Commissioner of Docks and Ferries of the City of New York

The Commissioner of Docks of New York City was the head of the Department of Docks created by the New York State Legislature's 1870 revision of the New York City Charter, which returned numerous powers to the city government that had previously been taken by the state. This version of the city charter was known as the "Tweed Charter", after its main advocate William M. "Boss" Tweed, who controlled much of local politics via the Tammany Hall political ring. At the time the charter revision passed, he was a state senator representing the Fourth District in Manhattan.

History The Commissioner of Docks originally consisted of "a board consisting of five persons... appointed by the Mayor... who shall hold office for a term of five years." Their duties were established and defined by the commissioners of the sinking fund, which was responsible for all aspects of the city's borrowing and debt. Money for the repair and construction of wharves, piers, and slips was originally limited by the charter to $350,000, but the loose wording in this section of the charter allowed for many other expenses that quickly opened the commission to accusations of corruption, as was the case with numerous other city agencies that were controlled by Tammany Hall. In 1873, the state legislature passed a charter revision, making the dock board a three-member commission.

Accusations of poor oversight of the docks and piers, and of the department's finances, were made from time to time, but in 1889, a scandal erupted. Two of the Dock Commissioners were charged by Mayor Hugh J. Grant with three counts of corruption – "neglect and malfeasance in office", "failure to observe and enforce provisions of law...", and "failure to acquaint themselves with the duties and necessities of the Department of Docks " The accused commissioners countered that they had acted no differently than previous commissioners had done for decades, and that the mayor, who was a Tammany Hall crony, did not charge the third dock commissioner because he was also a Tammany Hall colleague. They were not removed from their jobs, and accusations others not collecting rents from leases of piers continued over the years.

The department was renamed the Department of Docks and Ferries in the city charter revision of 1897. The head of the department was made a one-person commissioner, with a deputy, by the city charter revision of 1901. The department was renamed the Department of Marine and Aviation effective January 1, 1942.

