Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1915-05-08

of last Thursday contained an editor
ial on the Fort Lee Ferry fare case
that was very misleading, in that it
did not state all of the facts connected
with the meeting at the City Hall that
provoked the editorial. There was a
meeting of the Sinking Fund Commits
sion of New York City at the City
Hall on Wednesday last which re-
quested R. A. C. Smith, the Dock
Commissioner, to enter into negOtia-
tons with the Ferry Company to see
what could be done towards reduc-
ing the ferry fare. That resolution
followed a strong appeal for favor
able action at the hands of the Com
missioners by Alderman Brush, of
Harlem, who spoke in behalf of the
business interests of the Harlem dis
trict, who then introduced Assembly,
man Agnew, as the representative of
Bergen county, who supported Alder
man Brush's appeal by a strong and
very able appeal of his own for the
citizens of Bergen county. He was
followed by the president of the
Board of Trade of Harlem, and also
by the president of the Business Mems
Association of Harlem. All of these
gentlemen dwelt upon the financial
advantage of a reduced ferry fars.
1t developed during the presentation
of the matter that in 1912 the gross
receipts of the Ferry Company
amounted to 100000, and that for
the years 1908 to 1912, the average
yearly increase was over $25, 1000 each
year. The City of New York receives
as rental for the dock privileges
from the Ferry Company, per cent.
of the gross receipts when the gross
does not exceed 100000, 51s per
cent if the sum goes from 100000
to $350,000, 6 per cent if it goes from
$35O,OOO to 100000, and 7 per cent.
if the gross goes over 100000.
1t was estimated that the reduced
fare would make a difference in the
gross receipts of between $4,000
and $4,000, lased on the gross re-
ceipts for last year, which would cut
down New York City's income from
the ferry $4,000.
Anyone who knows the tendency OF
the Public Service to maintain It's
advantage on the question of farei
along it's Ines, will readily understand
that it is not going to surrender such
a large reduction without putting up
a strong fight against it. The propo-
sition to offer communication tickets by
the month to people of New Jersey
at $3.50 for individuals, and $1.75 for
families, was turned down by the
Dock Comm issioner because it did not
provide for New York passengers to
get the reduced fare. The only way
the reduction will ever come about is
for the Board of Sinking Fund Com
missioners to direct the Dock Com
missioner to take the necessary steps
to inaugurate and maintain the three
cent fare. That direction must come
from a source which has the power
and the disposition to enforce the
order. The city of New York has the
power according to the opinion OF the
CORPORATION Counsel, and the Sinking
Fund Commission has the disposition
as shown by it's manner Of adopting
the resolution at the meeting We'd
nesday, which, by the way, is the Sec
ond one they have adopted recon-
mending it.
Among the prominent citizens OF
northern New Jersey present at the
meeting were the following: Mayor
White. of Fort Lee, Mayor Osler
Mavor Ropes, Representative AgneW
Freeholder Bender, and Captain Sam
uel E. Darby.
The Evening Worlds editorial fol
lows:
Let's Have it This Summer
A three-cent fare on the Fort Lee
Ferry, from West One Hundred and
Thirtieth street to Edgewater, N. D..
seems assured. The Evening World
long fight in behalf of it's allies, the
"Fighting Mayors of Bergen" and the
business men of Harlem, has taken
the last trench. The short-sighted
cavillings of Corporation Counsel
Polk are overruled.
The Sinking Fund Commission
heard the facts of the case yesterday
from Alderman William D. Brush. he
showed that while the percentage
which the city gets under its contract
with the Fort Lee Ferry Company
it amounted to $16,740 in 1912--may
be temporarily affected by lower
fares, the resulting increase OF trave
will quickly make the city's revenue
from this source larger than before
Since 1908 the receipts of the Ferry
Company have nearly trebled. Lower
ing fares will result in yet bigger
gains.
The Sinking Fund Commission saw