New-York tribune., 1867-03-12
OUR FERRIES.

l'EroRl oF lhE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE on COMMERCE
AND NAVIGATION IN RELATION TO OUR FERRIEs-
THEIR FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
sV TELEGRAPH rRIBrsE
ALBANY, March 1.-THE AssemblsCommttec on
Commerce and Navigation will Tomorrow submit their
report, giving the result Of their investigations Of the
ferry system Of NcwYorl1. The main and substantial
points of this report l transmit
THE UNION PERRY co.
a great many complaints were made against The InCn
Ferry Company many Of which, the Commttee think
pany had at least in instance discontinued the run
ming of the boats OF its ferries without sufficient
f aSf' dark e Tsn nSG not dS s &Rs & ] s
to accommodate the public; that IN case of iog t
thai that the s''@SSP Company has not exhibited proper
energy IN overcoming the obstacles when eouiu sh
public greatly delayed and damaged thereby, tha
the rates Of fare both for foot passengers and vehicles
exOrbant that sufficient safeguards were not pro
vided by the Company for the safety OF life and limb tha
the profits OF the ferry were enormous that e
it was applied for Of salaries n bEdns E ferry
houses given to friends OF the company at exorb
ant contract prices for the purpose % Si.teS al
the ferries belonging toe Company inspected the b0as
ferry houses and reparshops, ana possessed themselves
fully in relation 70 all matters in detail pertaining thereto
the Company and they find that but few OF the above
allegations proven They are also OF the opinion
that the fact Of company transporting iOO0 persons
a year, across three ferries, with such such
n,S he@. almost % so%clSsSo % that the management Of
these ferries although eulpsble In some minor minor
ever, inspection they found these boats as well rs
those Of oil the other ferries, greatly deficient III e
saving apparatus and that IN case Of accidents their re
upon other boats would In casc OF fog DO utterly
inadequate The Cogmttee however say that the a 9Sen
boats from one Of their ferries without any notice % TO e
that It should not be repeated.
UOBOKES TERRY-BARCLAY-ST.
The complaints against rhis ferry were numerous ana
presented aud sustained by large numbers OF repecaDe
citizens both Of New-Jersey aud Newiork. The Com.
imaginary that the cement OF this ferry is worthy
great ccnsure that the accommodations i
miserably Insufficient; that the waiting and re,
trng rooms filthy IN the extreme; that passengers
arc conpelled to endanger life and limb bF Cr0WdnB
among the carts on board the boats and without sufi
cent protection from the weather that ,s env Coat %
qucnt 10 accommodate the travel on the ferry the brdg
by chains and no, sustained by floats that IN short all
eaUate and for this the Company have no excuse as
there plenty OF room FOR the construction OF ehonso
fcrryhouses. ..,.,..... ..u,,,,,
In regard 10 the Wcehawken Ferry the Committee only
say thai the cement insufficient and IT'S aecomo
S, ts T TS az o S S The SC@Pany
afford 10 do better which, says the Committee. II u
should not justify said company in utterly dsgracing
cleanliness aud the personal comfort OF its customers
The investigation IN regard to the Brooklyn Ferry Com
pany, which ruus to Brooklyn D. wac lhs inost TaTSu
and In most Instances the Committee say, wen fOunueu
Complaints were made IN relation 70 liie ,s h1
rate Of fare the insufclcncy Of the boats the made
quacy Of and S ahparsId s eS Of the psrs
the unnecessary detention h. ice and other cause aha h
nIco ~ m,pT Of the complaints and based s uca
ton upon the That ns rsrTes %srS ere low ,b
car be when one OF the stockholders admitted under oath
that the stock worth l6O The Committee say ths!
this Company conducts It's bushes % S %in nus Ger 10 no
ticeabe fact. however. that tbis company ~ lot'hns
union OF different ferries under s control has
out and discontinued the Of several slps and ferries
formerly used and the question suses whethet uior
these circumstances the Company should not nave Iui
nIshod other accommodations equal TO 'hoSe ui'ooh
tinucd.
Tl,re has been very little complaint made as 10 the
Cree. Ferry only person making any such. ana
tha . Of so general a mature. and the managers of
the furnishing The Committee with any iae,s IN IN
relat -eto, and the Committee. not having time 20
make NAL inspection Of said ferry were not able to
make ecinc statomont In relation thereto
The ittee made personal inspection N al ferries
pying IN cwYork HarbOr and the above were the only
ones against which complaints were made
TIE ICE.
,hc :" conm,So .sy the Ssy eae :ea
ce The latter In the East River especially - Of such
peculiar that ice boats would be oi very nts
and 9 SR the SS' sa b ' q sa
foroo and strength TO overcome the Ice obstacles
""o"0''' ''''' IiSssAvgNo ArPlRArUs.
seneral thing the Committee find the boats IN this
respect earfuly deficient They think that but little
lance can be placed N paaG n2Gn S M % a5d ~
,ern Of the boat aud would then be- liable TO be .wnmpot
under the guards. and lfcpre.eryers at suoh uino,
method In the opinion OF the Committee, would be 70
make every ferry boat lfe prcseryor In ITSELF. by ns
h5 "f cylinders made of galvanized ron OF con
yrnent length and diameter 50 that The boats no neteI
pgilic knowing aud believing Tits would In case OF ae-
cident by collision remain on the boat ana D % MI & o
no loss Of life would In any occur There should a-o
be- ladders placed leading from the main to the upper
deck, TO be used In case Of emergency
There IA not so much danger from fire as formerly as
the boats t. have ns bSos are generally nu fitted With
donkey engines buckets and hose, and te steam could
also be used 10 XIII the fre The Committee suggests
further safeguard and that at handpump on
deck should be placed at each end OF the boat IN case OF
Of the opinion that the chief cause Of complaint
arises from the fact that the ferries, eyon u con,
accommodate the vast amount OF travel orosing over
them At certain hours IN the morning anu hSnpcn
most OF the evils complained OF are an Inevitable result
The cOmmtteo say that Whom the faci 1hSt over %
and that but one person In oooGg Csgs ns ys
safety Of this mode OF conveyance above al other means
OF travel is apparent Loss OF life VIII continuay @
take place through the recklessnes OF passengeEs LUMP
Gf l@s al Eff f6e Sg paSs Shlst Sd SS to 81 rSFGh
OF the opinion that the nero%ng 0i 1e sn cbaT
rassnent that would arise from placing oDstrnotom or
barriers T9a give sI must no he e TO the rsk OF their
own lives. Besides the ratio OF lives thus lost IS lcol.
siderable. On the NOftn itNer sue inc hips HV
and more spacious and double entrances and can De
made and better regulations adopted. The bunlng ni
bridges the sinking OF tunnels under the t'e WI"
oreyent many OF the evils complained or.
The Committee further report that 1t would DC an IN
innossblIty TO prepare bill comprehensive enough 10
define all the details OF rates Of fare communication hre
and fesavinR apparatus the management OF me Dons'
the time OF running the accommodations at the pe,S,
&C. that would be just and eguirnbe to govern all the
ferries and yet the lives comforts and Interests OF inc
pubc cannot safely be left 10 corporations without some
superyisory and controlling power Being 10th TO create
nav Commission the Committee will submit bill
1Iacino tbe whole cement Of the ferries IN the
hands Of the Metropolitan Board of Police, with power
10 anpopt "A Ferry Superintendent whose duties, as
therein defined will enable him. IN the case OF dierent