Commissioners Commissioners Dates inoffice Mayor Notes Five-member commission appointed by the mayorJohn T. Agnew (President)Hugh Smith (Treasurer)Wilson G. HuntWilliam WoodRichard M. Henry April 11, 1870 – September 1, 1870 A. Oakey Hall John T. Agnew (President)Henry A. Smith (Treasurer)Wilson G. HuntWilliam WoodRichard M. Henry September 1, 1870 – January 3, 1872 A. Oakey Hall John T. Agnew (President)John Grenville Kane (Treasurer)Wilson G. HuntWilliam WoodRichard M. Henry January 3, 1872 – May 21, 1873 A. Oakey HallWilliam F. Havemeyer Three-member commission appointed by the mayor Jacob A. Westervelt (President)William Budd (Treasurer)William Gardner May 22, 1873 – December 4, 1874 William F. HavemeyerSamuel B. H. Vance Jacob A. Westervelt (President)William Budd (Treasurer)Vacant December 4, 1874 – December 11, 1874 Samuel B. H. Vance Jacob A. Westervelt (President)William Budd (Treasurer)Salem Howe Wales December 11, 1874 – early 1875 William H. Wickham Salem Howe Wales (President)William Budd (Treasurer)Jacob A. Westervelt early 1875 – March 1877 William H. WickhamSmith Ely Jr. Jacob A. Westervelt (President)Jacob Vanderpoel (Treasurer)Henry F. Dimock July 11, 1877 – February 21, 1879 Smith Ely Jr.Edward Cooper Henry F. Dimock (President)Jacob Vanderpoel (Treasurer)Vacant February 21, 1879 – December 10, 1880 Edward Cooper Henry F. Dimock (President)Jacob Vanderpoel (Treasurer)William Laimbeer Jr. December 10, 1880 – September 13, 1881 Edward CooperWilliam R. Grace (1st term) John R. Voorhis (President)Jacob Vanderpoel (Treasurer)William Laimbeer Jr. September 13, 1881 – May 3, 1882 William R. Grace William Laimbeer Jr. (President)Jacob Vanderpoel (Treasurer)John R. Voorhis May 3, 1882 – February 14, 1883 William R. GraceFranklin Edson William Laimbeer Jr. (President)John R. Voorhis (Temporary Treasurer)Vacant February 14, 1883 – May 9, 1883 Franklin Edson Lucius J.N. Stark (President)John R. Voorhis (Treasurer)William Laimbeer Jr. May 9, 1883 – May 9, 1885 Franklin Edson Joseph Koch (President)James Matthews (Treasurer)Lucius J.N. Stark May 9, 1885 – late 1886 or early 1887 William R. Grace (2nd term) Lucius J.N. Stark (President)James Matthews (Treasurer)Joseph Koch late 1886 or early 1887 Abram Hewitt Lucius J.N. Stark (President)James Matthews (Treasurer)Charles H. Marshall May 9, 1887 – May 22, 1888 Abram Hewitt Lucius J.N. Stark (President)James Matthews (Treasurer)Edwin A. Post May 22, 1888 – November 9, 1888 Abram Hewitt Edwin A. Post (President)James Matthews (Treasurer)Vacant November 9, 1888 – December 21, 1888 Abram Hewitt Edwin A. Post (President)James Matthews (Treasurer)Charles A. Silliman December 21, 1888 – May 22, 1889 Abram HewittHugh J. Grant Edwin A. Post (President)James Matthews (Treasurer)J. Sergeant Cram May 22, 1889 – May 29, 1891 Hugh J. Grant Edwin A. Post (President)James J. Phelan (Treasurer)J. Sergeant Cram May 29, 1891 – May 1, 1893 Hugh J. Grant J. Sergeant Cram (President)James J. Phelan (Treasurer)Andrew J. White May 1, 1893 – March 21, 1895 Thomas F. GilroyWilliam L. Strong J. Sergeant Cram (President)James J. Phelan (Treasurer)Edward C. O'Brien March 21, 1895 – March 23, 1895 William L. Strong Edward C. O'Brien (President)James J. Phelan (Treasurer)Edwin Einstein March 23, 1895 - May 6, 1895 William L. Strong Edward C. O'Brien (President)Edwin Einstein (Treasurer)John Monks May 6, 1895 – December 31, 1897 William L. Strong New York, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island consolidated as the City of New York (January 1, 1898) J. Sergeant Cram (President)Charles F. Murphy (Treasurer)Peter F. Meyer January 1, 1898 – January 1, 1902 Robert Van Wyck Single commissioner appointed by the mayor McDougall Hawkes January 1, 1902 – January 1, 1903 Seth Low Maurice Featherson January 1, 1904 – January 1, 1904 George Brinton McClellan, Jr. John A. Bensel January 1, 1904 – January 30, 1908 George Brinton McClellan, Jr. Vacant January 30, 1908 – February 10, 1908 Allan Newhall Spooner February 10, 1908 – July 1, 1909 George Brinton McClellan, Jr. Calvin Tomkins January 2, 1910 – April 2, 1913 George Brinton McClellan, Jr.,William Jay Gaynor Robert A.C. Smith April 2, 1913 – December 31, 1917 William Jay GaynorJohn Purroy Mitchel Murray Hulbert January 1, 1918 – December 31, 1921 John F. Hylan John H. Delaney January 1, 1922 – June 30, 1924 John F. Hylan Michael J. Cosgrove (1864–1931) July 1, 1924 – April 30, 1931 John F. HylanJimmy Walker Hylan died in office Vacant April 30, 1931 – May 25, 1931 Jimmy Walker John McKenzie May 25, 1931 – December 31, 1941 Jimmy Walker,Joseph V. McKee,John P. O'Brien,Fiorello H. La Guardia McKenzie became Commissioner of the Department of Marine and Aviation – newly established January 1, 1942 (or a re-naming of the Department of Docks and Ferries) to reflect expanded responsibilities, including aviation facilities such as the Marine Air Terminal at LaGuardia Airport.

Commissioner of Docks and Ferries of the City of New York

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