New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-03-31

.hich COMMITTEE consists Of Messrs. Wakeman, Han.
ford Sluyttr TGsry and sherman: II viii be rec,,-
Dected that Mr.. Hsnford is from Brooklyn 1.-THE VII
sm,hurgh District and Mr. Siuyter from the City Of
New. York.
seyers meetings have been held by the COMMITTEES,
10 ear the parties interested the last Of whchor at
least what vas announced TO be the ast-was on the
18th of March rst, and sttenc cd by the Hon C.
p. Smith lof the Sepstel; A. Perry Secretary of the
Unicn Ferry Co.; Mr. Stranahan late Member of Con-
grers from Brooklyn; Mr.. Fiske, formerly Member
OF Assembly, 10 behalf of the Union Ferry Company,
in opposiion to the bill for regulating the Ferrss and
by A. II Dana, N. S. Beach ard by the Hon. j. j.
owen (of the Assembly, in support of the bill
The subject was fully discussed on both sides, and
the Con ulttee after q long and patient hearing,
Az iourned to meet at o'clock the Dext morning. for
the puptse of deciding upop heir report. No quorQn
was obi aimed at the time fixed upon but it was in
formally o. mmunicsted by members Of the COMMITTEES,
a. recet airy. and that. al the first meeting of the
Committee which was expected to be 10 the afternoon
of The ssme day. vote ehOuld be taken.
Since ths. time no further action has been had, 40
far as known the writer of this commune ston ex-
cept that it was informally LETT Messrs Sluyter and
Hspord to prepare the form Of the report AM il thes
has been further bearing upon the merits, has been
Without notice to the friends of the bill. have 1t,
indeed ct secoDd hand that member of the House
proessd to have been convinced that the bill ought not
10 be passed by argument Of srAssembiymaa Fiske
before the Con mittee. If there has ,en such agu
ment it has been since the 18th inst for be certain
m, de none on u at occasion. But more inclined
IN believe rbs the argument hes been outside OF any
rev u,r meeting; snd regret that the Committee by
II er oesy in reporting should have given any coua
t.papce TO the io that their deliberations have been
il uepced by considerations not presented In the pres
eI &C Of the opposing party.
or what nature or low weighty the argument %
Mr.. er-As,emh,man Fisks may have been, l am, Of
course, unable 10 say.
This is all the reformation have respecting the &C
ton of the Committee and | shall only add brief
81 fba da hef. ra
II sss claimed in behslt OF the citizens Of Brooklyn
that the Union Ferfy Company have undertaken 70
msks changes in the management OF the ferries which
ore in conflict with Obligations entered into by them
and with former leg sstve provisions respecting Ter
,sge The legislative provisions are: LIST. law
parsed in 1873 apply irg 10 all ferries then existing or
witch should thereafter be established. ID law
usssfd in 1874 relating 10 the Fulton Ferry alone, oy
which the rate Of ferisye raised from two 10 four
cents for single passenger but cauie was inserted
reourpg the l. ssees to grant Communication TO every
resident upon Long Isano ar the rete OF so year. IL
wss proved that from that Ii ne has been the UNIFORM
usage 10 grant Communication all toe erres, And on
some of them within few yearspss at tees rate hsa
that specfed in the ac AID was aso sho w that the
lease Of the Fulton South sId Hamilton Ferries, nov
held by the Union Ferry Company, contains c'adse
that The essees will not ask higher rates OF commute.
ton than rad heretofore been exsced, schedule OF
which annexed to the lease.
IT might be supposed tuat this clause had reference
only The South and Hamilton Ferries. as the act OF
1914 preecrired Communication at the Fulton; but the
Company have taken The ground that they Will allow
communication at of the ferries. The reasons upon
which they rely to sustain this departure from all
former usage in apparently open anagon'm with the
act of the Legislature and wn the covenant contained
in their own lease they have not thought proper to dis
close not even to the Committee OF the Legislature
1t was then insisted in support of the proposed bill,
that if thee colorado grounds tor evasion Oi
s1istirg lave there shoud be act pasfed only "a
decIaratory of what intended by former enact
nens. But both of the laws referred to are OF an
old 6afe and in many respects unsuted to the exigen
cies growing out of the immensely increased popua-
tion of the two cities it would be emnently proper
That if theie is to be any legislation it should be com.
pete in itsef and more fully adapted to the present
state of things.
passenger fare was two cents Steamboats, were put
on the following year. in consideration of which the
fare was raised TO four cents. II may be question
whether This provision as well as that OF communication,
was not limited to the then existing lease. If So the
esstes of the different ferries since the expiration
of thst lease have had no legal right to cha;ge the
rates which on most of them have been eIsced or else
they must claim that the Law OF 1913 is obsolee sad in-
applicable because il had reference to horse ooas.
The Union Ferry Company 90 not choose to enight-
en- TIRE pubic with their views this subject and we
are left TO infer that they deem themselves to be under
10 regulation by law.
This beirs the case if they have any color for such
an opibiop il would That the citizens OF Brooky
are d. pendent upon the Corporation Of the City OF
New.York for all regulations Of fare end communication,
snd other matters appertsinpg to pubic convenience
in the use of these ferries. How far depend
upon the Coporstionof Newiofk in this respsc. msy
be indeed of by the carelessness exhibited 10 the Law
of 1851 which allows the lessees las they claim to
cape from the perfo, OF what was. undoubtedly
well understood 10 be condition of the lease VIZ. the
granting Of O. mnus'ion at specified rate And 1t
nav be easily oressen that the ATTENTION Of that body
will be mere directed 10 the rem. which they exact for
the ferries, the payment of which is In the present
lease secured by the most stringent provisions than to
the sccou mediation Of the ctizeDs Of Brooksn By Low
rates of fare ard the securing Of such facitie, fer
ries that can afford to p.y such an enormous rent
Gus ht TO be required to fansh Ii Is wer cocsloer
rg whether it operates justy II leave to the City OF
Nev.Ycrk to determine its own compensation; but
certainly il can sdmit Of no doubt that the u!aon
Of the fenes involving the daily convenience OF 30
nspy thousands of our fellow ci,izens, should not os
left TO the arbitrary discretion o Corporation having
Lo interest in the subject, and to the mere chance OF
proper attention by the Cooperation Counsel and other
officers nc enforced by law.
Upon the details of the bill now before the Legss-
ture offer commens The real Issue 10 shether there
sbsll be La to regulate the ferries or not. And it
will add not little 20 the dstrust already existing 10
reesid to The good faith Of the present Unloa rery
Co npsny If il sbsll turn out that they have hal thu
power and been willing to use t. to prevent the acaon
Of the Legislature upon plain case 10 that when
have stated. MEMBER
Of the Executive Committee Of Citizens.