New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-11-03
THE BROOKLYN FERRIES
To ne ESitsr Of fhe y. Y. Tritsss

SIR: In order 70 elucidsts The i.sus ,..,....,
ferries involved at this election, ,A.ll 80. 'as
p,oposiors which will be inteEgibls 10 evsr, -
1t i, claimed that the ferries oasb, 70 be ~. !.
the 10 wes rate of fare that will yield ,uisis,s r,s.,
10 insure such accommodations az pubic eoeys.....
requires. To this the Uniop Ferry Company 49,.
that they serse to the principle, aud that ell tA.ysi
is dividend of s per cent on their capital ME- ~.
ing expenses. This seems pAusible, but vill b s.sl
TO be mere deception when We look at the two i,..
of capital and expenses. Tbrsefourths Of thA q
called capital is made up of speculative prices a.,
10 have been paid for certain ferries brought MAJ
corcer By tome arrangement with certain par
who had acquired the proprietOrship Of them. xs~
praisement Was ever made of the properly by en- =
Interested party, and no man, not even member I
the Feny Company, will seriously pretend nst W
worth any such sum as is alleged 70 have beea psa
The Union Ferry Company, holding at the time &
three be ferries between Nsw-York aud Bso,klM
viz: the Fulton. South, and IL hamilton street Fenx
the capital invested in which was estimsfsd b
them az little less than $DO,OOO ppoa As
purchase of the additional ferries lWs1 stHse
Cstbarips, Roosevelt, and Governeur street. Pse
RESI- determined their capital to be 500 Thero
was thus a nominal addition to their capital 4
100000, and yet, according to the esanses 4
the Company, not one of the ferries thus bsseht
in has paid its own expenses, but hss been eoes.1a
drain upon the receipts Of the other ferries prevOuiy
held. This large sum then hes been expended II
what does not yield dollar OF revenue, according
the publithed statements Of the Company ssd on he
cop,rsry hes absorbed largely the income they wore
slre adv in receipt of. leave Il 10 any intelligent man
10 saw VA Their it is withiE the bounds Of oFsdiouJ
that this was q bona fde purchase We heow Sons
thing of tie Directors of the Union Ferry Sompss5
and do not need 70 be informed that among then teen
are some of our shrewdest ard best calcaiaons nsa
such at ali events they have sbewn themselves "
in their private business Is It supposaoie, toen that
they mi.jadged the value GO OF tne proper, 'aoy
purcb asipg &c to pay 5000 OoO Tor what was usf
own showing utterly wortblessI
But. as l am charitaby disposed, i will relieve
them As far az can from this unpleasant dilemma
When we examine the matter more cosely, We fM
that these ferries hare paid their expen.es and rnu
hare done so at the former rate, but they would n9
nav the et ht per cent dividend the estimated vs
at which they were put in. The result then L. Tat
an arbitrary sum has been fixed Is the value OF ee
ferries, which every one knowing anything az an
the nature and productive eapaciiy Oh the properly
knew to be entirely extravagant. This has been nAd1
part Of the capital and because the ferries thus add
would not yield q revenue proporionate to the go
n ated value, the other ferries which did py
eight per cent upon the capital invested were Y
make I'd the deficiency Bat not tshshed with ~
surplu. which the latter would yield at the rate Offer
riage then existing, an increased rate imposed sue
ccmmutation is abrogated This change mas prodnced
large accumulation after payment OF expenses "a
not the statistics of 1857 but the fact is sufficiently
shown by the receipts and ditures OF the prey
Gus year. And how 10 that excess disposed of
know no solution short Of ascertainisg the purchase
of property made by them, which tss{ WI Do entitled
which they will remain owners. SO that the pressn
revenue Of the ferries is now actually ontrbutings
capital to these gentlemen in addition TO thew yssf
dividend upon capital great part Of which xx
existed. ~
1t is for such purpose that tho citizens Of Brooke
lyn are paying rate Of fare entirely beyond whate
necessary for the support OF the lerries-ssd fhss
time when the resources Of most families are cuft&ed
10 an extent making the shictest economy ndisfsns
able.
H. Iii. claimed that communication shosld ber restored
Until this gigantic speculation wss got up BY the UnDA
Ferry Company, 1t has been the practice % d q NE
East River FerrieS from the time that steam srry-
boats have been used to grant to all the crcsers q
the ferries Communication at the rate Of $lg snausy
with considerable DEDUCTION in favor OF females ana
boys. Under the present rate, II we suppose ma
to crcss twice in the day to New: York-whicn nme
Sundays, SIS year. And even if he does NOT cross
as often as that daily. yet the calls OF bosiness
at particular times make II necessary to go oven m
frequently. The present regu atons especially seeS
and who scanty earnings i'll afford to bear this tax
None exempt from the two cents ferrisge except
boys and girls under the age Of ~ years. One woal4
speculate upon public necessties would st Least ssvs
been Ditgated In favor Of this large and elias
Of the community, and that they would voluntarily
have allowed to females and 10 apprentices aud Office
boys Communication at less rate. The utter absence
Of any provision such a. would have been dictated ~
common humanity lie decisive proof what reason We
have to expect from the Company any action beneficial
TO the public interest Of their own mere motion.
The present course is also the more sggrsvafia<
becsuse II is not the exercise Of an undspatsd legal
right but direct open violation Of Of the cove
N in he fba nj
under which they hold. will not argue the question:
for have heard iLtimatiOn from any one tn@
it is not evasion of the spirit and intent Of me
leases And as to the legal right might .. hss eesn
decision of the Courts but for the dstory exPeden~
of the Company.
III II Is II sisted that under the circumstances
have briefly adverted to the Company ought mol 70 %
left in possession OF any arbitrary power. Wnsssy~
may be said as to the present rate Of feIrage M
deniable that some discrimination is called fof ihs
poor snd ndUstio cass entitled TO consideration
and all classes of the community have the ngn ~
msnd communication. Indeed, it has been hitherto ~"
heard Of railroads and ferries that Is should % !"
fused. ~
Why is it that this Company have so strenuousy ~
ssted the passage Of law for the regulation Oh -
res? Why ia it they are now in the heid opposIdS
with all their Influence the election oil tnose csus
dates to the Legislature who have been Known ~
in favor of such law II they are really ss.snsI,
as they profess TO be- with such profits a. tns E
stated in the first proposition would sllow, sna .r
whole argument privately used by them snu . IN.
irierds IL not hollow pretense, mere sun1euass, "a
not agree to law embracing what they ssy tnsy az
willing to conceGef But no. it is not Tor unaes ~
ference between them ard citizens that tney cos
make such array of ioross last Winter at Aosay
opposition to any action OF the Legislature, enc ~
find 90 many busy to defect certain csndsas'es
at this election.
Nv. If the Company are wiling 10 make tnls W.
cole hsue at the present election cihzsos VINO ~
sken an interest in the N after called upon 70 ~
the same thing. We shalt be relieved Of al doubt
10 the candidates We can most rely upon BY observing
who are most opposed BY the Company.
Among these candidates there are nfee sgnnss