New-York tribune., 1903-07-13

1rrov-, &c tho Chelsea section, is an emphatic
proof Of my contention that work ana naIeriaI i
can often be secured by the city of NeW-A orR
through "treasureT's orders at less cost thaid
by advertising for bids. In the early part OF
this year The present Commissioner OF locks
advertised for bids and executed a contract ono.
74Sl for the removal of 430,IOO cubic yardS OF
earth at the rate of 3Sa4 cents cuplc yaru'
The price paid by tho former DOCK CotAhiIs-
sioners under "treasurer's order for similar
work in the very same section and for the same
number Of cubic yards was 3O2-lO cents a
cubic ward In other words, the present Dock
Commissioner is now paying over $3SOOO more
for dredging than paid by the IaInInahy
commissioners for the same cHd4dC's' anu
amount of work. 90,
The records of the Department Of Docks viii
show that the present Commissioner TeCosnlI,eS
the advantage of being able TO use CoIllliiI' minis
sioner's orders" such orders have 1een ca!le1
since the department was made single hcadeu'
It will be seen, however. that he does not issue
them merely for purposes Of economy. on May
- 1862 he gave Commissioners order ior
five hundred barrels Of cement at 81 80 barrel
to his friend George Manchester, secretary OF
the Republican County Committee, VINO repre-
sents the Eureka Cement Company. he did so
Notwithstanding the fact that up to that time
the department was using standard cement pur-
chased by me. in my capacity as treasurer, az
81 30 a barrel l may add that the burek4
Cement Company was permitted 10 delFer tile
consignment Of cement et a dock IN Jersey city,
instead Of at the yards Of the Dock Depart
ment OF the NORTH River, as a special favor
to the secretary Of the Republican County Com
mittee This courteous consideration OF the con-
venience and interests Of the company in ques-
tion entaied an additional expense to the city
of Neyy-Yorl Of at least $500 tug hire to bring
the cement to its proper destination.
CENTRAL HUDSON COMPANY's PIER
I may give another striking example of the
utter disregard of the city's interests recently
displayed by the present CoInInlsS.oner o.
Docks. The present municipal administration,
in spite Of its pretended policy OF opposition to
the granting Of extra long leases 10 private cor
porations. and TO giving out any leases without
putting them up At public auction. has recently
leased Pier No. 24 North River, for term OF
nearly thirty years 70 Governor Odells Central
Hudson Steam uoat Company. The Commission
er Of Docks fixed the rental OF these valuable
the city of New-YoTk has been getting for many
years an annual rental Of $4,000 each. from
Piers Nos. % and %. and despite the fact that
Pier No. "a which the Governor obtained, is
nearly two hundred feet longer than Pier No Do.
on a conservative estimate. the loss sus-
tained ~ the city Of New-YOrk in this trans
action alone amounts to about $4S0,000 The
lease in question was secured. as is we'll known,
through the personal EFFORTS or our enterpriSing
Governor, who is the treasurer and chief stock
holder IN the Central Hudson Steamboat Com
pany. He made repeated calls at the Office of
the present Dock Commissioner, at Pier A,
North River, and it was the day following his
final visit that his steamboat company got a
pier for $4,000 year less than is obtained for
the adjoining one.
II might be well at this point TO remember
that the makeup of the directorate Of the Cen
t-al Hudson Steamboat Company IS rather In
teresting It includes Reuben Fl. Fox, secre-
tary Of the Republican State Committee; John
Mitchell Murray, former Republican Congress-
man: Albert p Boardman. Republican corpor-
alton lawyer; Lucius N. Littauer, the Repubh
can Congressman who at the present time IS
receiving much newspaper notice. and Frank 5.
Witherbee former Republican National Com
rnitteenan for this State. | might add that
BENJAMIN 3. Odell sr, the father of our Gov
ernor Is the president of the company.
In this connection I wish to say that an IN
spection of the records Of The Dock Department
from January l. 1898 to December 81, 1901. Will
prove that leases were neither granted
nawed on terms calling for rentals lower than
the amounts previously paid for the leased piers
or bulkheads. In almost every case the leases
executed provided for the payment of an In
creased rent charge. As q matter of fact, the
city Of New-Yor3l received p per cent more rev.
enue from the same piers and bukheads during
the years / have mentioned than under the pre-
vious reform" administration.