New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-08-03
WRECK ROOSEVELT PIER
To1cn Officials Partially Destroy
Presidents Landing Place.
TBy Telegraph to The Tribune. ]


Mrs. ]. West Roosevelt. which has been made
historic by the President and many we'll known
persons who have landed there 70 visit MIN, was
partially demolished to-day by the highway
commissioners of Oyster Bay. who descended on
it with n force OF Italian laborers Two other
piers, belonging TO George c. Maxwell ard + red
eric r. Coudert, of New York, on the shore
front, and a couple of stone walls belonging 10
Louis c. Tiffany of New York. were also wrecked
by the town officials. The offending Instructions
were ordered removed by the Town Board yes
terday because they are on property once dedi-
Gated to the village as a public road. The demo-
lition Of the pier at Mr.. COudert's place was
temporarily interrupted by the appearance Of
Mrs. COudert and her daughter-in-law. who gave
the commissioners and the wOrkmen under them
a tongue lashing they will remember for some
time.
The COudert ladies were very angry indeed
said Edward Underhill, one of the highway
commissioners who superintended the work
land IL ever have any i'll luck viii know just
where il came from. You lOafersY one OF them
cried, 4 wish you all the bad luck in the world
YOUTH all serve time in the pententiary aor this
Ny husband is a lawyer and he viii sec ts.at
you suffer for what you are doing.
I'VE did not intend TO take down more than
ten or fifteen feet OF each pier just enough
TO give the owners chance to start suit against
US if they wanted to- but about fifty feet OF
Coudert's fell with a crash in spite of all our
precautions. When we reached Mr.. Tiffany's place
we discovered that last night crowd of fifty or
seventy-ive men from Syosset or Hicksville had
been on the scene and accomplished most Of the
work for US. After tearing down the walls the
crowd had returned TO the highway and mad
sung songs for a couple of hours 10 while away
the time until Mr. Tiffany should have thera ar
rested. But he did not care TO do that ii be
knew Of their presence. which is doubtful
Though there was very little wall left for US TO
take down. sent for Mr. Tiffany's slpcrin-
tendent to tell him that we were there for the
purpose Of removing the obstruction The
perintendent did not put in an appearance. but
two or three of his men came down and looked
on while we moved few stones about to prove
that wesNyere at least carrying out the letter Of
the Town Boards orders.
a 'HThe people in the neighborhoOd OF SyOsset
and Bisisvine feel particularly edgewise toward
Tiffany because he has broken his word TO them
Not long ago he came before the town board and
made a request that a certain road running
through his estate be changed to conform TO his
ideas. There was good deal of kicking against
the alteration by the farmers who claimed they
would be inconvenenced by the change, but
upon Mr.. Tiffany's promising that he would not
place any distractions along the shore front the
town board granted his request Then, the first
thing the people knew, he built couple OF walls
on the beach TO prevent the passage Of teams
If he had only been as decent Mr.. Whitney
was about his shore front property there never
would have been any kicks from anybody. Be
fore building his pier Mr.. Whitney came before
t1e~>ssrd and asked that he be allowed to build
H. and agreed TO give the public any facilities
that the board would request in exchange for the
privilege. The board indicated how the pier
ought 20 be built that IL would not Obstruct
the passage OF teams either at low or high
water, and Mr.. Whitney not only carried out
those plans. but even provided better accom-
nodations for the public"
The movement to restore the water front OF
Oyster Bay TO the town is backed by public
sentiment In 1877 what is known as the Andros
Patent conveyed in fee simple 10 the town OF
Oyster Bay all land between high and low tide
water. One hundred years ago the shore road
was declared a highway by the Oyster Bay
Board OF Highway Commissioners. The road
was surveyed sixty-sX feet wide and followed
the high tide mark along the shore. Tho piers
which were destroyed to-day crossed the road
rs did the stone walls. a case is now pending in
court involving the w. Ernen Roosevelt estate
in the same controversy. Other cases which
have been tried have resulted in victory for the
road commissioners. and they took their action
to-day with a view 10 re-establishing the road
and restoring the water front 10 the public.