Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-11-15
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The people of Hudson county have beer nghting for a threecent fare
on the ferry between Bergen Point and Port Richmond, (. l. After a long
fight through the courts, the supreme cou has decided that the threecent
fare, as fixed by the Board of FreehoIders of Hudson county. is legal and
it is expected that the ferry company will at once take steps to make the
fare o the Bergen Point ferries three cents for the single trip for adults
and two cents for children, The round trip being six cents for adults and
four cents for children, under the age of ten years.
This case ought to be of great interest to the people of Perth Amboy
and TOttenVfle as, the ferry across the sound at this point is now charging
five cents a single way. 1.-THE people of Hudson county al enjoy a three
cent fare, Perth Amboy should have the same advantage.
1t seems that one of the treeholders in Hudson county introduced a
resolution at a meeting of that board fixing the rate Of ferrage to be taken
ct the Bergen Point ferry to staten Island and return. similar resolutions
were passed fixing the rate of fernage at the West Shore ferries. Weehauken
and the New York Central Railroad Company. The feeh0lders fixed ting
rate at three cents. The ferry companies took the matter into courts. The
supreme court held that the freehoIders had nc authority to fix such rates
under the statute 1899, because ferries operated between New York and
New Jersey under the Interstate commerce clause of the United States con-
stituton, and were subjected to be regulated solely by congress. The
Hudson county feehoders carried this judgment of the supreme court into
the court of errors, which court. by a divided opinion, reversed the tudg-
ment of the supreme court, holding that the freehoders had authority to
fix the rate and that the three-cent fare should stand. After this judgment
of the court Of error the Public Service Corporation, which is the owner
of the Port Richmond and Bergen Point Ferry Company, a corporation of
the state of New York, carried the matter to the United States supreme
court They argued that as the ferry company was a corporation of the
state of New York and the legislature of the state of New York having fixed
the rate of ferriage. the freeholders of Hudson county had no authority to
fix the rate. The supreme our has just decided this last case in favor of
the Hudson county reeholders.
When this case vas started the West Shore ferries reduced their rates
from five cents to three cents and are o. charging that fare. AS these
other North Jersey ferry companies will now be compelled to charge three
cents it would seem that the Staten Island Rapid Transit should be com
relied to give the people Of this vicinity the anne advantage. AS it has
been decided that the freehoders of Hudson county had the authority to fix
the rate between the states 1T would seem that the Board of Freeholders of
Middlesex county would have the same privilege. Perth Amboy should call
the attention of the feebolders to this decision in Hudson county and steps
should be taken at nee to have the ferriage between Perth Amboy and
Totenvile reduced t. three cents. There seems to be n o reason why people
here should be compelled to pay five cents when a short distance up the
sound they are paying but three cents for the Ia service.
A threecent fare between this city and Tottenylee would be a great
benefit to the people: With the great increase in automobile traffic and the
excessive price charged for each car, there is little doubt that the Rapid
Transit can well afford to reduce the price, and in view of the action in
Hudson county some steps along this line should be taken at once.