New-York tribune., 1903-04-26

District Attorney Jerome will begin an inquiry
on Tuesday of this week into the acts Of the
old Dock Board. with the idea Of presenting
various transactions of ex-Commissioners J.
Sergeant Cram. Peter F. Meyer and Charles F.
Murphy TO the grand jury if the circumstances
warrant.
Piled up in Mayor Lows office is a mass of
findings from the Commissioners of Accounts
which it is expected will sooner or later find
their way TO the District Attorneys office
The District Attorney has cleared up the
''poce" business which has engaged his atten-
ton for a year. and some Of the questionable
transactions of the Van Wyck administration
are now on the calendar for a bath in official
sunlight.
The Tribune is in a position to state that the
Investigations already made and reported on by
the Commissioners of Accounts show that the
Dock Commissioners under the Van Wyck ad-
ministration showed an almost absolute disre-
gard of the interests of the city.
FAT CONTRACT FOR MURPHY FAMILY
The findings of the Commissioners Of Ac-
counts show that Messrs Cram, Meyer ana
Murphy in December 1901. granted to the New
York Contracting and Trucking Company, or
which John J. Murphy, brother OF Charles r.
Murphy is president. thirty year lease OF the
pier and dumping board privilege at Ninety
sixth-st and North River. which. if the lease
stands, will net the Murphy family S1.OOO,OOO In
round numbers. This prospective profit is on
one pier and dump, and does not take into ac-
count another lease for the pier and dumping
hoard at Seventy -ninth-st. and North River,
held by the same concern
The action of the old Dock Board in leasing
the Ninety-sixth-st. pier Is one OF the most re-
nlarkable pieces of business in the history OF the
city The Niffety-sixth and Ninety-seventh-st-
niers are the only ones that the city possesses
along Riverside Drive for wide extent River
side Park descends to the water on both sides
of these piers The park property at that point
is jealousIy guarded by the Park Department
and it is doubtful if any piers will be
built along there for years to come. The exca-
walton from the subway has made the dumping
hoard privilege at Ninety-sixth-st. an enormous
ly valuable concession. The Dock Board had
full knowledge of this fact when the lease was
made without public advertising
Charles F. Murphy handled the patronage OF
the Dock Board under Van Wyck's administra-
ton. Messrs Cram and Meyer left the distriou-
ton of the good things largely to Mr. Murphy
This was Croker'a order. In the dark days OF
December, following their defeat by the fusion
ticket the old Dock Board proceeded to make
shiDShape for their friends. ana par
ticularIy for the family os Murphys- They
nassed over 10 the New York Contracting and
Trucking Company the Ninety -sixth-st. pier and
dumping privilege. The thirty year lease which
this company now enjoys is from December p.
1901 lust four days before Messrs- Murphy.
Cram and Meyer stepped down and out The
lease is divided into three terms, as follows:
First ten years year 500
a ,,
Third ten years, ear---..-.-------.'.---- o'SO'
AS before stated the lessees have the privilege
of maintaining dumping board. Apart from
the dumping board privilege the right to collect
wharfage only Is leased that is. If there are any
vacant berths there the city's dOckmaster has
the right to berth vessels there
GOLD MINE IN DUMPING PRIVILEGE.
Business at the Ninety-sixth-st- pier has been
good right along for the New-YOrk Contracting
and Trucking Company. 1t has been so good
that II attracted the attention Of the Commls-
sioners of Accounts Last month the Commits
stoners of Accounts sent two inspectors to the
Ninetv-sfxth-st. pier and dumping board with
instructions TO keen tally on the dumping there
The regulation charge is 60 cents for two
horse load ano 80 cents for horse load
The inspectors have reported to the Commis-
sioners of Accounts that the gross receipts AT
the pier for each of the three days were upward
of S2GO a day. with an estimated expense to the
Iessees of $40 day. leaving TO the New-fork