Any person who sustains injuries to his person or whose property is damaged by the negligent construction, development, improvement, maintenance or operation of any wharf, dock, warehouse, building, right of way, terminal railway or other property under the control of any city or any commission of any city of over fifty thousand inhabitants in connection with the maintenance or operation of the port or terminal facilities of such city in this State may recover actual damages in an action against such city or such commission of such city for such injuries to his person or damage to his property as though he had been injured or his property had been damaged by the agency of a private corporation. But there shall be no recovery in any such action for an amount in excess of ten thousand dollars. Whenever the death of a person shall be caused by any injuries sustained under such circumstances and conditions as would have entitled the party so injured to recover damages under this section, if death had not ensued, then the right of action for such injuries and death shall survive to and may be enforced by the personal representative of such person in the same manner as is now provided by law for actions by administrators and executors when death results from personal injuries and such provisions of law shall be applicable to all such actions. But there shall be no recovery in any such action for an amount in excess of ten thousand dollars.