New-York tribune., 1921-09-16


tiled once and for all.
Alleged Gcuxing Shown
Mr. Brown here introduced some In
stances of alleged gcuging resulting
frcm the situation. The Eastern Steam
ship Corporation, he submitted, was
pAying rental Of $3s,sso a year for
pier ta. North River. an average of
S6SssS a day. For this he said they re-
ceived from sub-tenants $3.50 day
The Corporation Counsel had told the
Dock Commissioner in this instance
that the lessees had not violated their
contract, which gave them the right to
collect wharfage. The Deck Commits
sioner, on the other hand, insisted he
Had the right to fix wharfage, but the
matter was never settled
The North River Clyde Steamship
Company, again pointed out Mr.. Brown.
had rented Piers AZ and A5 for s77.273
year, or S42.93 day, and were charg
ing the United States Shipping Board
S226 day-another case of where q
rental of S5S33 day to the city was
run up to $3.50 a day for sub-tenants
oy Ine lessee.
"There has nothing been done to
correct that condition as to leases that
have been made since you came into
Office 2" asked ;ir. Brown.
THAT is correct" replied Commits
sioner Hubert, "but | am hoping to
have better luck if | am member of
the Sinking Fund Commission after the
1st Of January. l have pointed out the
dangers of the present system time and
time again, but no action was taken"
Mr.. Hubert insisted he knew that
the system was destructive of the
main purpose of maintaining the piers
to favor and facilitate commerce in
the Port of New York, and that he
was not permitting any one to do it
II he could avoid it," but that he was
powerless, in view of the attitude of
the Corporation Counsel and the Sink
ing Fund Commission, O. which Mayor
Hylan is the chairman.
No Protests by Sub Tenants
Mr.. Hubert here explained that the
sub-tenants had a right to demand a
wharfage bill with the legal rates Of
wharfage on it and could collect dam
ages from the lessees if the charges
were in excess of these legal rates, but
that no sub-tenants had ever taken any
legal action to fight the exorbitant
charges.
"If these sub-tenants are willing to
pay these charges, wouldn't it be a
god idea to arrange to collect little
more from them for the city," asked
Mr.. Brown. To this the commissioner
replied that if he could be shown how
he would.
Mr. Hubert then insisted that he
had collected "a per cent more rental
since he came into Office than had been
collected by his predecessor and that
by the end of 1922 he expected the
increase to reach 100 per cent. He
mentioned the fact that recently he
had increased some rentals consider
ably, pointing out that he had jumped
one rental, for Pier "a, North River,
held by the Italian Line, from $37 500
to $4,000. He also referred to jump
from $4,000 a year for the New York
Central Pier, Pier 81, North River, to
$4,000.
"I think the theory upon which the
docks are leased is all wrong" contin-
ued the comnfi ssioner," and if | could
run the Dock Department the wav |
think it ought to be run, l had rather
be Dock Commissioners than President
of the Board of Aldermen or Mayor.
but as l cannot run the Dock Depart
ment the way I think it should be
done l am trying to get into the
Board of Estimate and the Sinking
Fund and help to run it that way"
He said he did not approve of long