The New York herald., 1921-09-21
TAMMANY MANS SON
FAVORED ON PIERS
No Trouble Getting Lease of
No. ?, Hudson River, and
Then Renting 1t.
GOT $4,000 FOR IT'S USE
Then When Tenant Failed
Hylan Took Elephant Off
Hands of Hagan Firm.
GOT $4,000 FOR IT'S USE
HUBERT ISSUED ORDER
Condemnation Proceedings,
Long Held Up, Started at
Most Opportune Time.

THE New York HERALD yesterday
told of the difficulties which United
States Shipping Board agents-oper-
ators of the Shipping Board ships-ex-
perienced in relation to renting New
York city piers, with particular refer
ence to the Shipping Boards transac-
tions with the Tropical Steamship
Company which docked the boards
ships, under an agency from the board.
at Pier 81, Hudson River. and at an
other pier. 1t was shown that the
Shipping Board had declined to pay
the berthage charges billed against It
for these piers on the ground that
they We're excessive.
Pier 81, Hudson River, was rented
by Dock Commissioner Hubert to the
United States Transport, Import and
Export Company in 1919. Renewal OF
the long lease held on it by the New
York Central Railroad Company was
refused by Commissioner Hubert. The
Export Company is a Charles w.
Morse company Sometime in 1920 Mr..
Morse decided to use the pier for his
Hudson River ships and proceeded to
make the pier available for such use.
The changes which were necessary,
involving part reconstruction Of the
approaches for passengers, made the
pier permit revocabIe.
The Tropical Steamship Company at
the same time was looking for another
pier and had been in negotiation with
the Ward McAllister estate. which owned
Pier 2, Hudson River, for a lease of
this pier. which had fallen ito de-
plorable condition. The Ward Nc
.Allister estate took the position that as
the city had announced it's intention of
condemning this property and building
new piers along the lower waterfront
it was impossible to tell just when the
city would step in and take possession,
as 1t has since done.
Only Offer Is Speculative.
The only offer the Tropical Steamship
could get from the McAllster estate was
r. nominal lease, subject to any action
the city might take toward acquiring
title to the pier and adjoining property.
But the price asked. around 100000 a
year and with all repairs to make the
pier fit for use to fall upon the lessee,
was too high and too speculative, in the
opinion of the men who controlled the
operations of the Tropical Steamship
Company.
Negotiations were broken off and the
Tropical Steamship Company did bust
ness with the Morse company control
ling Pier 81 But presently along came
stevedoring firm, without, at the time,
stevedoring plant, in the shape of
Carroll, Hagan & Carroll. in which Fos-
ter A. Hagan, son of James j. Hagan,
Tammany leader under Charles +. Muir
ply had acquired an interest.
Carroll, Hagan & Carroll, though the
financial reporting agencies of the city
could not tell anything about them, were
able to make deal with the Ward
McAllister estate. They rented Pier 2
and sublet 1t to the Tropical Steamship
Company at $500 a day. The Tropical
Steamship Company used IL for the
berthing of its Shipping Board and
other vessels under an arrangement i'm
mediately made with Carroll Hagan a
Carroll, granting to the steamship COM
pany the use of this pier, with its two
berths, for as long time as the steve
0oring concern could maintain possess
sion of the pier.
The arrangement lasted for about
year. during which the Tropical Steam
ship Company paid TO Carroll. Hagan
& Carroll a total of $4,000 for the use
OF It. What the Hagan firm paid to the
Ward McAllister estate during the
period Is something which the Meyer
committee is expecting to find out soon.
But this at least Is Inown:
When the Tropical Steamship Com
pany was negotiating for the use of the
pier the constant cry of the estate was
that nobody could tell when the CITY
would jump In and take title, in connec-
tion with Dock Commissioner Hulbert's
plan for building new piers along this
territory. When the negotiations fell
through because Of this situation and
because of the great price demanded II
suddenly developed that the Sinking
Fund Commission, with Mayor Hyial.
as chairman, was In doubt as to how
soon title could be taken by the city
20 the property included in this pier
development. Tho words of Dock Com
missioner Hubert himself may possibly
throw some light on this extraordinary
situation as contained In his annual
report, recently made public, for the
year 1920.
First setting forth that the Commits
eioners of the Sinking Fund had "au-