New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-02-09
THE FERRIES.
THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE. AND
NAy1GATIoN-THIRD DAY-THE ENTIRE COMMIT
II ucI,u


Committee on Commerce and Navigation consisting OF
Messrs Oakley Mead, Barker. Wendoyer, Travis, Max
well and Briggs were I'm session at the Ast0r House. On
the door of No. 20 posted hasheet Of white
paper informing the public that the Committee was in
session there-ths and the reports Of the proceedings
which had been printed by the newspapers being the
only notification to the public of an investigation into the
management or Encouragement OF the Ferries. Within
the ROOM and surrounding the Committee, were half
dozen reporters and Of spectators with several
gentlemen who having accidentally learned that oppor
nty was TO be afforded citizens to testify with respect
to the behavior Of the errymen had taken pains 70 APP
pear before the Committee These were called 70 the
stand without regard to order and the result was that
first testimony gwen concerning the Fulton Ferry
next R S was Ses ROG then 1a 6 Williams sS
burgh then the HOboken and so on Previous TO yeste
which the Committee heard yesterday was given under
oath. Only ono member OF the CommltteeInamey, MI
Oakey-s cOnversant with the subject under inyestga
ticn but his coaboror who are evidently gentlemen 81
intelligence listen with undivided attention 10 tne VII
to complain of ferry WI 50 b lar
interest himself TO appear before the cOmnttee Inc
Mr. Stevenson Of Brooklyn, stone mason, was sworn:
On the 18th of August 1862 as the witness was crossing
was made and tho boat striking against the pier with
violence, thrown back INTO the slPnot, howeyer
get ashore; it when tho boat struck against inc
bridge that witness was standing on te POW G anu ia s
ousy that amputaton at the middle foot became
after , the Mr. Pe &9 fS aed
bm and presented him with $3.50; had snce consulted
ted tRToueb his own careessness it useless for
him to the Ferry Company when the acoucht nap
pened he looked back and that the chains across the
ny Mr. Warner offered as suggestion that railing should
be placed the bow Of the boat and also the eGe OF
the bridge He Thought IL would be Of great benefit
Mr. VIM ID. Porter OF Orange Valley, sworn, testlleu
Condition OF the waitingrooms is unpleasant and uncom-
Portable and ladies who are compelled through the IT
regularity Of the trips to remain IN them any leg Ut
time experience great annoyance from men who walk
through them and stand in them smong ana chewhS To-
bacco. Drunken men are frequently iouhu IN inc ades
ROOM and noisy boys romp through theI causing gSat
excess and thus rendered very dangerous
Franklin H. Bradshaw also resident OF orange, n; d.,
FcrrI Companys boats The teams driven reckless
ly and without due regard for the SAFETY OF th9 Psse
are in disrepue amongst the travelling public during
tho recent Storm trip across to NeWJersey occupied
Mr. srrSg,,c of Orange n. j., testified that the waiting
rooms at the Barclays landing are quite inadequate Tor
the purposes for which they are intended IN inc same
room drunken noisy boys and people with baskets
Of market suffs arc elbowing each other ana
about the serious damage OF good coats ana dresses
which happen TO come in contact with sundry tuTkeegs
or m%o9 60neS cbo 9 ne% boa too small
for their traffic the Passaic ia very OLD BOAT ana nag
boot the empoy&s on thcse boats mostly Germans
and are very unciy and brutal In their bearing toward
passengers the cabins are also small ana lly yshtlated,
and many Messengers are compelled TO stand outside
under the covered way ut the side OF the boat where hey
are in constant danger from teans hS ~ st DO
came so patent nuisance that number OF citizens pc
toned Mr. stevens 20 grant the paSengers the privilege
the request granted and orders Issued to that effect
With tg ferPymSser Of the HoJcEen Ferry tho witness
was informed that boat under process OF con
SaaToTed s s persuade Mr. stevens 10 have the ceiling
of The cabin raised xino inches higher than me cabins
OF the other boats, but without eject the witness
limited at Legislative Interference IN tho matter; the
ferry MASTER however, laus1sd anu Sad Inv "fcs
down at his room at the kewYork Hotel and he'll make
il all right with hem and then hen laugh at YOU"
Of
the difficulty In landing ut the bridges which are elevated
and depressed Ivy means chains and weights the chains
are frequently broken. and and danger and annoyance Is
the result MIR SpragEesalsO advised that some action
each OF the boats crew with badge deEnatlu his post
ton 20 be worn IN conspicuous p1ce IN former con,
versaon with the ferry master Mr spTague had been
told by him That he had frequently tired 10 uduce MT
crowded but that gentleman nGvar visited me SIPS uhlll
time the middle of the day, when the traiilc was
NJ Laim6cer. = resident of wcehswkcn was sworn,
and testified that the ferry between Forty second-i and
| WeehaWken was perhaps i,ly.nAuaged than any
other ferry on either North East RIVER petitions hld
been sent to the city auhonties but thcy were always
referred and further notice taken OF hem the p1sen
gers by this ferry had become 50 dsgsod that they had
go Inc lease OF h ferry Expired snd II was contem.
