and Charlie Murphy are behind
Naughton e. Co, and Naughton & Co. are
behind Brown & Fleming" said William J.
McC5irr. a contractor, Of No $50 West Forty
fo1rth-st yesterday TO Tribune reporter.
Every contractor in this town that knows any
thing about the inside workings Of Tammany
Hall and the old Dock Board knows that
Nsughton & Co are behind Brown & Flem~
ing and that Croker and Murphy back Of
Ezughton & CO. The contractors not
not saying much these days. however You'll
notice that They believe that Tammany is
coming back, and they don't want to make
trouble for themselves. 1 saw in the paper this
morning that the NewYork Contracting and
Trucking Company, Owned by the Murphys and
Gafneys would make about 81 100000 out of
its thirty-year lease Of the Ninety-sixth-st-
pier Well that's pretty steep for estimate.
but il amt so very far Ut of the way for all
that Il robbery for the Dock Board to
give thirty-year lease Of that pier. That
means life lease. practically, and they got it
for little or nothing. too The old board could
have got from $4,000 10 $4,000 a year for that
lease if il had been advertised. I don't think
the Ninety-sixth-st pier and dump any
mere valuable than the one at Canal-st. OF
the TWO. the one at Canal-st. is the better money
Garner That pier ought not to have been leased
a all That's city pier and it is generally
supposed that the city piers are not to be leased
to any one.