The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-01-26
OUR FERRIE S. /;


EAsr Hisiery, Manasenens' kesipnens.
prrssnt Coudifion and Prospecss-Thcir Ac.
pomwodntions and IncOnvontoncies-A Sub.
secs for Legislative Action.
The genial DR.. Francis, in his discuBsive volume
m "Old New York" published in 1858, while he
delights his readers with pen portraits of the more
prominent OF his contemporaries Of nearly three
quarters Of a century ago, rehearsing, with his
usual oo,aaomaaie, delightful little stories about
she gardens, the libraries, the schools OF learning
abe society," the public buildings, the floating dock
Sof Livingston and Fulton), the hotels the press,
and the professions in which his heroes fourished
and made themselves great to their astonished
fellow citizens-who looked upon them
very much as the Lilliputans are de-
scrlbed by Dean Swift to have re-
garded Monsieur Gulliver-forgets, strange
10 say, although he discourses at length and
1oarnedly on the trials and inventions of Robert
Fulton, who constructed the bridges and tenders
which compose the ferry slips, to make even q
passing allusion to the ferries themselves, which,
n his earlier years, were not less the subject of
public commentator and animadversion than they
are now, when our vast "home" population sleeps
nightly far above the City Hall. which sixty years
age was lin state of erection, and SO crcum-
scribed, - says our author, lat that time was the
sdea Of the city's progress that the Common Coun.
OIL by slender majority, after serious discussion,
9or economy sake. decided that the postern part
of the superstructure should be composed of red
stone, inasmuch it was not likely to attract
much notice from the scattered inhabitants who
might reside above Chambers street."
We wonder the more at this omission Of the
good doctor, for he was else than "mere fogy."
He had enjoyed the society and confidence Of the
amnent personages of his earlier as well as those
Of his later days, and was, not unlike David t.
Valentine, 30 many years the city's historian and
Archaeological, an encyclopedias Of local Incl
DENTS" embracing all the events which had taken
place. not excluding the ferries in the city of his
nativity.
II is curious fact that little lie said Of these
important means Of conveyance to and from the
sity. HI the histories devoted to the progress of
the island they are rarely alluded to. Even Miss
n. A. Booth, in her pretensious volume, troubles
her readers with but slight notices of their origin
although careful historical reasoner should pass
fhem by, SO monstrous in their proportions have
They grown, carrying to and fro annually upwards
Of seventy millions Of human souls an d human
bodies.
Two centuries and quarter age In the days Of
Petrus Stuyvesant, in the good old time of the
burgomeisters and schepens, when by municipal
authority and under an ordinance Of the corpora
ton, to which validity given by the Sign
manual and SCALP of the mighty Peter, whose
deeds are not forgotten in the "Knickerbocker
History Of New York." an attempt was made to
"board in the East river and thus prevent its tides
nom OVERLOOKING the public way, the revenue
derived from rye ferry" was no unimportant ee-
ment in the fiscal calculations OF Comptrollers OF
the second half OF the seventeenth century.
Ridiculous to us as this resolve" Of the burgo-
meisters and schepens may appear, the great
and "lesser'' citizens who had made city of that
part Of the island which lies to the south of De |
Cingel Ofte Stadt Wael (Wall street), they were |
not unconscious of many facts, which indeed they
could not avoid knowing unless they persistently |
closed their eyes to the situation,n namely, |
that the shores Of Manhattan were washed by
broad and deep rivers, and that intercourse could
only be kept up by establishing means of transit
that while it Injured TO the city treasury would at
the same time be accessible to all.
Accordingly, in 1854, among other privileges
eeded to the municipal authorities, was the right
70 grant leases and regulate ferries. On the 10th
OF October, in that year, an ordinance was passed
s ' rates
sengers except Indians, who paid six each, unless
there were two or more" On the 18th Of March,
1858, " the ferry which had its landings at Peck
of the country road (now Fulton street,
Brooklyn,) the Long Island shore, was
leased to Hermonus Van Bosom for three
years. at three hundred guilders ($ll4) per annum.
Even at that early date ''tho ferry must have
been valuable, for the "ferryman' was required
TO keep proper servants and boats, and house
On both sides Of the river for the accommodation
% ssn.B passengers ana % pass az 'h''a' nee O
The next ferry that WAS discussed" was one
from Harlem to Long Island. Peter Stuyvesant,
In the same year O65S) founded the village at
fhe upper end OF the island, and TO induce rapid
settlement promised that when twenty-five
families had migrated thther he would give them
aHinferior court and ferry. Few cared 10 pro-
at by the offer. Harlem was too far away in those
primitive days, and why should they hazard the
wrath Of the savages when plenty OF work and
comfortable quarters we're theirs in the "ctyW
In 1896, 10 Consequence Of the dilapidated even
dangerous, condition Of tie City Hall, then IN
Coenties slip, the Municipality determined on the
erection OF new one, and to raise the means
necessary TO meet the expenses the city would be
put 10, received that, among other sources OF
revenue, the ferry lease should be mortgaged
for fifteen years; but it does not appear that the
mortgage was executed, for we find in 1909, three
years subsequently, the energetic David Provost
''being appointed Mayor, among other Improve
ments,n "farmed' out ''the ferry for term of
seven years, at rent OF fl65 sterling per annum.
Among the conditions imposed on the lessee were
these:--Four boats should be kept, two large and
swo small, the latter for the accommodation Of
foot passengers--the fare being silver twopence
for one person, and half that sum when two more
crossed together. The city, however, in consid-
sration Of the very large rent it was to receive,
engaged on its part TO build substantial
ferry house on Long Island, which the ferryman
was to keep in repair. 10 1907 the ferry lease Of
1899 having expired "the ferry was released to
James Harding, at yearly rental Of ESQ sterling,
Abe rates Of ferriage remaining as before. In
addition to running the ferry the lessee was
required to keep house OF entertainment Tor
passengers, on the Long Island side, in the new
brick building erected by the Corporation of New
York and TO keep pound for cattle, and also TO
Keep two scows and two rowbonts constantly ply
ing between the shores OF the river. And here il q
surous scrap Of history In connection with the lease
of the ferry" The lessee was required to receive
and discharge freight and passengers on Mondays
den lane); on Tuesdays and Fridays at Burgers
path (Hanover squared; and on Wednesdays and
Thursdays at the dock at Coenties slip. The
hnding place on the Long Island shore was q
little below that OF tho present Fulton ferry.
In l7l7 a now ferry hrnnn, 81 ..tEo L orsr