Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1913-12-23
Acting On the Refusal of Com
missioner Smith, New Com
pany is Trying to Exchange
Property With S. |. R. T. Co.
LETTERS FROM DOCK HEAD
States That Favorable Consid-
GRAFTON Will Be Given the Ap-
plication If Conditions OBJ
iected To Are Corrected.

industrious of losing more time
In the establishment of ferry Serv-
ice over their proposed route be-
tween this city and Tottenville, Off
-cials of the Perth Amboy & Totem
vile Ferry Company are using every
effort to secure franchise privileges
for the foot of Bentley street in Tot
tenville. Acting on the refusal Of
Dock Commissioner r. A. G. Smith
to grant franchise because the
two ferry lines would cross in Staten
Island sound, the new company is
trying to exchange properties with
the Staten Island Rapid Transit
Company, which would bring the
Perth Amboy & Tottenville Com
pany's ferry clip north of thaa OF
their competitors at the foot OF
Bentley street. Mr.. Smith states
that favorable consideration will be
given the application if the condi
tions objected to were corrected.
His letter of refusal to grant the
application follows:
Perth Amboy & Tottenville Ferry
Company,
Perth Amboy, New Jersey.
Sir
referring to your application for
franchise for the operation of a
ferry between Perth Amboy and Tot
tenVille, l have reviewed this mat
ter very carefully, and, after per-
sonal investigation at and near the
Staten Island shore, l am compelled
to withhold action on the application
for the reason that the slip is pro-
posed by you to be located south
erly of the existing slip of the Staten
Island Rapid Transit Company. This
would result in the ferryboats of
both companies crossing paths in
order to reach their respective des-
tinations. This is wrong In prac-
tice and would be dangerous to the
lives Of the travelling public.
Favorable consideration will be
given to an application for fran
chise If this condition is corrected.
yours very truly,
''R. A. G. SMITH,
commissioner of Docks"
With a determination of keeping
the subject alive and endeavoring to
strike the best means to make the
establishment of the proposed new
line possible, officials of the Perth
Amboy & Tottenv1lle Company set
to work President G. C. Baldwin
sent a letter to Mr.. Smith, giving
in brief part of the history con-
cerning the application, accompanied
by an offer to exchange slips with
the present operators. His letter
follows.
Perth Amboy, N. j.,
December 18th, 1913.
'R. A. c. Smith, Esq, Commissioner
dept. of Docks and Ferries,
''Pier "A, North River,
New York City.
Dear Sir
"Your letter of the 18th inst. re-
ceived, and from the contents there
of we note the objections raised,
viz, that from your point of view
you consider that there would be
an element of danger arising should
the ferry boats of each company
cross one another's paths. When
we held our last conference in your
office some weeks ago, you will un-
dcubtedly remember that we called
your attention to the fact that num-
erous ferry companies in New York
City, and especially at West 23rd
street, and also South Ferry, where
the boats of not only two but many
companies cross each others lanes,
and which, at times during the day,
operate on a five to ten minute sche-
dule. When this same objection was
brought to the attention of your
predecessor by the interests identi-
fed with the Staten Island Rapid
Transit Company he gave the matter
very careful consideration and de-
cided that the point which you now
raise was not of sufficient import
ance to warrant his refusing to
grant the franchise. Furthermore
for your information would state
that when this question of crossing
of lanes was under consideration of
your predecessor, Mr.. Bent, vice pre-
sident of the Baltimore & Ohio Rail-
road Company, (Which controls the
Staten Island Rapid Transit Com
pany), suggested that an exchange
of properties between the Staten Is
land Rapid Transit Company and
our company be effected, thereby
eliminating what you now consider
the only Objectionable feature, w.,
the boats of our two companies
crossing each others lanes between
Perth Amboy and Tottenville.
Prompted by this suggestion we Of
fered to donate sufficient water front
to the Staten Island Rapid Transit
Company to enable said company to
build terminal south of and direct
ly adjoining Bentley street. Mr..
Bent refused to consider our offer.
Nevertheless, to show our desire to
work out proposition which would
be mutually satisfactory to all par
ties concerned, and also to offset
the only objection which you now
Continued on page .2.)