Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1915-05-01
Walter Bender Talks
On Three Cent Fare
Cliffside, New Jersey,

April 26, 1915.
To the editor of "The Palisadian,"
Dear Sir:
Much has been said and written re-
garding the reduction of the fare on
the so called Fort Lee Ferry, and |
think that it is but right that the
public should be fully informed of
the present standing of this matter,
for public opinion will eventually be
the main factor in winning this M
portant fight of the people against
a powerful corporation.
A few years ago the Board of Free
holders of Hudson County ordered the
West Shore Railroad to reduce the
ferry fare from five to three cents
and the railroad complied with this
order at once. On the other hand the
West Shore officials brought legal
proceedings against the Hudson
County Board denying it's right to re-
duce Terry rates.
A resolution ordering the so called
Fort Lee Ferry Co. to reduce it's fare
to three cents was passed by the Ber-
gen County Board OF treeholders at
special meeting on October II, 1912,
the resolution to go into effect On
November l following. |, myself, at
tempted to cross the ferry on that
date for three cents and was refused
passage. At that time the action
begun by the ferry company in Hud-
son County was pending and the
Bergen County Board decided to take
no further steps until this case was
settled.
Shortly after the Supreme Court of
New Jersey rendered decision to the
effect that Boards of Freeholders had
the right and power to regulate ferry
rates when ferries did not form part
OF railroad system, but when they
did the Boards had no legal right to
legislate regarding rates of fare.
Agreeable to this decision the ferry
rate from Bayonne to Staten Island
was reduced to three cents, and al
though it gave the West Shore Rail
road Co. power to increase it's rate,
the company did not do so, nor has
it done so as yet, with an exception
of increasing the rate to Cortlandt
street to five cents.
No one can claim that the Fort Lee
Ferry is part of railroad system for
it was established and received its
charter as ferry years before a
trolley line was thought of, and per-
son who buys railroad ticket on
the West Shore pays nothing extra
for crossing the river, while the Fort
Lee Co. charges five cents to go across
and if passenger wishes to &c
further on the New Jersey side by
trolley, a five cent fare is collected
every mile or so.
On December Is, 1913, at my in
vitation to every elected official in
eastern Bergen County, meeting
was held and an association organized
which is popularity known as The
Fighting Mayors Association. This
organization has had the ferry fare
question before it constantly and is
lending it's united aid in the movement
for a three cent fare.
The Bergen County Freeholders
passed a second resolution on June
Is, 1914, ordering a reduction in the
ferry rates, this resolution to take
effect in ten days. Again the reso-
luton was disobeyed and an injunc
ton obtained. A hearing on the mat
ter was to have been held before
Judge Mayer of the Supreme Court
in New York sometime last fall, but
neither l nor believe any other Free
holder ever heard of it.
Hon. Arthur M. Agnew, who has
figured prominently in this fight, was
engaged special counsel by the Free
holders on June 26, 1914, but since
then he has done nothing except to
submit brief report of progress
several months ago.
A few months ago Mr.. Agnew
stated to me that we would have to
fight the City of New York as well
for reduced rate of fare would
diminish the income it receives from
the operation of the ferry. Later de-
show that this income is
very small. Alderman Brush, of New
York said at recent meeting in Pail
sades Park that he believed New
York City would not oppose reduced
fare as the aldermen had placed them
selves on record as favoring the re-
duction. In conclusion l will say that
every member of our board has
worked and will always work for the
success of this public benefit.
Sincerely,
Walter Bender,
Chairman of Committee on Ferry