Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-01
PIPE LINE PAYS WELL
COSTS $15e5O ANNUALLY AND
RENTS FOR s1,1s1,145.


NEW YORK. October 1.-The mystery Of
the Standard OIL pipe line running through
Central Park was cleared up yesterday
when John B. Mcdonald. builder OF the sub
way. admitted to a World reporter that the
laying OF It was his first big contract
Il made q pile Of money on It. too" he
chuckled. Il think my price was $4,000,
and when I counted my profits had more
money than I had ever owned before in the
whole course of my life. The Standard OIL
people. too. made me an offer to so with
them on the strength OF my work In laying
the pipe"
At the meeting OF the board OF aldermen
October 80. 1877. Henry d. Purroy. then
president of the board. introduced resolu-
ton, which was passed unanimously au-
thorizing John NJ. Toucey to lay a five-inch
wrought iron pipe In 9th street, from 18th
avenue to 9TH avenue, to sd street, across
the East river and Blackwell's Island to
the opposite shore. The sum of 5 cents for
each cubic foot Of pipe used during the pre-
ceding year was to be paid to the city
chamberlain annually by Toucey. Among
the aldermen who voted for the resolution
We're Henry L. Rowland, Rufus B. Cowing
and Patrick keenan,. Smith Ely. jr.. was
mayor.
New York Central Project.
John M. Toucey was general superintend-
ent of the New York Central railroad,
whose freight yards were at 65th street and
the North river. Oil from Pennsylvania
was being brought In tank cars to these
freight yards. where 1t was pumped into
great floating tank lighters and carried
around the Battery to the refineries Of
Charles Pratt at Hunters Point. Two or
three big fires on the water front had made
the floating tanks menace. and the pipe
line across the city was the joint idea OF
the New York Central and the Standard Oil
people.
In May. 1878. the park commissioners
granted permit to lay the pipe through
the transverse road in 65th street, and be-
fore the year was ended oil was being
pumped through at q pressure of forty
pounds to the square inch Of the pipe
When Mr.. Troucey turned the pipe line over
to the National Transit Company does not
appear. but on the controllers books, as
far back as 1888, annual payments OF this
five cents cubic foot" appear in an ac-
count set down on the books as National
Transit Company John NJ. Toucey)."
Annual Rent, $159.5O.
On May 81. 1902, an affidavit was fled in
the controllers office stating that the pipe
line had been the property Of the Standard
OIL Company Of New York since January
%. 1902. The controllers memorandum In
the record Of the bureau Of city record
says:
Annual rental. $i59,5o Compensation. 5
d,
Payment made from commencement Of OPP
GRAFTON. 1879"
In 1889 Daniel O'Day Of the National
Transit Company got permission of the
park board to dig up the pipe line and re-
lay it.
1t is many years, twenty more. since
the Standard Oil tanks and pumps were
removed from West 65th street. Before that
plant was abandoned the pipe line had been
extended across the North river and to the
Standards plant at Constable Hook. N. J.,
and the tank cars no more brought oil from
Pennsylvania over the New York Central.
Payments to the city of $159.50 have been
made regularly each year from 1873 to
1906. The payment for 1907 Is now due.
Since the last payment was made the
Standard Oil Company Of New York has
sold this pipe line to the Standard Oil Com
pany of New Jersey.
Whether this $159.50 represents all the
city's revenue for this pipe line privilege
could not be ascertained yesterday. On
the tax commissioners books 1t appears
that the Standard Oil Company pays taxes
on mains pipes and appurtenances' val
ued at $4,000 and a special franchise
valued at $4,000" The total amount Of
such taxes would be about $50.