The New York herald., 1867-03-22
THE wEEHAWKEx FERRY NUISANCE.

Investigation by n Committee Of tho Chosen
Freeholdcrs Of Hudson County MT Gutten-
berg 'Yesterday--Thc Ferry lntoIerable
Nuisamce-L0ud Calls for Its Abatement
Under the Present management, &c.
The committee appointed by tho Board Of Chosen
Frccholders OF Hudson county investigate the
ngcment and condition of he Wcehawkcn ferry met
at halfpast Ave O'Clock yesterday afternoon at Enge
hardts Hotel, Gutenberg, John Wilson, Foreman, In
the chair The other members of the committee wore
Mcssrs. John Iowery and Frederick Etzold The meet
Ing comprised large number Of propricors wagonors
and dealers OF various kinds, all Of whom Of
than average intelligence and seemed unanimous
In their determination 10 wage relentless against the
intolorablc monopoly Known the Weehaween ferry.
Nicholas Lille the rst Witness and testified that
the boat running the ferry is totally unit TO be
the temporary babation of any human being; that It
runs sometimes at long intervals and without any re-
gard the interests Of passengers that in consequence
OF the bad management travel is diverted 10 other
and property deprecated in value; that tho
cabin s used promiscuous!y for sheep hogs
and the human species the latter being charged i've
cents being two than the fare OF his quarupednl
, wnO 10 ne mus. no'o .cmpo
sengers treated with unqualified contempt and that
passengers driven TO the last and must
peal to the making power, finding all other appeals
disregarded
otto Kohlcr recited q long tale OF grievanccs among
which he stated tha, occasion an OK fell into the
engine room, dsplaeing portion OF Tho machinery, so
that the engineer could not top the boat when reonred
and il ran into the slip with crash throwing every
passenger who standing of his feet, and smashing
a portion OF The slip; the OK taken To New York
and sold as good beef on another occasion the engineer
a spree, from which he returned 70 tho boat
in very somnolcnt condition.; the bell rang.
but the engineer was asleep, aud did not
hear ": the result was another crash the
original charter conpeis the company charge the same
fare the Hoboken ferry, whereas they charge two
cents more there The witness -, was reminded by the
company o Increase the fares The charges wagons
carriages and heavy loads are exorbnant often.imcs
when the boat should start in the morning the deck
hands viii bo playing euchre Shore and when they
get TO the boat the tide will be gone ont, II will take
hour to 90, the boat Of the mud: often
stood aud three hours waiting the boat, which on
several occasions only made one trip in the day; look
upon the ferry management as gross despotls tho
company sets public opinion at Defiance the entire
ngement devoves on Nathaniel Doyle who Is the Prcs
dent: the day after the presentmeDt OF the Hudson
county Grand Jury relative 10 this ferry the words
''shcep fold' posted M conspicuously over the
genemen's cabin, if 10 the law defiance:
traffic: most Of the residents in this quarter are
obliged 20 travel 10 Hoboken; IL would seem that the
object Of the present management is to depopu.
late this district aud convert IL into n grazing
pastnre moro attention is paid 20 cattle than human
beings would never iet my wife in the boat,
az consider would be too great risk Of lfe while
the obscene writings and figures in the ladies' cabin,
not TO speak OF the dirt repulsive in the extreme
even the feelings men: no lamps are lighted in the
evening In that cabin thus exposing morals conami-
nation: have known ladies' 10 prefer standing outside In
the rain and cod never knew 'hc boat TO be painted or
sold have prepared less than sixteen afda,s with
thirty or forty documents 10 prove all these statements
these papers now IN cnton but will hc laid before
the Board or Chosen Frechodeis in due time in case of
Gre the result would be most caam;ous. there Is no
prov lson against ~ the platform leading 20 lhe crry Is
o rotten 70 endsngcr the lives Of any who tread
~ an OF opinion fha, the lease should be Withdrawn
from " presen, nianageuent and siven TO men who
would Nake II at public benefit and highly rro-
complaints
Carl schnlz s.d that last summer be conveyed no less
The
for which he charged ten shiDgs load, but n he
chanccd " give three dollar Ave dollar bill he would
be cIsrsed Twelve hlings load for the load at
the Hohoken ferry tho charge is Ave sh tncs: the
charges are quite arbitrary on the wechawkcn ferry
Henry Baldwin testified that on several occasions the
boat sticks " mud a. the Slip and is two feet below The
surface Of the bridge which causes great danger 10
horses Win heavy oads another great source danger
the 1thy condition OF the deck where cattle bad been
standing. and where horses often slip on one occas on
last November, when tho weather was duo he entered
sbs boat the Weebawken eide nj ton o'clock In the
iorenoon, ana after rosng up down tho river was
landed again at the slip one O'Clock In the alter
noon; oten'imes was Obliged to wait hour and half
for the tide.
John Hsuts testified that on one occasion the p,lo,
Baker called on the passengers han ou, dead or
which they Indignantly demurrcd, asked what rirht
had he 10 make such = demand 10 which he replied
Every right; ann " you don't haul him out you nay
get on and travel where yon please ss win tie up the
receive ofteni1cs there no deck hands and The
ssssengers through sheer exieeDcy, in order 70 meet
reir business have TO act. one Of the foregoing Wit
!. sees Lnlc had the nail Of his forefnger taken on
VA lie hauling rope in this capacsty, paid fifteen
nc day for horse esd wagon while man behind me
Francis r. Madden read letter from Ex-Governor
rice, as sprcprletcr, condemning the management Of
n NE eonrs fs evidence sas .ss
recspitulatitp Of the foregoing
several othe Witnesses examined, after which
'no chairman sad ths, the chief care Of the cemntcs
would be 10 Enar the interests cf the people, whose
presertAtives they were. and they would place tire ev
se7es before tes scvd q. tbeir bex. meeting