The New York herald., 1875-09-18
OUR FERRIES.
The Birth and Growth of
the System.
OLD LAWS AND STATUTES.
The Ancient Fight Between New York and
BrOOklyn-Singular Reprisals- -COmpar-
isOns Of the Old and the New.

pahleu oy no small amount OF danger Two hundred |
years ago people hesaed before hazardng the passage
and would bid goodby to friends before taking trip
on the cranky and i'll begotten boat which alone made
the daily traffic between the town Of New Amsterdam
and the Long Island shore Accidents and deaths
not nfrequen and least is still recorded Of
trip by the regular ferryboa early the winter of
$685. when the boat and the passengers carried
down the river and heard of more; probably
taken out to sea by the drift and perishing unable
to return With such chances in store it
may well be understood that the more prudent
among the honest Dutchmen who then owned
Manhattan Island did not banker after frequent excur
sons across the river II is shown in the earlier
records that the travel excessively small and hardly
enough to support profitable company. And yet on
this subject of ferries the earliest disputes
of the colonies and some of those mooted points which
have not been settled to the entire satisfaction
of our sister city.
THE FIRST REGULAR FERRY.
1t is somewhat singular fact, though natural enough
when looked at sensiby that the first ferry ever esab
shed was from point now known Peck Slip what
is now the foot of Fulton street. Brooklyn 1t was no
doubt soon recognized that taking into consideration
the tides and the proximity of the two shores at this
point the venture would be best made here AT this
period of city Drcsen leased the ferry from
the municipality of New Amsterdam In the two hun
dred years which have since intervened and spite
OF all the changes which have taken place. this still
remained the most popular ferry and doubt It has
had its effect on the population of both cities Tho
traffic from Long Island then exclusively that of
farmers who to the town to sell their produce
New York then the market, as it is now. Farms
existed on what is Columbia Heights but there was
market there, and New Amsterdam, with It's popula
ton of phlegmatic Dutchmen, the only commercial
mart for the products of nature for anything else
putcor thart tba
of dispute. The derived from it was enough
time support the whole municipal council OF
New Amsterdam. 1t not until long aftcrward that
other ferries sought be established and ncorpor
ated, and therefore, it close monopoly very much
| as it is to-day.
FIRST PERUVIAN
The person have any of as being interested
| in ferry Cornelius Drcsen who, 1912 kept
small one Peck slip, where he owned farm, also
being the possessor of farm the Long Island Shore
about what is the foot of Fulton street. BY thus
possessing the points the river each
| other, at time when crossing matter Of dIl-
Guilty it is probable that Drcsens ferry became the
most notable, though being at the time distance
outside of the city limits The price charged by Drcsen
for passage across tho river seems to have been
quarter guider where pay cent during GER
tain hours of the day. Dircsen sold the ferry to H.
Wilhelm Hamasen for 23Oo guders, and the latter
it the principle the former and the
same price, but with gradual increase of business
In 1862 travel had increased much that the burgo
masters asked Governor Stuyvesant to grant them
ferry franchise saying would be of material benefit
| to the city. Governor Stuyvesant however peremp-
| torily refusAsa aud there the matter appears to
| have dropped, and Hamasen retained his rights.
He had peculiar privilege however and great deal
of competition existed against him. One of the ferries
started from what is Whitehall over to the por-
ton of the island opposite the lower end of the city.
| This ferry not popular one because of the
danger OF the boat upsettlng constantly in summer,
drowning its occupants, and in winter taking nvoun-
| tary excursions out TO Still there competi-
ton and continual squabbes caused the first ordinance
to passed regulating ferry traffic 1t ordered the
fees be paid and the fines TO be incurred unless
license were obtained. In 1865, Egbert Won Barsum
| leased the ferry from Governor Stuyvesant at 800
guders per year. and one of the conditions of his lease
was that he should build ferry house on the Long
charging the rate of fare until 1913 when he
allowed fifty guilders by the Governor for public
services rendered.
| YERRIEs UNDER THE DUTCH
| During the continuance of the Dutch government
| however though the ferry to extent regu-
lated by ordinances of the municipality the city Of New
| Amsterdam held this ferry a municipal right
and franchise The porty burgomasters, who would at.
| times take their wives and children across to Long
Island for Sunday in the country always watched the
ferry with eyes Of envy and many were the attempts
of the ferry appear have had the Of the Governor
and the ferry still remained private property. Tho
traffic constantly increasing and Van Barsum
| to have become quite wealthy by It, He on several
occasions refused while his men engaged TO per-
sonaly ferry any one over, 'feelng 1t beneath his
dignity"
ish forces, reaken and finally exchanged for the
islands of Demerara and Curacoa In the meantime the
ferry passed through various hands until 1914 when
was leased by G. Dyre at flO3 English per year.
Governor Dongan arrived here in 1858, and this
| history
rights He Immediately assumed authority, but exer-
| csed It in the mdest possible way He began by
granting charter 10 the city, giving many rights and
privileges, but IN which no mention made of the
ferry Embodened by their success the Common
Council pettoned the Governor for more privileges,
and among other things demanded a ferry franchise
and all vacant lands in Long Island, from
pose of the proper establishment of a ferry
between said city and Long Island which shall hereafter
Common Council expresses surprise that after having
granted many valuable privileges TO the city he
should be asked for any more Yet, still he granted
what they asked, on the condition that two boats be
constantly kept each side of the river for passengers
and one for cattle. This Dongan charter, granting to
| New York the lands below high water mark on the
Long Island shore, has been source of constant dis
pute and litigation ever since. Al the time 1t was
granted BROOKLYN rebeled against and inhabitants
asserted their rights by errying themselves across and
that extent that John Arensen who owned the ferry
failed owing to the number OF independent boats that
were run In another way Long Island endeavored to
have voice in the ferry matter by passing ordi
prohibiting negroes from crossing the river
the Sabbath This was done IN consequence Of several
rows that occurred. But the fight between the two
sides of the river went on. In 1909 find that
Cornelius Lehrng farmer petitioned for permission
TO establish ferry from point between
the old ferry and Red Hook the Of the city of
New York. Over this the Common Council got terri
bly, alarmed and demonstrated against the petition in
the most pitifu language recting that the rental Of
the ferries the only important revenue left TO tho
city for the maintenance Of the public highways jails
public buildings landings &c, winding up by state
ment that the demand of Cornelius Lehrng
reasonable and unjust The petition Of the latter
thereupon thrown out At this time the ferry was
rented at the annual rate of Goo but there were
constant between the ferry and the Corporation
In 1927 the ferry sold at auction TO Oaworth &
Victualler for term N five years at f25S per
In l720 Brooklyn endoavored 10 forry and actually
broke ground with the intention of putting up ferry
house; but the city OF New York caused works TO DO
built the low water land, obstructing the entrance
the ferry house This caused new squabble, and in
Eorr II nI.n