New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-03-06
BACK TO TIE FERRIES.

1t may be assumed that in his arragnment of
the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, and in
his declaration that it could, If it would, do
away with all the crowding at the Brooklyn
Bridge. Mr.. Lindenthal had in mind fuller
utilization OF the East River ferries as means
of interborough transit. While 1t would doubt
less be possible to improve the car service on
the bridge, it Is not certain that it would be
possible under any arrangement to carry
promptly and decently all the passengers who
seek to cross that structure. Relief is
therefore to be sought in partial return to the
ferries, and especially to the five Of the Union
Ferry system. 1t will be remembered that Mr..
Lindenthal some time ago sought such a solu-
ton of the problem but was frustrated by the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company's refusal to
adopt his suggestions. There is some ground
for thinking the company erred at that time,
and his belief that it did thus err, and his re-
sentiment at its baking of his plans, may give
vehemence to Mr.. LindenthaTs present denunci-
alton of that company.
The common superstition Is that people flock
to the bridge rather than to the ferries because
thus they can get home for five cents instead
of six, and that IL arrangement could he
made whereby they could cross the ferry and
get car ride both for five cents they would
numerously take advantage Of It. That may he
OF a cent is to be effected The ferry company
now carries passengers for a one cent fare, and
moreover its profits have VIGOROUSLY been
greatly reduced by the competition Of the
bridge. So it is urged that 1t can make no re-
duction and that the result must he attained
IF at ALL by reduction of the Brooklyn carfare
from five cents TO four. There those who
argue that the company ought TO do this
because it would thus be shortening the length
of its trips. A Brooklyn car running to Fulton
Ferry has nearly a mile less to go than one run
ming to Park Row. and it also has no bridge tolls
to pay. 1t should therefore, men say, be able
to carry passengers TO the ferry for q lower
fare than does the car which comes over to
Park Row.
That, however, is not the only consideration.
There are thousands of people who flock to the
bridge for an entirely different reason. The one
cent does not matter to them. They would
rather pay six cents and travel in comfort than
pay only five and have to endure crush on the
bridge Their reason for not going TO the ferry
is that the accommodations on the Brooklyn
side are inadequate. To only one of the five
downtown ferries are through cars in any rea-
sonabe number run-namely Fulton Ferry-and
they are run without regard to the arrival of
boats, so that boat passengers often have TO
wait long, time for a car while at other times
cars start from the ferry with no passengers
The elevated road service at Fulton Ferry is
also bad. Only two through trains are run on
the tulton-st. line. So practically all passen-
gers have to take a shuttle train at the ferry
ride up to the bridge. and there climb n stair
way and transfer TO another train already
oVercrowded At the Wal-st ferry there are
no through cars at all on the Brooklyn side
The traveller must ride in shuttle car up to
the Borough Hall, and there transfer 10 an al
ready overcrowded car. The same state of ar
fairs prevails in a large degree at Catharinc.
South and Hamilton ferries
1t may be granted that Fulton-st.. BROOKLYN.
is already overcrowded with cars. and that no
more can be put upon it for ferry service But
the ferry service might be doubled or quad
rupled, and at the same time the congestion Of
Fulton-st. might be relieved by running various
car lines-such as the Third, Fifth, Seventh and
Flatbush ave. and the Bergen and Douglass
ST. lines-to and from Fulton Ferry by way Of
Atantic-ave. and Furman-st That is a route
once much used but now neglected Cars could
be run over it without delay at a good rate Of
speed, and thus n swift through service could
be established at Wall-st. and South ferries os
well as at Fulton Ferry. The old route hv vav
of Waterst and Front-st. might also be utilized
and better through train service to the ferry
might be given both the elevated roads
which now give practically no ferry service
worthy OF the name. 1t would be interesting TO
see what would be the result Of putting on sucb
a car service In Brooklyn and at the same time
OF restoring the boat service to its old efficiency
We are inclined to think it would be a consid
cradle diversion of traffic from the overcrovded
bridge back to the ferries