55 Pa. Stat. § 451
That no ship or vessel, which by the law of the United States may be subject to the duties of tonnage, shall be permitted to moor at, or otherwise occupy any wharf within the city or liberties of Philadelphia, without leave first had and obtained from the owner or possessor thereof: Provided always, That if such leave be duly applied for by the owner, agent, master, or other person having charge of any such ship or vessel and refused by the owner or possessor of any wharf within the limits aforesaid, being vacant in the whole, or such part as may reasonably accommodate the ship or vessel so applied for, and such vacancies shall not be occupied by some ship or vessel in which the owner or possessor of the wharf hath an immediate interest, for twenty-four hours after such application and refusal, it shall then and in such case be lawful for the ship or vessel first applied for, to be moored at, and occupy such wharf or part thereof, for so long time as shall be requisite for the dispatch of her business, subject, nevertheless, to the control and direction of the master warden for the time being.
55 P.S. § 451