New-York tribune., 1907-01-13
MURPHY'S PIER GRAB.
NAY GUST HIS COJlPANY.
Mayor to Enforce Lac against
Water1ront Privilege Holders.

Charles F. Murphy's bitter enmity toward
Mayor Mcclellan is undoubtedly due to the fact
That movement is on foot to GUST the Murphy
Gafney company, known the New York Con-
tracting and Trucking Company, from further
occupancy Of the West Goth street pier which
is favored by the Mayor and the Dock Commits
sioner
Ever since the state convention the Tarnrany
leader has made it clear that he is willing TO go
20 any extreme TO crush the Mayor even to help
ing seat Representative Hearst IN McCIeIlan's
place at the City Hall
1t Is doubtful II his anirnosity would have car
ried him to this extreme II he had not discovered
that his business interests were in danger Of at
tack from civic organizations and that the
Mayor. in enforcing the law. is likely to oust the
Murphy concern from not only the 96th street
pier but the 18th street pier as we'll
With the building of more subways the Muir
phy-Gaffney dumping board privileges at Goth
street and 18th street are sure to be immensely
profitable. While Charles z. Murphy is not
member of the New York Contracting and
Trucking Company. his interest in the concern
may be inferred from the fact that he loaned the
company more than s15o,000 short time ago.
On account OF the connection he sustained
with this company while still a member of the
Board of Aldermen. James E. Gafrney was in
dicted by the New York County Grand Jury
dismissed.
PULL" WORKED EFFECTIVELY.
The Murphy-Gaffney company at last ac-
counts was composed OF John J. Murphy, broth
er of Charles F. Murphy; James E. Gaffney
Charles F. Murphy's principal political ieuten-
ant. and Essie Irene Gaffney, wife of Mr. Gaff-
ney- The company to prominence in the
brief space Of two years while Charles f.
Afsr-a alaz-,4
Mayor Van Wyck. With long term leases of the
a6th street and 18TH street piers and with a pull
in the Dock Board. il able to dominate
waterfront contracting IN this city It profits
from the two dumping board privileges while
the subway was being built were estimated
at 100000. The company pays the city a mere
trihe for. the privileges it enjoys.
Charles F. Murphy became leader of Tammany
Hall shortly before the Pennsylvania Railroad
let its contract for the great terminal in the
heart of the city. and the Murphy Gaffney COM
pany got the contract for the excavating At
about the same time the same company obtained
contract of about equal size from the New
York New Haven & Hartford Railroad Com
pany for new construction work north of the
Harlem The company probably never would
have obtained either contract in the absence OF
pull through the leader of Tammany Hall.
CIVIC BODIES TO MEET
It is charged by civic organizations which have
engaged counsel to Investigate the pier leases
held BY the Murphy-Gaffney company that the
leases may be revoked at any time because of
the alleged fact that the company maintains IL
legal structures the piers.
4 mass meeting backed by the Merchants AS
sociation. the City Club the Municipal Art So
ciety and the Metropolitan Parks Association
has been called, to be held at the Hotel st. !
andrews. Broadway and 72d street, on Tuesday
night Of this week. These organizations not
warning on the Murphy-Gaffney company alone.
The fight they have started is waged on broader
grounds They aliege that not only the New York
Contracting and Trucking Company, but that
the Curtis BIaisde Company. the John P. Kane
Company. handling lime, brick and cement: the
Weber Bunke-Lange Coal Company, Theresa A.
6 Sheridan, James Thedford. Thomas Ward and
others are maintaining nusances the North
River waterfront and they have appealed to the
Mayor 10 enforce the law and eject the occu-
pants.
LAW TO BE ENFORCED.
NJ Tribune is in a position to say that the
Mayor. Corporation Counsel Ellison and Dock
Commissioner BenseI have decided to enforce the
law.
The following statment with reference TO the
alleged nuisances has been prepared and will
nc submitted at the mass meeting on Tuesday
night:
At the foot of West ssh street there are at pres
IN defance OF the provisions Of the charter OF
greater New York. which prohibits on dock prop
ery al structures other than sneds tor Ihs seH "a
h0ssSg Of g goods & IN dc transit tbs is
reservation of dock property is rented by the city
curds-Bisisden company-Lesse Of %. bulkhead s;
rear Of Same, for ten years from January !, 1905
b1khead ia next afhs sontSerS Of West s and
sERisna AZ aenaa ah of $50 s5e 'e per .O
New York Contracting and Trucking Company
becember n. fssl at q rental Of $500 per
with two renewals Of ten years EACH al, at an ad-
Meber-Sunke-L Lange Coal Compsny1Lease Of 1so
INLAND in rear Of same. five years from March L
Tsx at a rental Of 1900 per annum, with one re-
newd term OF five years. at an advance OF " per
Theresa A. $. shertdan-L1sase Of 2l5 feet south tt
sds sns oyere Of Ref at for e % from
August l. 1903. at rental Of 81 s75 Per snnurn:
hoist On pier at west Nth street: rental $500 per
AZ seth street the structures complained Of con;
.,sf Of a large warehouse for the storage OF coal
snd coal hopH.rs and e1s0 Bearing the name
Ssinso tn COMPANY; warehouse for the
,torase of Cement and building material bearing
Soppers hoisrs and pockets. of the Weber -Bupcke-
stahe used in conjunction Herewith. All OF these
are unsightly and stand in violent contrast ,vf W,h
SaiIdings along Riverside Drive.
CITY ALSO AN OFFENDER.
mated az the foot Of West 18th street There the
has erected an SDsgy ssTdetprs wbsS san an the
anpeararce OF a decayed stockade. inclosing mass
OF material ana other matters "a 5nar appsar