The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-08-25
Last Moments Of the Staten Island Rail-
road and Ferry Company.
THE GROWLS FROM AQUEHONGO.
Why People Are Dissatisfied, Why the Concern
Became Bankrupt and Why 1t
Must Be Sold Out.
It's Effect on the Westfield
Sufferers.

Sufferers.
On Tuesday next, at noon, the entire effects ant
properties Of the Staten Island Railroad Company
are to be sold at public auction to the highes
responsible bidder, in pursuance OF q Judgment O
foreclosure and sale given by the Supreme Cour
OF the City and County OF New York on the 9th o
June last. The action in which this judgment wal
obtained was brought by Adolphus 8. Ockershauser
and BalthaZer Kreischer, mortgage creditors O
the company-the first named plaintiff being
weknown sugar reiner Of this city, and the latter
a wealthy brickmaker of Kreischerville Staten
Island OF course such state Of affairs this I'm
plies the virtual If not actual bankruptcy OF the
company and q consequence has given rise to
much comment. The Staten Island Railroad Com
pany, as its corporate name is styled, is the cor
poratiOn which also owns the franchises and Oper-
ates the ferry line running between Whitehall
slip and the various landings known Edge
water Tor Quarantine) landing Staplet0n and
Vanderbilt landing. The Inflated steamer
Westfeld, which exploded her boiler in
July, 1871, causing q loss Of over one hundred
and ten lives, and the injuring and manning Of
couple Of hundred others, belongs to this company
and as result OF that Sabbath day disaster the
company incurred liability to suits at law for
damages to the amount OF certainly million and o
half Of dollars. This fact, therefore, very
naturally gave rise at first glance to
q suspicion that the proposed sale Of
the concern was In fact nothing more
nor less than an attempt to cheat the surviving
friends and relatives OF the dead Victims as well
the living MANNED sufferers of the amount which
they might recover as compensation for damages,
and in this light generally the affair is at present
viewed. In order, therefore, to present some
thing Of the actual facts in the case HERALD
reporter has, for several days past, called upon q
large number OF people, residents OF Staten Island
to learn their views in regard to the transaction.
A rather
SINGULAR STATE OF FACTS,
however, was encountered at the very outset Of
the reporters research, and followed to the
close-viz., that there Is scarcely any person on
Staten Island who desired that their names should
appear in conjunction with this report, as giving
opinions antagonistic to the company.
"a don't mind having talk with You about this
matter, Mr.. Reporter; but then, don't want to
have my name mixed up with the thing at all,n
said one.
''You see," said another, II can't afford to fight
this big moneyed monopoly; and II give you my
opinion right down as think, and you print it,
this company will be down on me and can worry
me In o dozen ways"
Said thrd-'Tve got all the property own on
trouble with the officers of the railroad company
just that minute I am putting my head in the
lions mouth. They swing the biggest in.
nuence on the island, and ! have got to
put up with some Of their games, even II don't
respect them. don't mind giving my views, but
then don't want to put myself on record until
see which way the thing 10 going to end"
"Of course II you desire your name withheld"
replied the reporter, II promise you shall not
use it.n
"wel that's right" replied the awe-stricken
islander. my bread and butter depends to some
extent ON these people, and my bread and butter
Is everything to me and my children. I've
lived on this island seventeen years, and
I've scrambled little property together, and of
course don't want to lose It now. In a year or
two shall feel myself getting old, and must look
s sS'e G so my ay little ones the best can while am
THIS COMPANY Is FRAUD;
this thing, and they know nobody else can Come in
to compete against them, and they mean to
make money out Of u.s. We people living on this
can't get away or come here ourselves
on their good win. The fact is it's just a little
ring" TINS ferry company Is, with the stock all
amd Of they're right IN soSns On ,a' to ~
would be one OF the same ring" myself If could
get in and afford TO stay in but that's neither here
put up thing, and you'll find that the concern or
some OF their own bondhoders some halfway
man OF their own will bid the property In for
them. They've got all that cut and dried and, you
mark me, the bids won't amount to anything IN
comparison with what their property and fran
"weI," asked the reporter, "do they actually do
any buslnessY'
do businessS why think they do, rather You
just see the passengers pile into their boats morn
Ing and evening and see the car loads that come
asE cd m q n oh 10
sale was bona dde affair. don't think it is.
A DODGE TO CHEAT THE VICTIMS
OF the Westheld explosion out OF the damages they
may recover, and everybody on the island I've
Way look at it is this. This COMPANY have cot
certain privileges from the people to run this line,
and If II didn't pay they wouldn't have kept on
running 1t for going on twenty-five or thirty years.
They'd have given up the thing long ago. OF
course you talk about II to any OF the directors or
the stockholders and they'll tell you that
It's making beggars out Of the whole Of them;
but good many OF them live down here, and
than the common run Of beggars do, that's ALL 1t
don't hurt them badn
Another OF the residents of the island whom the re-
porter called upon Tor "ponts, said This company
knows they have got the thing in their own hands.
They don't pretend to run this ferry line between
here and New York a. ferry line. They run 1t as a
railroad connection for their miserable line OF road
why they stick up IN the Jerry house thing they cali
their time table but everybody round here viii
IL they make up their minds that they won't run
certain boat particularly If is night boat, they
won't do It, I've seen fifty people LETT at night az
single landing, with just five minutes notice that
the boat they expected to get to New York In was
hauled on and wouldn't run on her regular time
table trip. This Is
COMMON OCCURRENCE
in the Winter, and l have known hundreds OF
people who wanted TO return special business to
the city to be left here all night, and have run
round TO the different hotels TO get lodging under
great difficulties. For myself, know that two or
three times at least I've been compelled to take a
sailboat and go around to New Brighton and take
North Shore ferryb0at or to Bayonne or Pamrapo
and take the railroad, so as 10 get to the
city TO transact important business. This
most frequently happens In the Winter. AS soon
as little boating ice gets adriit In the bay look
out ior trouble The company hauls OF lis Doats
because, as they say, the 1oatng Ice viii cut them
through at the waters edge, and Ii will be risking
too much To attempt TO make the passage. Now,
every sane man knows that the Ice that floats In