The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-11-03

AGAINST THE UNION FERRY COMPANY
good deal Of excitement has heeu caused by
a recent alteration in the tariff of the Union Ferry
Company, by which the system Of Communication
fer foot passengers has been abolished and the
distinction between large manufacturers and
small dealers in the issue of cart tickets done
away with. Some hard Language has been used
against the company for these changes, and it is
charged against them that their inordnate Gu
pioity will be satisfied with no reasonable COM
mercial gains. We are not in the habit Of inter-
posing between the public and any just object Of
resentment, but We are advocates Of fair play,
and we think it but right to recall to the recoec-
tion of the persons who make these complaints
certain facts which appear to US to modify, ii
| they do not entirely alter, the aspect Of tksr
asc.
Previous 70 the consolidation Of the Brooklyn
! ferries in the Union Company they were in the
| hands Of four or five different companies, who
| could not Flake them pay. We all recoiiect TO
| what impcrfectioR Of accommodation and gene
| al inconvenience this cramped condition Of the
! revenues Of these ferries gave rise Some OF the
| old coats then used are stll in existence, and
afford, in their narrow dimensions, ineIegant fiji
| tings and clumsy machinery, a striking illustra-
ton Of the progress that has since been made in
these matters. In sach an unsatisfactory state OF
things, but with the prospect that tie
rapid increase Of the population Of Brooklyn
would improve it in the course OF time, it be-
| came obvious that the only means Of keeping
the ferries going and of ultimately rendering
them profitable, was ty q junction of the diff
ferent interests, aud they were accordingly
! merged into the present Union Company. 10
or0er to encourage az much as possible an in
| ilux OF population into Brooklyn, it was then
| resolved to reduce the ferriAge on the different
| lines from three to one cent for foot passen-
gers, and proportionately for vehicles. This ar
| rangement was continued until last year, when.
finding that none Of the ferries, with the excep-
ton OF that Of Fulton street, paid expenses, the
directors came to the conclusion that al aug
| mentation of the tolls was necessary. They ac-
cordiDsly raised the fare of foot passengers to
two cents, allowing discount of about twenty
five per cent on the purchase Of tickets with the
privilege Of committing as before. These alter
aiicns gave great dissatisfaction at the time
and exposed the company to much obloquy. 1t
was argued that their profits were sufficiently
large 20 enable them to continue their fares at
the same low rate as previously, and it was
in vain that the company alleged in their
defence that the high prices Of Goals,
with other causes, kept down their re-
venue to a point which did not en-
able them to pay fair dividend to the stock
holders and provide against contingent losses.
Thus matters remained, q faint hope existing OF
the part Of the Brooklyn people that with a
prospective reduction in the price of fuel and an
increase in the number Of passengers the fares
would be reduced TO their former standard. The
notice inst published by the company has, how
eyeg dispeiled this Illusion and instead Of a dmu
milton il the tolls, we are now TO have another in
crease. The worst OF the matter Is, that in the
present instance there is but toomuch reason to be-
lierc that the company have reason on their side,
and that there is very little prospect of their be-
Ing able to effect any reduction for some years to
come
In their recent statement VIC find il alleged that
'hc receipts from the ferries instead Of increasing
a. they bad anticipated. had diminished consider
ally daring the las. twelve months. They do not
enter into al explanation Of the causes OF dis de-
crease, but thcy at once suggest themselves. II is
well known that the unprecedented severity OF the
last winter drove large numb r. Of the residents
OF Brooklyn to New York--the inconyenienccs
which people in business sustained from the diifi
Guilty Oh crossing whilst the iceprevaled being too
great for them to think Of again cncoun-
tering them. The effect OF this migration
on the value Of real estate in Brooklyn was r..
narlahlc. Rents went down nj least ten Pc
cent in the best localities and an unusually larg1
number of houses remained untcnantca. The
yellow fever contributed In no small degree to
further affect the receipts Of The company Vast
numbers Of persons who were in the habit OF
boarding in Brooklyn fed from it when the
alarm became general; and numbers Of families
who had been passing the summer months in the
country were induced by the samc cause TO post
ponc their return until late in the fall. Add 10
these circumstances the fact that The number OF
stores and markets in Brooklyn has increased
largely within the present year. and that the
facilities for buying goods and provisions on rca-
sonable terms are almost as great IN the sister
city as here. People residing habitually in
Brooklyn, unless engaged in Business on this side
Of the water have now little or no occasion 70
come to New York, and this il not one OF the
least important Of the influences which have
brought about the result 10 which our attention
has been drawn.
The smi-annual dividend paid by the com
many to the stockholders up TO the present time
has been -four per cent This would Be a fair
enough return were their property protected in
addition against all risks. To reimburse to them
at the final winding NJ Of the concern the full
amount Of the money invested, II will, however
BE- necessary TO provide adequately against the
depreciation in the value Of the beats, ferry
fixtures &c There Is also another contingency