plated by the citizens of Weehavkon 10 purchase ard
lin DpoS the wcRawFen Side was owned by tho propre-
Of the Ferry Mr. Doe t was then expected hat with
the loyears cnse now system and new and better
order Of things would but instead Of this matters
had gone from bad TO worse tho ferry now consists OF
Ne Otto Kohler sworn said that he bad for time
been under the necessity OF crossing by ts Ferry and me
boat was In very dirty cOndulOn-tOO drty even Tor
Charon 20 cross the styx I'M tho management was vcry
engine and the boat had 20 be stopped Ia nidstrcam
until fe beast could be cut out with IN ak; on another
injury 70 the bridge ~ Wcehawkeni the fare charged
this boat for passengers is five cents. aud three cents
Br william Anderson made few statements with re-
gard 30 tho Eastern Dst,ct Ferries IL was subject Of
remark that within the past faw days the cabins
had been scrupulousy clean aud me boats generally
Inference
OF friend who WAS deferred from making purchase OF
real estate in Brooklyn since the ferry crossings
Mf w. ". Shpman was then sworn and testified ut
length Of the management and matter, generally con
nocicd with tho Iobokcn Ferry Company. Mr. 5hipman
IL one Of tho managers OF the Company. and he was
questioned by the several members OF the Committee
each succeeding statement HIS testimony fOl.
lows: Tho complaints which have tlhs ar been made be-
fore tho Committee arc OF very general character and
OF such nature are most likely % disagree upon
Tho complaint made By one gentleman a, TO The trucks
and carts being rccMes'y driven. and little regard hay-
ing been shown for tho comfort safety Of foot passcn
gers ~ inc drivers may nave Dsen wen ounde' ana
such matter may undoubtedly have occurred, but
that is affair OF constant occurrence Is nat true.
Tho responsibility Of thi1 rests with The toamSters who
are generally uncducated, rough ieiOWs ana not on
polite schoo. OF manners As Tar ~ the boats are con
ginos good and well built any the river.
The engines powerful the cylinders being ~ Inches In
all good and tested twca year by tho Government
Inspectors who apply cold water pressure OF twice the
esaying apparatus il as good and perhaps better than
can befound on any othcrfoly IA The baIbor The boats
are 80 constructed IN Wacrtigh compartments that
the most serious injury Ivy collision would fail to sink
them below The dock, and orders given In OF
extreme danger 20 back the heavy teams off into the
water TO human life. The fro apparatus Is also
nearly perfect NJ ,we bc Buckets Of prepared
brine kept in readiness TO eNngush any that
might break out. while adOnicy cngbo at be
placed in working order, hose attached and stream
speedily got There arc also from $50 20 800 cork Jackets
aboard and two boats. Of wood and the other Of iron
THIS ferry alone never bas been paying investment It's
expenditures always going it, running expenses
me nominal capital involved IS 81 10000: tho Company
owned about 800 Of land At obOken and IL Is the
greatly increased value OF this that compcnsates for the