The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-09-15

purpose. boats should be run al least every five
minutes on the ferries between this city and New
Jersey, during the summer season, and al least
every ten minutes during the winter. The price
of ierriage should also be limited to certain rate
above which no Ferry Company should charge,
under the penalty Of forfeiture. AT present, the
ferrage between Jersey City and New York is
SIX and quarter cents for distance less than
one:mie. This would be at the rate of ten dol
lars between here and Albany, and yet the Al
bany boats do not carry one twentieth part of the
number of passengers that is carried by the Jcr-
sey city ferry and can afford to run for dollar and
sometimes for fifty cents. The Fulton ferry, own
ed by our own citizens, pays rent nearly equal
to that paid by all the other ferries combined, and
is limited to charging two cents for passengers.
Why should we make a scarecrow of ferry
owned by our citizens, and allow others owned
by people Of another State to charge what they
pleasel There is no justice in it, and it shonld
not be tolerated for one hour longer than it can
be helped.
It may be sad however, that there is no way
by which we can rid our citizens of the burdens
they are suffering before the term expires for
which leases have already been granted. This
is not so, as we cax show. The leases to some of
the ferries were given on certain conditions,
which have never been kept. These companies
were bound to boat from their respective
slips every five or ten minutes-we are not GER
tain which, but IT was either--and they have not
done so. BY violating their contract in this re-
spect they have forfeited their leases if the City
Council chooses to insist upon it, and the slips
verified back to the Common Council. This body,
then, have full right and power to make another
lease to any other company they wish to give one
to, and they should do 50 at once.
There are many of our enterprisRg capitalists,
willing to pay ten or fifteen thousand dollars a
year, for the use of the slip foot of Courtland
street, and bind themselves to charge only three
cents for ferriage, and run boat every five or
ten minutes night and day, all the year, provided
the Common Council will abrogate the lease at
present existing, which they have perfect right
to do. We are credibly informed too, that the
Common Council OF Jersey City will give the les
sees Of our Common Council the exclusive use of
a slip or slips on the other side of the river, at
mere nominal rent
The present century is marked by hostility to
all monopoies. Several have fallen within few
years before the strength of the people, and if
these have escaped the general wreck, it is only
because they have been overlooked. We there
fore respectfully request the city convention to
take this matter in hand, and insert provision
in the new city charter, similar to the one we
have proposed, and we call upon the Common
Council to declare the leases of ferry companies
that have not fulfilled their contracts, annulled,
and to put the slips up at auction, and release
the same to the highest bidder, on conditions
that will be satisfactory to the public. These con-
ditions should embrace cheap ferriage, and full
accommodation for passengers night and day.
II there is no member of the Common Council
possessed of sufficient nerve to bring the matter
to crisis then let the people resort to the ballot
box, and let the next charter election turn, as has
the election in our sister city across the Hudson
for two or three years past, on the question of
''water rights and no monopolies."