I hereby certify that I have compared the foregoing statement of investments wi h the ledger of the Commissioners of the inking Fund and the account on the general ledger, and find the same to be correct. I further certify that the cash balance to credit of the Sinking Funds for the Redemption of the City Debt in the City Treasury at close of business December, 31, 1892, was: Resolved, That a committee of two members of this Board be appointed by the Chairman to examine the securities held as investments by the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, as of December 31, 1892, and report thereon at an early date. Which resolution was adopted. The Mayor appointed the Recorder and the Chamberlain as such committee. The Comptroller presented the following report and resolution for leasing the ferry from Tenth street, East river, to Greenpoint, Long Island: FINANCE DEPARTMENT-COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE,} To the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund: January 31, GENTLEMEN-The lease of the ferry from the foot of Tenth street, East river, to Greenpoint, on Long Island, will expire February 1, 1893, and I submit a resolution to authorize the necessary measures to be taken for selling at public auction to the highest bidder, the franchise of this ferry at a minimum yearly rental and upon terms and conditions specified. The City does not own the wharf property at either landing. The present rental is $4,000 per annum, and it is recommended that the new rental be fixed at $5,000 per annum. Respectfully, THEO. W. MYERS, Comptroller. Resolved, That the Comptroller be and he is hereby authorized to take measures to advertise and sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as provided by law, the lease of the franchise of the ferry to and from the foot of East Tenth street, in the City of New York, over and across the waters of the East river, from and to Greenpoint, on Long Island, the term of which will expire February 1, 1893, for a new term of five years from that date, the minimum yearly rental or upset price of such ferry being hereby appraised and fixed at five thousand dollars ($5,000) per annum, payable quarterly, upon the following TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE: The highest bidder for the ferry franchise will be required to pay the auctioneer's fee and to deposit with the Comptroller, at the time of sale, a sum equal to twenty-five per cent. of the amount of the yearly rental bid, which shall be credited on the rent of the first quarter, or be forfeited to the City if the lease shall not be executed by the purchaser when notified and required by the Comptroller, and shall execute an obligation with sufficient sureties to that effect at the time of sale. The lessee of the ferry will also be required to give a bond in double the amount of the yearly rental, with two sufficient sureties, approved by the Comptroller, and conditioned for the faithful performance of the terms and conditions of the lease, which will be such as are required by law and the ordinances of the Common Council relating to ferries and are usually contained in ferry leases, which shall be approved by the Counsel to the Corporation, including a covenant to vacate the landing in New York on four months' notice by the Department of Docks for improvement of the waterfront. If the present lessee shall not become the purchaser of the franchise for another term, the highest bidder will be also required to purchase and pay for, at a fair ap praised valuation, the ferry-boats and the structures at the landing in the City of New York, used and necessary for the operation of said ferry, upon the termination of the existing lease and the surrender and yielding up of the premises by the present lessee. The rates for ferriage shall not exceed those heretofore and now charged at said ferry. The report was accepted and the resolution unanimously adopted. At this time the Chamberlain appeared and thereafter participated in the proceedings of the Board. The Comptroller presented the following report and resolution for leasing ferries, as follows: FINANCE DEPARTMENT-COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, To the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund: GENTLEMEN-The leases of the franchises of several ferries will expire May 1, 1893, and I submit a resolution to authorize the necessary measures to be taken for selling at public auction, to the highest bidders, the franchises of these several ferries, together with the wharf property belonging to the City (if any) used and required for ferry purposes at each of such ferries. Respectfully, THEO. W. MYERS, Comptroller. Resolved, That the Comptroller be and is hereby authorized to take measures to advertise and sell at public auction, to the highest bidders, as provided by law, the leases of the franchises of the following ferries for a term of five years from May 1, 1893, together with the wharf property belonging to the Corporation of the City of New York (if any) which is used and required for ferry purposes, upon the usual terms and conditions of sale, with a covenant providing for the purchase by a new lessee of the boats and other property necessary for the operation of a ferry, the minimum yearly rental or upset price of such ferry to be hereafter appraised and fixed. by this Board upon the report of the Comptroller, viz.: 1. Ferry from foot of Whitehall street to Staten Island. 2. Ferry from Pier 1, East river, to Bay Ridge, Long Island. 3. Ferry from foot of East Houston street to Grand street, Brooklyn. 4. Ferry from James Slip to Long Island City. On motion of the Chairman of the Committee on Finance, Board of Aldermen, the sale of the ferry from Pier 1, East river, to Bay Ridge, Long Island, was taken out of the resolution, and referred to the Comptroller. The report was then accepted and the resolution, as amended, unanimously adopted. The following communication was received from the Commissioner of Public Works relative to contract of P. K. Lantry for carpenter work on the new Criminal Court Building: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS-COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE,] NEW YORK, January 24, 1893. J Hon. THOMAS F. GILROY, Chairman, Commissioners of the Sinking Fund: DEAR SIR-It becomes my duty to place before the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund for such action as they may deem proper the delays and delinquencies in the performance of the contract of Mr. P. K. Lantry, dated March 11, 1890, for the carpenter work on the new Criminal Court Building. From the records of the Department I find that the first notice to Mr. Lantry from the Commissioner of Public Works is dated, and was served upon him September 9, 1892, declaring that he was not making proper progress with the work, thereby causing hindrance and delay in the performance of the plastering work. The delay in his work was then attributed to difficulties or differences which he had with the labor organization known as the "Building Trades' Association," or a branch thereof. He was again notified and called upon under date of October 7, 1892, to make arrangements whereby his work could be prosecuted with the necessary speed required by the terms of his contract, and to that end he was requested to meet a Committee of the Carpenters' Union at the office of the Commissioner of Public Works with the object of arriving at an understanding whereby his work would not be further delayed. on that account. The meeting was held at the Commissioner's office with the apparent result of removing the then existing difficulties, but Mr. Lantry continued to lag behind the contract time in the progress of his work as is evidenced by reports made from time to time by the Superintendent of Repairs and Supplies, and by notices sent to Mr. Lantry from this office, dated, respectively, November 10, 14 and 22 and December 24, ultimo, and January 9, instant. Mr. Lantry has been afforded every possible facility for the more rapid prosecution of his work, and every possible indulgence which this Department has felt justified in granting him before placing the matter before the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund. On the approach of the present winter season every possible endeavor was made on the part of this Department to complete the roofing and enclosure of the building so that the interior work of carpentering, plastering, plumbing, etc., could be continued during the winter, and to that end authority was obtained from your Commission to enter into a contract with the Q. N. Evans Construction Company which has the original contract for the heating, ventilating and elevator apparatus, to put in the necessary temporary appliances and heat the building during this winter. Under this supplementary contract the building has been heated since about December 10, ultimo, at a cost of about $95 per day to the City. The Superintendent of Repairs and Supplies now reports to me that at the present time there are 135 rooms in the building ready for the carpenter work; that about 100 carpenters could be conveniently and advantageously employed on this work and that Mr. Lantry has at work only one foreman, seven journeymen and three apprentices. It is evident from the foregoing that Mr. Lantry persistently disregards the notices and orders from this Department and the obligations of his contract; and I, there |