38 F. 159 | U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Southern New York | 1889
Section 6, subd. 2, of the act of 1871, c.. 574, gives the department of docks exclusive charge and control of the wharf property belonging to the corporation, including all wharves thereon now owned by the corporation, “the said department to have exclusive charge and control of the repairing, building, and maintaining and protecting said property.” This specific provision makes it the duty of the department of docks to maintain and keep in repair the wharf on the east side of Blackwell’s island, although the use of the dock is solely for the benefit of the department of charities and corrections, and, like all other property appropriated to the use of that department, is in its general “custody and keeping.” The title to the property is still in the city. There are many cases in which the city has been held liable for failure to keep the docks in proper repair since, as well as before, the act of 1871. Kennedy v. Mayor, 73 N. Y. 365; Heissenbuttel v. Mayor, 30 Fed. Rep. 456; Macauley v. Mayor, 67 N. Y. 602, and cases there cited. These decisions could only proceed upon the view that the department of docks was regarded as the agent of the municipality in performing the various duties devolved upon it by the act of 1871. In the case first cited the court say: “The city was charged with the duty of keeping the dock in a safe condition.” The wharf, in this case, was not, indeed, for the use of the general pub-