New-York tribune., 1899-11-26
DRUNKEN MEN AT FERRIES.
THESE PLACES HAVE A STRANGE ATTRAc.
TION FOR THEM-A REGULAR
PROCEDURE.

II man wise in the ways OF this great city were
told TO go out some night and gather up many
drunken men in a given time as possible he would
Immediately start for the ferry houses. II must
rot be supposed simply because more intoxicated
people can be found In the ferry houses after
midnight than anywhere else that most OF them
live out OF town and are trying 10 find their way
home. Probably the majority live right here in
New-York and have idea OF going away. How
they get 10 the ferry houses what prompts them
TO go there is something which the ferry masters.
ticket choppers and others have been trying to
fathoni for a long time.
AS soon an irresponsible drunken man gets IN
side ferry house he draws from his pockets q
varied collection OF bills and silver money and
shoves II all In TO the ticket seller. The latter
takes the price Of a ticket and pushes the rest
OF the money back. This the drunken man. after
due deliberation. carefully gathers up, but in at
tempting get IT back into his pockets usually
drops part OF II on the floor Finally with the as
slstance OF the ferry men. he recoyers his prop
erty and then invariably wants 70 know when
the next boat goes Not that II makes any dif-
ference 10 him when II starts or whether II starts
al all as the chances hundred TO one that
he hasn't the slightest idea where the boat is go
ing TO-
After he has asked several other questions ana
acted in a manner which ne believes has fully
convinced the ferry that he is perfectly sober
he takes a seat and is soon fast asleep. Ferry
bOats come and ferryDOatS may 20, Dut " VIII
not trouble the sleeper. The only thing that Will
break in upon his sweet repOse Is the ferry man,
who will finally wake him up. Then there is
fob 10 get him on the boat and another one 10 get
him OF again. II lett 10 himself he would travel
backward and forward all night. and then be
willing 10 swear he had made only trip And
even when az the end OF a trip he Is hustled of the
boat with the aid OF several deckhands. he gets
into the ferry house again. buys another ticket
and goes through the whole more
Another trick OF the drunken man is TO drop
hts ferry ticket the box. and. after asking the
ferry house in search OF the nearest rum shop.
He NAV be gone an hour or he may never come
hack al all. II he does return. however. he will
buy another ticket. forgetting that he had paid
his fare before.
Some drunken men will raise a row at times. de-
clartng that they got the wrong boat. To pre-
vent trouble OF this kind. far possible. the
Long Island Railroad Company at the East Thirty
fourth-st ferry has had big sign hung Up just
inside the ferry house. reading "All boats 80 to
Long Island City"
The drunken who find their way to the
sarry houses do not represent any one particular
class OF society but drawn from all The
poverty stricken and the wealthy the professional
man the clerk and the laborer. are all repre-
sented al times. The night police at the ferry
houses Keep a sharp lookout to prevent rooberiss
OF drunken with money and yaluables Tho
police theory OF the reason so many drunken men
reach the ferry houses Is that these are the last
places they can get to without falling overheard