New-York tribune., 1909-10-13
TAMMANY, TINE THIEF
HUNDRED PROVES CASE.
COndemnatiOnS, Public and Pirate,
COntraSted an EThbit.

With the basic text that 'Tammany is the Thief
Of Time" and placards showing proofs OF that
assertion the Committee of One Hundred IN its
exhibit at No % Union Square is putting before
upward of twenty thousand persons daily the fact
that wasted city time means increased taxes and
increased rent.
one Of the most striking exhibits of the collec-
ton is that which the dilatory methods OF the
Tammany condemnation commissioners and the
Dock Department in connection with the extensive
waterfront improvements known as the Chelsea
Improvement are shown.
Nine years ago. during the administration OF
Mayor Van Wycz. condemnation proceedings were
instituted for acquiring land and riparian rights
from bloomfield and Little West 18th street 70
West 22d street along the North River.
N big black type plaCarded the walls OF ths
exhibit room the committee tells voters how from
1900 TO 1902 six commissions Of three men each
met In frequent sessions at a cost to the city OF
so a session for each commissioner and accom-
plished so little that McDougal Hawkes.. the Dock
Commissioner appointed by Mayor Low, was forced
TO secure amendment to the city charter which
enabled the city take title the needed land at
once.
With that start. the placards show, Mr..
Hawkes., six months before he retired from Office
completed one-third of the necessary dredging for
the nine piers contemplated in the improvement
scheme. on the walls OF the exhibit two panel
placards placed side by side draw more con-
else indictment of the Tammany method than
could be explained 10 voters in any number OF
speeches. They read:
In six months Mayor Lows Dock Commissioners,
McDougal Hawkes. completed I3 rods OF difficult
For tWenty-four months Tammany's Dock Com
missoneTs loafed to finish one-third rod Of dredg
Succeeding Hawkes. management came Maurics
FeathersOn Tammany Dock Commissioners and
under him succeeding Tammany dock COM
missoners the remainder OF the work has dragged
along for six years with prospects that the lessees
viii be able 10 take possession OF the piers
until the end OF this year.
Making Of the deadly parallel" again tbs
committees exhibits show that private works
similar in character conducted by the Hamburg
American Line and the Delaware. Lackawanns q
Western Railroad took only two years and two
years and half. respectively while even the nrss
ent subways and the Hudson tunnels have been
constructed in less time than il has taken Tam
many TO construct those piers.
To show the cost TO the taxpayer Of the CITY, tbs
exhibit goes into some little detail with regard ~
the condemnation proceedings. and by one plscard
the reader ascertains at glance that two com
missions received for their services N4li4c Is for
working on the same proceeding. and then IL wa,
necessary to appoint third commission to deal
with it, because the work OF the first two had
been unsatisfactory"
The shortest time taken by any single proceeding
was two years. ten months and six days In nro-
ceedng No. T. covering property from 18th to 18th
street, one block only. consisting of four parcelz
eighty-hve meetings were held. covering a period
Of three years, six months and twenty y-seven davs
ana TOT thlS the commissioners engaged received
$22S. and were then allowed additional comu-nsa
tion.
AS a parallel the exhibit shows that for the Penn
syFania haiiroads condemnation proceedings In
connection with the East saith street section OF it's
new tunnel exactly one month was required by the
commissioners from the time they quaIined on
April Il. 1904 until the time they filed their report
May IL. 1i0+.
Experts testifylng on behalf OF the city cost
s622O'. while the commissioners fees 20 date
amount $70O72
The final array of statistics in the cOmmIttees 3
exhibit on the Chelsea dock improvements shows
that. with tota. cost when completed OF aDDroxt
maely $22 100000 $S4 500 interest on corporate stock
viii be paid per annum. which. with the amortIza-
ton charges and annual depreciation. brings the
total annual charges up 90 Sl,hO353 and against
that bee credited the annual rent from steam
ship companies under existing contracts 1855 O.o
leaving net loss TO the city or tsi5S53 Per annum
s. 23l6 a day