The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-06
NEW PIER RENTALS TOO HIGH.
SHIPPING COMBINE REFUSES TO
TAKE THEM ATTHE OLD TERMS.
Hobok en- Piers. Says vice.President Frank
I'm, Can re Had for Third or Half
New Works. Price-Festherson Fears
the City's May lie Left on His Hands.


the City's May lie Left on His Hands.
Vice President Franklin Of the Interra-
tional Mercantile G.arine Company has
notified Dock Commissioner Featherson
that the company considers oil negotia-
tions o.. for the FIVE ard half new piers
the city is erecting in the Chelsea section,
between Fourteenth and Twenty-third
streets,
During the Low administration the COM
rany made application for these piers and
the rental demanded by the city seemed
satisfactory then, but the bargain was
never coasummGted. The city went on with
the work o! erecting the piers, and as the
work viii soon be finished the COMMISSIONS
sent notice to the company to that eject.
:, his letter Vice President Franklin
innsnuch as the proposed occupancy of
III" piers and the general situation is ma
teriaily altered from what 1t was at the time
arrangement then contemplated cannot now
be carried out. and We beg 10 formally, with
draw the proposals contained in our letter.
Il" have given great deal of time and at
ten,ion to inyestiGating the cost, OF piers
and dock facilities in other LOCALITIES. and
We would call your attention to the TACT that
in lston. Philadelphia and Baltimore and
other ports computing strongly with New
York n" GearE% hae tho her fhe
Tsan a adhpN e." V" oreaSs s ,hs North and
whicR formerly came to the port of New
York has been consequently diverted.
We find that even IN hoboke9n,, w which,
facilities is not more than one-third or one
half OF what is generally charged in New
York II is Our belief that il would be much
more TO the interest of the city as we'll as OF
the various companies in the shipping bust
ness to place the charges for pier and dock
facilities on moderate basis which would
the port Of New York with other competing
ports and to attract commerce TO tins port
BUSINESS can be done so much more cheaply.
We are anxious to meet, your department.
in the matter and We should be very glad to
Of the premises referred to in, our letter Of
December II, 1908; say five or 1--WE and half
new piers in the Chelsea improvement u
which the business conditions will. justify.
But We desire. that it should be formally
understood. as has been assumed in converse
ton We have had, that our previous cner OF
December II, 1903. made to your predecessor
has been Withdrawn.
Comm seioner Featherson said he had
supposed that the Dock Department had
made tentative contract with the Inter
national Mercantile Marine Company for
the lease of the piers. Acting on this be-
lief, he had the necessary lease drawn up
and turned over to the Sinking Fund CON-
mssioners soon after he entered office.
and ever since he has been urging the COM
pany to execute the contract. This letter
from the company he said, means that
the onpany abrogates it's agreement and
he will be left with the piers untenanted
unless satisfactory arrangement is made.
1t virtually reopens the whole question.
vice-President Franklin, when. asked
what the company had to say. replied
Our position is outlined in my letter to
the Dock Commissioner. Owing to the
great expense Of operating steamers to
freight trade of the country has been di-
verted to other cities which virtually have
free PIERS. We never entered into a con-
tract for the piers, but made proposition
In December, 1903 which was never accepted.
Since then business has fallen of 80 that
it Ia impossible for Us to renew that propo-
etion'