The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-08-05

esc hundred millions OF Passengers
Annually.
sNe Rush over the Rivers Mernine ana
Evening ia the Cabins OF the Boats-Some
Observations as 20 Deeornn.
fvew york Her.,d.l

Itend In the direction OF quaint and for
gotten lore. end who Is never so happy as
when INDUCING In curious statistics, tha'
| 81. 600. 600 passengers cross yearly the Brook
lIyn ferriesf Why, 10 Is as II the whole
nonuIat.on OF the country, ofhce-bolders,
| i1igger Indians, the resident heather Chinee,
Russian NihIIsts, and all the rest had
,aken nm line OF march across the ferries
and maid tribute TO the ferry company.
These figures are simply stupendous; but
II must be borne In mind that these boats
are monster floating bridges. How differ
eut from the good old times, when scow-
boat was used TO convey people across the
river. the only conditions OF equipment
being that two sober, discreet, able bodied,
and experienced watermen should be IN
charge, each having two oars and boat
book This was before the aye OF steam
apd steamboat explosions and llfe-presery.
ers. Speaking OF steam, why IL Is still in
the memory OF the oldest inhabitant that
Robert Fulton, in 1912, ran the first steam
ferryboats. beginning with the York and
the Jersey, from COurIlandt street TO Jer-
sey City, or Paulus Hook, as that
city was then called, and finding the VEN
ture profitable put third steamboat-the
Nassau-on the Eastriver side. This was
thought at the time gigantic stride in the
way Of ferry improvements, and so II was.
| But what in the time Of our daddies was
thought so great a thing would be laughed
at now as at best only feeble improvement
on the ak. In stopping 10 land and re-
ceiye passengers rowboats or harges were
employed, under the belief that it was dan.
gerous for the steamers 10 run TO the
wbaryes. II doesn't take so long to get 10
IL, % /
doesn't cost so much, and the existing boats
carry more passengers. Our ferry system,
In fact, is an index of the city's growth in
population, wealth, and commercial enter
prise"
NEW YORK CITY's OWNERSHIP.
"In your stock Of antique information as
to the ferries do you happen to know how
il is that New York Is the exclusive owner
OF these franchises 2"
"The titles were vested In the city under
ancient charters granted by The British
Crown, which were continued by Colonial
legislation and by the acts OF our own
Legislature. These grants are forever, and
il the franchises were properly disposed OF,
with no interference OF interested political
jugglery, the revenue ought TO be tenfOld
what it is. Again, there should be more
panies. They should put on larger
boats, such as the Garden City, for
instance, and there should be no over
crowding them. There should also be
better protection for ladies, and the
boats should be kept clean. The ferry com.
panies have 1t altogether too much their own
way. Many efforts have been made TO COM
pei the companies TO put up more eAectual
4 tnl,o fI,n fro,
gates used on most Of the ferries on the
west side OF the city. The companies,
however, only torn a deaf ear 10 all such
requests. What care they for human lives
Heavy dividends ere to them the paramount
consideration, against which human life
weighs only as feather in the balance"
Chow many passengers did you carry
last year? one OF the Brooklyn-feTTy Off.
Gals was asked.
"About fifty Million" was the prompt
response.
ANY accidents?"
SAFER THAN II THE CROWDED STREETS.
awe have carried many millions OF pas
sengers since we have run the ferry, and
only three have been killed. IL is safer to
be on one OF the boats than on land"
"To insure long life 1t would only be
necessary, then, to take up ones abode on
one o. the boats? ?"
Exactly so. A floating retreat for vale
tudiUariaus wouldn't be bad supplement
10 the company's boats. 1t would answer
instead OF European trips and watering
place expenses, and be good investment.
Happy thought! Book it! "
The suggestion so cOmplacentlY chris
tened a happy one was iotted down, and
after getting from the official the further
intelligence that their ferries require six
teen boats and about three hundred and
fifty employees the reporter began tour OF
ipspe elton Of the several ferries on both
sides of the river. 1t was no holiday eX-
curson, as many Of the facts sought to be
cleaned were to be obtained only by per-
Sonal observation at different hours Of the
day and night.
The greatest rush OF travel is in the morn
ing and evening, when the army OF Iaborers
employed in our stores, workshops, and
factories who dwell in Brooklyn, or Jersey
Csty, or in the more remote suburbs, are
going to or returning from their work. II
YOU could obtain a bird's.eye view o! the
CITY at these hours il would seem a great
human hive, and these mighty moving
masses OF humanity its busy bees, as, in
deed, to q great extent they are. At about
6 O'Clock IN the morning the rush is begun.
Half an hour later the grandly swelling hui
man tide is at its flood. 1t is RESTLESS in
its force.
NOT SAFER THAN IN THE STREETS.
There is a rush, hum, and a shock Of
men. Girls and boys ill up the interstices
OF the moving multitudes. At the Brooklyn
ferries you would think that the denlzeus OF
the great CITY OF Churches were fleeing from
its portaS-hyng from the sudden outbreak
OF mighty pestilence. They rush on mad
ly-impetu0us, iOstling, reckless multi
tudes. There is an eager hurryiDg TO SEE
who can get on TO the boats first. A more
Babel-lIke confusion cannot be imagined.
The boats are crowded till there is no
standing.room left. TO the very verge of
the boats at the fore the multitudes rush in
their hurried Impotence, unmindful OF the
danger Of q collision or Of other accident,
and sudden Iurch might preciIGtate many
Of them into the water. All the East.riyer
boats, as is well known, have simple chains
as barrier against such accidents, but the
mutitudes STEP over the chains, paying no
heed to them, and there is no one to deter
them.
"What temptation TO suicidel" has fire.
quenily DeeG the exclamation as attention
has been called 10 the alluring cOnyeniences
here presented for shnfiling of this mortal
coil. Aud many no doubt with hearts
bowed down with weight OF Woe have
plunged to death in the swift tide below.
"Why don't the companies put up iron
gates such as are used on most OF the North
river ferryboatsf" is the universal query
ing response.
"why don't they.?" is the -invariable
answer.
In these early hours when the boats are
overcrowded II is boonEo get outside. Go
on what ferry-boat you will while such i'm
meme Numbers are on the boats and it will
hn Ronnh hn rhlu urifhnIII l..co nfinr, thnt II