Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-11-21
COMPLAINTS
ABOUT FERRY.
Running Expenses Larger and
Running Time Longer, De-
clare Taxpayers.

The Staten Island municipal Terry
boat system, in addition to erratic
and unsatisfactory service, is likely
to prove a very costly experiment.
The operating expenses have been
trebled. while the traffic, owing to
the uncertain service, has certainly
not increased.
On the basis of having larger
boats the dock department has in-
creased the working force ~threefold-
The old company ran the boats on q
shift OF twelve hours each, but the
new regime has established three
shifts of eight hours each.
This has necessitated a large in
crease in the working force and a
largely augmented salary list.
The item of 1remen furnishes a
clear idea as to the manne in which
the working force and the operating
expenses have jumped upward. On
the old boats two tiremen did the
work, which made a total of ten for
the fleet, at $50 a month each, or a
total of 5000. Under the regime OF
the municipal ownership branch OF
Tammany Hall four firemen have
been engaged for each boat, OF q
total of twenty for the fleet.
When the ferry was put in CONF
mission, before the slips were ready,
and before the boats were fully pre-
pared for service, the salaries Of the
firemen were jumped rom $50 to $40
a month. But this was unsatisfact-
DRY to the firemen, among whom
are many stanch Tammany workers,
and they raised a cry for still more
money.
The dock department hardened
to their demand and raised the fg-
ure to 500 a month, more than is re-
ceived by any ferryboat firemen in
New York harbor. The total of
salary paid to tiremen Is $500. or
81, 200 in excess of the money paid
to the fremen on the line when 1t
was conducted as q private enter
prise.
The captains on the old boats got
$3.50 a month, but as soon as the
city took charge the rate went up to
$3.50 a month. Deck hands re-
ceived $50 a month on the old line,
but the dock department decided the
taxpayers of New York could AFFORD
to pay $65 a month for the same
work.
Then there was added several
branches to the new working forces.
Oilers, porters, water tenders, and
several other superfluous classes
were put in commission, and about
all they have seemed to accomplish
is obstructing the efforts of the deck
hands. The additional workers APP
pear to be in the way all the time-
When at either pier they scurry
about in a frantic effort to create
the impression that they are over
worked, but when the boat is under
way the supernumerarieS seek q
warm corner and remain quiet till
the next landing.
The entire enlargement OF the
boats smacks strongly of a desire to
pay off political debts by providing
employment for men guiltless OF
ability to perform the required
duties.
Experts assert that the expenses
of running the boats under municip-
al ownership auspices will exceed by
100000 OF $4,000 per boat the cost
to the old Staten Island Company.
Officials of the latter company admit
that a dividend never was paid, and
1t appears to be inevitable that the
new system, with it's trebly increased
expenses, will record a heavy deficit
to the city.
The operation of the municipal
ferry has been accompanied by q
continual roar of condemnation from
the islanders, and the promises of
improvement in the service r now
received with d%erision.