New-York tribune., 1908-01-25
TO CONDEMN FERRIES
Dock Department Drafts Measure
applying Here.
fBy Telegraph to The tribune. ]

Albany Jan 2i-The requirement by conoemna-
tion instead Of purchase Of ferries and ferry prop
erty in New York City. except those owned by
railroads is proposed in bill drafted by the DOCK
Department which will be introduced in the Legs
lature next week by Senator Mulianey and Assem-
biyrnan A e. Smith. In the absence yet OF any
fixed policy regarding the requirement by the city
OF ferries the Dock Department drafted the bill to
give the city the power of condemnation at any
tine IL needs it
Negotiations have been in progress for some time
between representatives OF the city and the BROOK
lyn Ferry Company. which at present operates hFe
ferries between the boroughs of Manhattan and
BROOKLYN namely: From Roosevelt street Grand
street East sd street and East i2d street to Broad
way Brooklyn. and from Grand street, Manhattan
70 Grand street Brooklyn. The leases of the fer
res between Roosevelt. Grand and East Sd streets
Manhattan. and Broadway. Brooklyn. and between
Grand street. Manhattan, and Grand street. Brook
I'm expire on May l. and the company has gwen
notice of lis intention abandon these routes.
The present New York City chaTte. empowers
the Commissioner OF Docks. with the approva! OF
the Commissioners the Sinking Fund. 10 acquire
private ferries by purchase. 1t is argued that to
Co so the city must agree with the ferry company
as 10 price Otherwise the corporation can ahan-
don the lines or continue them On such terms as IL
sees fl.
The question which the Mullaney- Smith bill pro-
poses 10 allow the city determine is whether the
city should be compelled to purchase the property
at an exorbiant price or the ferries be abandoned
with the accompanying Inconvenience to the travel
ling public.
The price demanded by the Brooklyn Ferry COM
pany for the property which the leases expire
May is follows: Lines centring al Broadway.
Brooklyn s75c9oea the assessed valuation of which
is only .ee; Grand street line. SeoeN the as
sessed valuation Of which is SlSls0.
Rather than pay the price demanded. the city
wants the right condemn and purchase AT a
lowe- value in case il desires to buy the ferries
The situation regarding the Brooklyn Ferry Com
rany also affects the Union Ferry Company. which
operates five ferries between Manhattan and
Brooklyn as follows: Hamilton avenue. Atlantic
aveuen Wall street Fulto street and Cathar.ne
street the leases of which expired some time ago,
the company holding and al liberty AT almost
any time 10 discontinue the service.
II may be that after consideration the city may
rot deem il advisable continue all Of the ferries
now in operation and this biIl would allow it to
acquire Only such property it saw ht. and allow
the rest he abandoned
Another bill. also from the Dock Department. TO
he introduced by Senator Mullaney and Assembly
Smith, viii provide that the department can
condemn all waterfront property for The city Here
tofore special legislation has been procured for
various sections Of the waterfront. The proposed
VIII affect the entire city and viii do away with
future special legislation on this point