The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-15


ought to yield large annual revenue to the city and
the ratio of the increase to some extent at least,
ought to keep pace with the growth OF the city, and
the surrounding country having intercourse with it
through the medium Of the ferries.
The ferry leases, or those which have examined,
do not contain any provision for making reports to
the corporation in regard to the amount received an
nuay for ferriage or any particulars respecting tile
operations of the ferry which would enable the cor
poraton to fix value to its property, or the amount
OF rent to be exacted on renewal OF the lease. The
received at the several ferries which are con-
nected with this city indicating the number of per-
passing to and from the city, would be interest
ing and valuable statistical fact merely; and as
the means of asceraining the value Of the city
property these returns are indispensable.
In all cases where the ferry landings have been re-
leased, or on renewal Of lease, ought to be fixed by
sale of the ferry privilege at public auction The
provision in the lease to have the boats valued at the
close of the term would secure all the equitable
rights Of the original lessee and the competition
would protect the interests Of the CITY, The revenue
arising from ferries pledged to the public creditors
for the payment of interest and it is incumbent on
the trustees Of the sinking fund to every effort in
their power to improve this source Of revenue.
Statement No. 10 is list Of the ferries, and shows
the annual rent and terms of lease
REVENUE FROM CITY RAILROADS.
Leaving to the proper, authorities oil questions
roads in the streets Of the city it is deemed not only
proper, but duty, to present q few suggestions in
regard to the propriey Of requiring the city railroads
to give the public in some way an equivalent for the
agreements under which they enjoy monopoly, as
far railroad travel is concerned, OF the most i'm
portant portion OF an avenue. For this privilege the
company might be required to keep the entire ave-
nue. paved between the curb stones, and clean the
streets. This would be moderate compensation to
the public for furnishing, not only graded line for
the road, but thoroughfare already filed with more
passengers than they can accommodate. In all cases
80 -. tnoo a. an
lem river, each railroad company, condition for
its extension ought to be required to pay the expense
of grading and paving the avenue, in proportion to
the number of feet occupied by its double track and
the public ought to have the benefit of all revenue
beyond ten per cent, in q reduction Of fare, or d.
rect annual revenue might be cxacted which would
go TO lessen taxation on the city
cty render Valuable to the public for the
privilege of laying their rails on the graded avenues
And yet these roads aordng such great facilities to
the trade and commerce Of the city are placed on
different footing from the city railroads. Take for
example the Hudson River Railroad at an expense
of ten millions and lalI of dollars its stockholders
have prepared road which brings the commercial
and political capitals of the State within four hours
Of each other, at a cost to each person Of twelve
shillngs, thus producing wonderful saving in
time and money to the millions who annually
traverse the valley Of the Hudson. And yet this
company, instead Of having the right Of way given,
and the avenue graded for it to Harlem river, paid
at least hundred thousand dollars for the right of
way on the island, and five times that amount for
grading. And where the avenues were not actually
opened, the company paid to the individuals fronting
ON the avenue two hundred dollars a lot for the
quantity occupied by the company in the avenue.
In addition to this, the company was prohibited in
the ordnance from running any stated trains below
Thrty-second street, taking pay from passengers,
under penalty Of s25 in each case. These the
conditions in a case where company Of capitalists
were opening important avenue to the city for one
hundred and forty miles, where the right Of way cost
them at least $500 000 and the whole outlay not less
than ten and half millions OF dollars.
In this view of the subject, it seems to me that
every person not BIASED by adverse interest must
come to the conclusion that these great thorough
special advantage Of few individuals, those ind
viduals ought to yield to the public fair equivalent
for this great privilege, and the value Of which is to
increase with the growth Of the city
If reasonable portion of the expense of opening
ard grading the avenues is exacted from the railroad
companies which are to be benefited it will be
check on premature movements in opening and
grading avenues, and the imposition of enormous
Second avenue, where 500 900 will probably be as
sessed on the city to be paid by taxation should be
an admontion TO the city authorities on this point.
If spectators in railroad stock and contracts to
havethe avenues by partial confscaton Of the adj
joining property, and tax the city, and then are
to have the of those graded avenues and prsfta
BILE horoughiares, to be kept in repair at the public
expense, they ought TO pay large revenue to the
cut down to accommodate the railroads, beyond what
is required for the benefit Of the operty the roads
thus accommodated ought TO be charged with the
additional expense.
EXTRA CONVERSATION TO THE JUDGES OF TIE So.
PEEHH CoCRT.
An account has been presented to me of John w.
Edmonds, a Judge of the Supreme Court in this
district, for $780, being an extra compensation al
lowed him by resolution Of the Board Of Super
visors Of the 9th Of December last The resolution
ia ms rked I not
asked TO draw warrant on the treasury, for
the reason that the Judge absent and the neces
sary vouchers could not be given but was request
ed to say that the amount would be paid on the re-
ceipt of the proper vouchers. This declined to do
Although the Legislature has passed an act de-
claring that the supervisors may make this allow
ance and the supervisors have passed a resolution
according TO the law, 1t seems TO me that the const
tgtion which ! have sworn to support in the dis
charge OF my duty, is the paramount authority, and
must control my action in this case Sec. T. art o.
Of the constitution reads as follows
" The Judges of the Court Of Appeals and Justices
Of the Supreme Court shall severally receive, at
stated times for their services compensation to be
established by law which shall not be decreased or
diminished during their continuance in office"
The Judges Of the Supreme Court in the several
judicial dttrcs are State judges, and their compen
sation is TO be fixed by law and paid from the State
treasury If the district Of New York requires greater
judicial force than osher districts 1t has the antbor
ty to provide for their election, and their salaries
must be paid from the State treasury; and there ia
provision in the constitution TO charge any portion
of this expense the treasury Of the county Of New
York.
II is said however that the Section Of the consti.
tuition Just referred to- extends only to alteration
Of the salary far the State Treasury IL concern
ion, by increasing the salary during the tenn which
hey intended TO prevent by acting on the sSpervi- |
'ors of New York, instead Of acting on the STATE
reasury directly }