Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-10-11
RAID OF II III e II M d 5.
From the Boston Gazette Of Monday.

From the Boston Gazette OF Monday.
We have received the following letter from
the President Of the Boston and New York
Transportation Company, in reply to com
munication which appeared IN our paper
last week. 1t affords US pleasure 70 insert
it,
OrrIcE OF THE BosroN y N. Y.
TRANSPORTATION COMPANY,
.N,o York Oct. 3, 1888.
To The Editors of The Daily Ctniinet and
Gazette:
GENTLEMEN Your paper of yesterday
contains a communication full Of severe char
ges against the Boston and N. York Trans
portation Company. Tho writer, whose
name it seems accompanied his conmunlca-
ton, desires to support his assertions by
statement of facts, and it is in respect to such
Of the alleged facts as concern our Company,
that we now address you. With the author
we have, at present, nothing to do, nor with
the affairs Of any other Steamboat Company.
1t is m error that the Transportation Com
pany avow determination to monopolZe
even the Providence route, much less the
sound. They established their line by the
purchase, in whole or in part, Of all The steam
boats then plying between Providence and
New York, on terms satisfactory to the seve-
raj owners, and by the equipment OF three
first class steamers. Their Investment was,
therefore, heavy amount. That tkis in
vcstmcnt should be protected by further ex-
penditures, If necessary, is no more than or
dinary prudence requires, and such is, there
fore, the determination of the Company
They certainly TO not intend to be driven of
the route, to the sacrifice of their property. II
they can by any fair means avoid it. The
fare fixed by the Company for their steamers
has long been before the public as matter OF
contract with tho Boston and Providence
Rail Road Company. The rates are lower
than those charged on this route before the
Company commenced operations, as Is well
known. Other steamboat owners, at differ
ent times, have reduced the fare below the
rates adopted by us, and we make no COM
plant of the measure. Surely we may follow
the example thus set us, and decide for our
selves how great Il reduction may best suit
our interest. The reductions by this Com
pany have, in every case, been made after
| their opponents had fallen below their rates,
and at present but one dollar less than the
fare ofa new steamer is charged i'll any OF
their steamers.
Il 1t is an error, that the Transportation
Company have ever enjoyed whole season
without opposition. There has been no such
season since their organization. As to "prot.
its of one thousand dollars per day." we need
not fear to assert that no intelligent man ever
dreamed Of such thing. Tho statement is
utterly untrue.
Il 1t is an error, that an order so preposterous
as that stated TO have been given, has been
made by the Transportation Company. NO
| order in any way resembling It has been
| made, either by the trustees or officers OF the
| Company. Orders were issued, and have
been executed, to fit the Narragansett in all
respects, so as to give her stability and an
improved rate of speed; and also that when
another steamer accompanied her thus ma
king a trial of speedy no reasonable and prop
er excrt,on should be omitted to ensure sue
cess, but that in no case was the SAFETY OF
passengers and property to be put in hazard
| We aver that, in pursuance of this order
| SAFETY has never been disregardcd.
1t is an error, that the Narragansctt has
| been run without cables at this or any other
season Of the year. She has mrr made
a passage with less than itro cables and an
chors, abundantly adequate for her safety
one chain cable and one OF hemp. This was
her condition on the trip TO which reference
is made. The deviation from the usual
course, on the first trip of last week, was not
unsafe, (othcr steamers have taken the same
course within q few months, as all know who
are acquainted with the west passage to
| Providence. The condition Of the engine oi
the Narragansctt rendered it imprudcnt to
stop its motion. The delivery raipe and bon.
net joinis were so much out OF order, that the
nachinist who repaired them on her arriva!
at Providence, was Of opinion that If the en-
gine had been stopped, the complete loss OF
racuum would have rendered it diiicnlt to
start again. AS there was no danger to any
one in proceeding, it was wise not to land al
\ Newport.
On the trip Of Saturday night last, the N
was not without her two cables and anchors
She WAS in every respect well provided
against oil the dangers of navigation. Her
passengers for Newport were landed, with
their consent previously obtained, in the
small boat, having but a short distance to
perform from The steamer to the wharf, prob
ably not more than quarter Of mile. The
pressure of steam on this trip was also with
in the limits known to be perfectly secure,
and much below that carried by many steam
ers of the present day.
We have said nothing of other steamers,
as VIC are unwilling to state as facts the va
rious reports which reach us and indeed
with n caution so strongly before us rs Is
furnished by the communication to which we
have referred, it would be impossible. We
state concerning ourselves what we can
prove if need be, and we have now only to
assure you, that no "reckless, hazardous or
criminal disregard Of human life" shall be
truly chargcable upon the Transportation
Co., its officers or agents.
ROBERT SCHUYLER,
Pres. Boston aud New York Trans. Co.