The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-24
SUBURBS ON The WEST SHORE
THAT RAILROAD NOW HAS THE
CHEAPEST COMMUTATION.
The Low Fare and Improved Train Service
introduced a Year Ago Have Made a
Score OF villages In Northeastern
New Jersey Accessible to Commuters.

Score or villages In Northeastern
New Jersey Accessible to Commuters.
The average number Of commuters which
the steam railways carry to New York
CITY from its many suburbs every week
day morning is estimated at OF, 100. The
average number Of long distance passengers
arriving daily is about rs 900. The suburban
passenger traffic is not only far greater in
volume than the long distance travel, but
It is growing far more rapidly. The COM
mutinR business Of thu steam railways
entering New York has nearly doubled in
the last ten year. and is now increasing at
the rate OF probably a good deal more than
10 per cent. annually.
The fare per mile which ths commuter
paws is small, compared with the rate
charged single trip passengers. On the
other hand, the committing traffic is not
subject to sharp fluctuations 1t is in a
high degree a calculable source Of income.
Furthermore, a suburban roads freight
business increases in proportion to its in
crease in passenger traffic. On account OF
the phenomenally rapid growth OF suburban
travel in recent year the committing busi-
ness has come to be one of the most i'm
portant sources Of revenue open to the
RAILWAYS entering New York, This fact
explains the motive behind the costly trans
nortation bettermeuts which these railways
are introducing.
The latest, and indeed the last, railway
70 enter seriously into the competition for
suburban traffic is the West Shore. Con-
trolled by the New York Central, it has until
recently been operated almost exclusively
in the interest Of that roads huge freight
business. OF so little importance has the
West Shore been from the point of view OF
the that it has had no standing
whatever as a suburban railway. About
n wear ago, however, the West Shore man.
aeement changed its policy with reference
to suburban traffic. The local train service
was improved and a Communication rate was
adopted which is lower than that OF any
other railway entering New York. Finally,
II is understood that the motive power ID
to be changed to electricity as soon as the
electri6cation of the Hudson River and
Harlem divisions Of the New York Central
Is completed.
The Improvement in the local service
has made nearly a score of stations on the
West Shore c~onviently accessible to COM
muters. Practically all Of these stations
are as yet agricultural villages. They have
not been doomed by real estate operators,
and consequently offer unusual advantages
in the way Of low rents and freehold values,
coupled with such public improvements as
are generally TO be found in old established
communities. Only within the past year
have they begun to experience q consid-
erable influx of commuters.
The West Shore runs parallel with the
New York, Susquehanna and Western as far
"A Boeota. Here the latter road turns west
ward toward the Rlmapo Mountains, while
the West Shore continues in a northward
direction through the picturesque country
between the Hackensack River and the
Palisades. Stations like Little Ferry,
Ridgefeld Park and Bogota, which are
served by both railways, are of course
progressing rapidly. At Ridgefield Park,
or the high neck Of land formed by the
junction of the Hackensack and Overpeok
crack. inward of a hundred houses are
under construction.
Thu first station served exclusively by
the West Shore is Teaneck, with a popula-
ton of 500. The village centre is at the
crossing of two meo.oainIZea ngnways;
Schraaienburgh avenue running north and
aouth. and the road between Nordhoff and
the Anderson street bridge in Hackensack,
passing east and west. BY these roads
access to the stores OF Englewood and
hACKeQBaCh Is cary tlNL '"''N - sSONS'
mon as a suburb Of both towns, getting its
public water supply, from the one and it's
gas and electric lighting from the 9ther'
II has excellent facilities for boating, bath
ing, fishing and shooting.
Bergentield, a village Of LEO people,
boasts three stores and two churches;
Electro light aud power and telephone and
telegraph facilities are available, and it il
understood that gas mains are presently
to be extended from Englewood, two miles
distant. The residents are also anxious
that the trolley be extended from hngle-
wood up Liberty roa1 along washington
avenue, through Bergenfield. Goods or
dered in Englewood, Hackensack or New
York are delivered daily without extra
charge.
Dumont, forty-hve minutes from New
York. is of Dutch origin. Its picturesque
and heal hful location has Of late attracted
not a few commuters to the village. The
population has doubled in the past three
years, many new houses have been built
and a large addition to the school Is now
I