The New York herald., 1921-10-26

from the city the piers he wanted. be-
cause he was declared to be a profiteer
approached by man who said he could
fix up a pier lease for him In Brooklyn
for $4,000. The $4,000 would not so to
the city, but would go to the fixer or to
somebody for whom the fixer was act
ing. Mr.. Luckenbach says he refused
to fatten the private pockets; he didn't
get the pier.
The Kerr Steamship Company, ac-
cord:ng to the testimony of Albert Y.
Clegg. vice president. did pay &34.50o into
tho private pocket of someone and did
get the pier.
''The French Line was unable to obtain
the piers required for its great pas
senger and freight business as testified
by Oscar r. Cauchois, assistant general
representative of the company in this
country. So he was compelled to divert
various vessels with their cargoes to
Boston and Philadelphia.
But the France and Canada Com
pany. which. according to previous
testimony, put s25,000 into a private
pocket for a pier. was able to make
s251, ,S06 out Of it in 1919 and $1so.099 in
1870.
And Frank J. Hoey. former steam
snip company clerk who could get pier
leases from the city for n song. could
sublet them at such enormous profit
that there were hundreds Of thousands
OF dollars in 1t for him or for some-
body So the firm which he established
for his easy money dock business had
bank deposits from 1918 to 1921 of $685.
900. His own bank deposits for the sam :
period were more than sl,o00.00o.
Tho public dock system in which so
many tens Of millions OF the city s
money has been invested is not much Of
"a business proposition for New York
under such circumstances. But this kind
Of dock business is a gold mine for the
private pockets
Gov. Miller on Dock Scandal.
Gov Miller last March addressed in
Albany large delegation representing
New York city civic organizations. They
had gone to the State capital in the
interest of the Meyer Adler New York.
New Jerseysport development BILL The
following account Of the Governors
words on that occasion is taken from
the report published by the New York
times of March. 16:
Gov. Miller, declared that not only
New York city but the entire State was
suffering from the backwardnesS Of the
ports TO- Masssport development plans
This he ascribed TO a desire to boost the
busip ess JaQf private lighterage concerns
and favored alessees OF city piers. He
said New York harbor was fifty years
behind its time. and declared that the
hour had come when the State must ster
in and relieve the situation regardless
OF how the city administration nigh,
feel about it.
81 say said the Governor that the
State of New York cannot leave the six
millions of it's citizens who live in New
York city to the tender mercies Of an
administration from whose ineffiency
and Incompetence all of the people of the
State OF New York are now suffering
even II this problem primarily concerns
them alone.'"
HirSbffeld Scented Grating.
Even David Hirshfield. Mayor Hylans
Commissioner o. Accounts. was not blind
to Dock Department irregularities
months before the most startling disclos-
ures were mads. Here is a citation from
the news columns of THE New YORK
HERALD of July 6 last:
Despite Mayor Hylan's declaration q
year ago of vigilance over the revenues
derived from city piers the Old Dominion
Steamship Company during the last year
has collected almost $4,000 to which Il
was not entitled by subj ,tting Piers 25
and rs. North River, according to fig
ures OF The Mayors own investigator,
David Hirshfieid, Commissioner Of Ac-
counts"
Mayor HyIan's Commissioner of Docks
and Ferries, Murray Hubert, has admit
ted that he knew pier profiteering was
going on, but he said he had no power TO
prevent 1t. the Singing Fund Commission
having failed to insert in leases. as he
has requested. a clause giving the city
control over all charges made for wharf
age
AS ibis newspaper suggested editori-
ally or September 80. last 'The Sink
ing commission, which thus turned down
NJ Hulbert's request for a means 20 end
'.le pier graft, was composed of the
Tammany Mayor, Mr.. Hylan: the Tam
many Comptroller. Mr. Craig: the Tam
many City Chamberlain, Mr. Berolz-
heimer: the Tammany chairman of the
Finance Committee of the Board of
Aldermen, Mr.. Cunningham. and one
Republican, the President of the BOA rd
of Aldermen.
$50 Mayor Hylan's Sinking Fund
Commission, which he can control almost
as absolutely as he can control his Dock
Commissioner, refused to take the stems
which Commissioner Hubert declares
would have put the pier grafters in the
city's power"