New-York tribune., 1920-06-27
No Politics i'm
Pier Deal, Says
BerOlzheinner
Declares Lease Was Not a
''Tammany Crab; Tells
Why He Favored Letting
1t to Stevedore Firm
Hulbert Decries S'Howl'
Hagan Firm Had Made Big
Profit on Another Dock
Before Being Ousted

City officials who were concerned
in leasing the city-owned pier at the
foot of East Fourth Street to Carroll,
Hagan & Carroll, in which firm the
son of James ]. Hagan, Tammany dis
trict leader, is a partner, continued to
make explanations yesterday. City
Chamberlain Berolzheimer, who as
member of the Sinking Fund Commits
sion voted for the lease, issued q
statement in which he explained his
reasons for favoring it. He denied
that politics had entered into the
transaction, or that it was "Tam-
many grab"
Dock Commissioner Murray Hubert
declared that an unwarranted furore
had been raised over the matter. He
said the pier in question had been
idle for several years without any bid
ders for it, and now that some one
had obtained it, Everybody was max
ing howl" The Commissioner
statement, however, does not agree
with that of the officials of the French
been after the East Fourth Street pier
for three years. Their application
was turned down by the Sinking Fund
Commission Thursday, as it had been
before.
The fact remains that several of the
steamship companies which made ap
phcation for the pier would have been
willing to pay two or three times the
rental for which the Hagan company
of stevedores obtained it, Chamber
lain Berolzheimer admitted that Dis
trict Leader Hagan had been before
the sinking fund upon one occasion
in regard to the matter. This was the
only time he ever saw the Tammany
the steamship companies whose appli-
cations were denied are expected to
determine upon plan of action
toward compelling the city authorities
to reopen the matter this week.
Profits in Sub-Leasing Piers
1t was learned yesterday that the
firm of Carroll, Hagan & Carroll had
clashed with another firm, the Maritime
lease of another pier at the foot of East
Twenty-fourth Street, which the latter
company had taken away from the
Hagan firm. From June ! to August
l. 1919, the Hagan firm controlled this
pier on a wharfage basis, paying the
city 800 a day and subletting it for
$3.50 day. After the Hagan firm had
been ousted from the Twenty fourth
Street pier they applied for the East
Fourth Street pier.
The Maritime Shipping Company was
capitalized at $500. James o. Miller
was one of the prime movers in the con-
ho Co.
pany. 1t was said that one side-the
best side-of the pier was leased to
Frank j. Hoey, Of Sabitino & Co., for
$3.50 a day.
An instance of another company in
cooperating only few days before OBJ
tanning a pier lease came to light YES
terday in the case of the Adelphi
Steamship Company, which leased the
pier at the foot of East Twenty-sixth
Street on July 16, 1919, for s29,625
rental, the company being incorporated
on July II.
City Chamberlain Berolzheimer's ex-
planation of the East Fourth Street pier
lease follows:
Berolzheimer's Statement
Berolzheimer's statement in part was
as follows:
"Never having met Mr.. Hagan but
once, when he appeared before the
Board Of the Sinking Fund Commits
sloners, and not knowing his son at
all and not asking for or expecting DO
litical favors of any kind from any
body, am in an independent position
OF casting my vote to the best of my
knowledge and ability, as my con
science dictates, and not as any one of
the Sinking Fund Commissioners may
prefer. This lease is just ex
actly the opposite of a monopoly, be-
cause a stevedore is bound to load and
unload any boat making an application
without Discrimination, whereas steam
ship companies refuse such accommo-
dation to any but it's own ships in most
cases, and in fact, are not permitted
to release them to any one else
For number of months there was
no application for this pier from any
body. This matter was laid over from
fime to time at the request of Mr. La
guardia, and if other applications had
been received from other people for
the same pier they would have been
considered. | saw no applications of
this kind until yesterday, when I re-
fused to consider them, as they came
&rom steamship companies, whereas
Was in favor of giving every boat q
chance to dock that comes to this port"