New-York tribune., 1902-01-07
NO MONEY FROM FERRIES.
TAMMANY NEGLECT LEAVES A TROU-
BLESOME PROBLEM FOR NEW
ADMINISTRATION

Among the troublesome legacies that have
| come TO the new administration from the re-
cent Tammany administration is the duty Of
dealing with ferry companies that have been
running ferries without franchises or on fran
chises that have expired. The city has been
| losing money for months in the case of one COM
pany and for years in the case of another COM
pany, and many thousands Of dollars have been
| kept out of the city treasury because the Tam
many officials neglected their duty.
During the entire four years of the Tammany
administration the Central Railroad of New
Jersey has been running its ferry between
Communipaw and Whitehall-st.. without
franchise because officials of the city failed to
establish the ferry according TO law and fix
price for the franchise. All that time the COM
pany in an attitude of declared Willingness
to pay whatever the proper officials decided the
franchise was worth, and It continued to
the ferry without a franchise by virtue of its
agreement to pay when it allowed TO pay.
The company is running its ferry without
franchise yet.
Early in the life of the late Municipal Assem-
bly, the application of the Central Railroad Of
New-Jersey for a franchise for the Whitehall
St ferry was laid before the Council. John
Whalen. the Corporation Counsel. at the begin
ming of his term of office in January, 1898, had
that the company running the ferry with
out a franchise but with the understanding that
as soon as a franchise could be granted the
company stood ready to bid II in. Mr.. Scott
had learned before the expiration of his term
of office that the company running the
ferry. and he had started proceedings in the
courts for a restraining injunction and for an
accounting with the city. The motion for an
injunction was not argued in the courts, how
ever. because the company declared its inten-
tiou not to contest the right of the city to Sc
cure the injunction. The company said it was
running a ferry for the convenience of the pub
lie and willing to pay the city for the
privilege. The company virtually said TO the
city:
go ahead and grant franchise. and we will
pay the price Meanwhile we are willing TO
pay anything in reason for running the ferry
without a franchise. but We don't want to dis
commode the public by stopping the boats"
1t was ascertained that the company had
made An arrangement with Controller Fitch for
starting the ferry with the understanding that
the company should get a franchise and pay
the city for it. Mr. Whaen reported to the
Sinking Fund Commission about the middle OF
his term of office that he waiting for the
Municipal Assembly to act on the application of
the company for a ferry franchise. The ap-
pcatiOn had been hung up" in committee of
the Council and there was way to solve the
difficulty until the Council and Board of Alder
men had passed upon the application. Mean
while the city kept without revenue from
q franchise for ferry in successful operation
Months ago the Brooklyn and New-YOrk Fer
~ Company applied to the Board of Docks for a
franchise for it's ferry between Broadway. in
Brooklyn. and East Forty -second-st.. in Man
haitian. The Board of Docks got two opinions
from Corporation Counsel Whalen, that ac-
ton by the Municipal Assembly necessary
and another that such action not neces-
sary in view of act of the legislature, passed
in 1891 giving to the company the right TO es-
tablish the ferry. Recently the Board of Docks
fixed an upset price of $4,000 a year for the
ferry franchise, but action by the Sinking Fund
Commissioners was delayed by the advice of the
Controllers engineer that the Municipal Assem-
bly's action necessary under the Old city
charter Meanwhile the company has been run
ming its Forty-secOnd-st ferry without fran
chise.
The terms of the franchises of the Union
Ferry Company for it's Fulton-st.. Wall-st
CatherIne-st South and HamiltOn-ave ferries
expired in May, and there has been a dispute as
TO the conditions of renewal. he company for
ten wears paid to the city for its franchises 7X
per cent of its gross receipts. little less than
$50 600 a year. The Board OF Docks wanted TO
fix the upset price on renewal at nearly II per
cent or over SSS.0OO year. The company
wanted renewal at 53 per cent or S4O9lO a
year and IL based its claims for a reduction on
it's decreased earnings due to increase of travel
over the Brooklyn Bridge. Failure TO reach an
agreement has continued for months and il will
be the duty of the Commissioner of Docks in
the administration TO come TO some agree
ment with the company, have the franchises
for the ferries transferred to other companies