New-York tribune., 1908-03-03
TO FIGHT DOCK BILLS.
AUTHORS KEEP IN DARK.
Gre Department POJcCr to Set.e
Lands UithOut .4drance Payment

/ Senator Dominick F. MuIIaney Tammany
Senator. and Assemblyman :. z. SMITH a Tam
many Assemblvman. have introduced az Al
bany bills which authorize the Dock Depart
nnent 70 do business without publicity. Il the
bills. which are similar. become a law. it viii
be possible for the Dock Commissioner. II he
wants TO do Il. to go ahead ard seize upIands
along the waterfront without Uayins foT SHe1
in advance
The bills allow such unlimited opportunities
for wholesale bacsmai and grating that the
Maritime Exchange last week decided to oppose
them The City club and Merchants Aszocia-
tion also are out against the bills
\ hearing on Assemblyman smiths biz has
been set for this afternoon AZ . O'Clock FefOra
The Assembly cities Committee kilograms
we're sent last night 20 Chairman Hammond OF
the Cities Committee asking that the hearing
be deferred until counsel for the Maritime Ex-
change can give the bill further consideration
II the MuIlaleg--snfth bills get through the
Legislature they wiU he opposed when they
come up before Mayor Mcclellan f0r q hearing
The significant thing about me bills is that no
one seems TO Re willing 70 stand for' them
Assem- lyman smith saws re introduced ths bill
By request and Senator MuIIaney says the same
thing about his b.H the two being the same
In Corporation Counsel PendIeton's oaTce no
one seems 10 know who drew the bills II was
admitted there yesterday that the Office had
heard about them. but no particular member OF
the Corporation COUnSeTs staff would admit au-
thorship- The bills look innocent enough on
their face but that they VIII give the Dock
Commissioner authority % put through al sorts
Of big schemes without making them public IS
charged by the Maritime Exchange which has
been scrutinizing the bills for the last month.
MARITIME EXCHANGE RESOLUTION.
On Wednesday Of last week the Maritime Ex-
change in executive session passed the follow
ing resolution:
Resolved. That the Maritime Association ct
the Port of New York strenuousIy dtsapproves
bly by Mr A Z smith, Nos 5t9 and $50 intro
dUctOry Nos 36s and 369. January - 1s0S) en-
titled acts 10 amend the greater New YORK
charter relative 70 the requirement OF wharf
property purportinE - change in said charter
Sections S23 and SO. similar 70 bills which
have been introduced in the Senate by Mr. Mul-
Ianey by request. and described by Nos 2eo
and 2o5 introductory Nos. 200 and 199. Janr-
airy -. 1909.
These bills seek 20 abrosate provisions Of the
charter insuring publicity in the actions OF tne
Dock Department. and are specifically con-
demned on this ground
While the exchange has consistently stood
for Improvement of the waterfront. II has never
stood for general method SO drastic as what
these bills purport 70 inauguTate. and which Ia-
exceeds anything which any Dock Board or
Dock Commissioner up 10 The present moment
has advocated
IF il is sought % Justify these bills on 51e
ground that they endeavor 10 apply -
waterfront property within the cttys limits
similar methods 10 those applied 70 upland prop
| erty they are condemned 1n this ground. as
there is no similarity between these two classes
Of property. one being extremely limited WINE
the other NAV be considered as unlimited
Except where waterfront occupants have rad
the opportunity by extended previous kn7"iedse
Of intentions OF the city 70 ADJUST themselves 10
coming conditions such method as that now
sought 10 apply in general To the city should D.
permitted those bills seek TO not only eliminate
he OF an D
before condemnation proceedings may De instL-
tuted. which is the only harmless part OF the
innovations. but they seek 20 permit anyWner
in the city. without previous notice, the taxing
Of not only waterfront but uplandS without
payment by the city "a serious situation at the
present momenu, and by abrogatInS puohclIy
provisions now existing seek to permit this 10
be done without even any guarantee OF notice
Further Resolved. that the president be in
structed 70 communicate personally or through
counsel Cf the exchange 10 the Corporation
Counsel Of the City Of New York the members
of the Assembly and Senate and in particular
-s,f- C,,r,rfr+ae ON critics md such other per
sons or associations as may be considered de
srabe the opposition Of This exchange. and call
upon them oppose the advancement OF sIch
bills in and out Of the Cities Committees OF bO-h
houses Of the Legislature
Further Resolved. That the passage OF these
bills would be calculated 20 interfere most seri-
ously with the commercial prosperity OF this
port
MIR GERRISH CONDEMNS BILL
William L. GierriSh a director Of the Maritime
Exchange when seen last night his home N
BRETON Hall Broadway and S5th street said
The smith bill i almost revolutionary in char
acter and the Maritime Exchange has decided
70 fight il The bill amends the city charter n
such a manner that the Dock Commissioner can
g, a head and seize upland for city purposes with
ost paving for il in advance and wholly without
nrbIicftv. I don't know that grating and black
mail are in any way contemplated by any one
i'm the Dock Department. but ] am confident that
If the bills are passed and become laws the Dock
DEPARTMENT could its new extraordinary
MOVERS with paraIyzing effect on property own
erS aIcng the waterfront Nothing crooked may
be intended BY the trainers OF the bills. but t1ey
certainly look crooked the Maritime Ex-
change and for that reason our organization
will fight them. I don't believe that Governor
Hughes will allow such bills TO become laws
Members OF the Maritime Exchange said last
night that if the bills become laws It will be
possible for the Dock Commissioner 70 annul
Steamship leases or seize any Of the big ware
houses along the Brooklyn waterfront con-
vertiug the upland TO uses for which an m
creased revenue could be collected. all without
remedy for those who mold leases at the present
time