The sun., 1906-12-27
SOUABBLR OYER PIER LEASE.
FABRE LINE EVIDENTLY NOT CO.
ING TO GET WHAT 1T BID FOR.

John y. Delany, Mts Counsel. Rencws Ksis
Charges Of Unfair Treatment by the
Dock Department -Quintard Iren
works Behind Opposition Bidder.
John J. Delany, former Corporation
Counsel, representing James W. Ewell
d Co. and the Fabre Steamship Line, which
runs steamships from this port TO Mar
seilles, repeated before the Sinking Fund
Commission yesterday the charge that
Dock Commissioner Bensel had treated
his clients unfairly regarding the lease OF
the West Forty-fourth street pier. The
Fabre line people want to lease the pier
and IL Ia now proposed to give the lease to
the United States Transportation Com
pany, two months old, which, it is said, in
tends to engage in the coastwise trade.
The Quintard Iron Works is behind the
new company.
Mr.. Delany said that the Fabre line had
offered more money than any other sp-
plicant. He read a letter Offering t25 900
year, with an increase Of per cent. for
renewal OF ten years and a payment OF
81 per cent. on the cost Of shed to be built
by the city. He also read Mr. Bensel's reply
saying that the offer did not commend itself
to the city as adequate. Mr.. Delany then
read letter he had sent asking Mr.. Bensel
what terms the city would like, and he said
with heat:
To that letter we never got any answer
Mr.. Delsny then told of a meeting with
Mr.. Bensel, who said that he did not intend
to let the Fabre line have the pier. Mr..
Delany said that the United States Trans
x<aNs <.ArA
year for ten years and Der cent. Of the
cost OF the erection OF the shed. Mayor
Mcclellan interrupted here to say that the
new company offered 10 per cent. increase
on renewal and Mr.. Delanv said that no
matter how it was figured the Fabre line
offer was the best.
Comptroller Metz said the new COM
pany was sound and he referred TO the
Fabre line as the italian line Mr.. Delany
corrected him and Mr.. Metz said with a
show Of irritation:
We don't care for your Italian friends.s
Mr.. Delany said IL was unbusinesslike
for a city official not to answer q letter
asking for terms Of rental and then say
afterward that il was never intended to
entertain the offer. l.. Latin Kellogg,
counsel for the new company, said It was
capitalized at $500 900 and that its offer
was worth 100 a year more than the
Fabre line offer. Mayor Mcclellan after
ward said he understood the same thing.
Commissioner Bensel then said the only
lease he would authorize would be for
twenty years and not thirty. He declared
that under the plan OF grouping the steam
ship trade the coast line people were being
put in the upper West Side neighborhood.
The city ought TO foster that kind OF trade
and the reason he had not answered Mr..
Delany's letter was that it was followed up
by visits from Mr.. Delany to discuss the
matter. He also said that he did not con-
slider it a function Of his Office to fix rentals.
Mr.. Delany then asked that the matter
be held up for six weeks so that the Fabre
line could be sure OF its dockage in Brooklyn,
where Commissioner Bensel wishes the COM
pany to stay. He added:
we simply want our rights and some
assurance that we will get what is promised
Maybe the Commissioner will say it is his
administrative policy to make statements
and then repudiate them
Mayor Mcclellan said the matter would
go over, and no action on the pier lease
was taken.