Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-06-11
EFFORTS BEING
MADE To GET
FERRY RIGHTS
Contractors Arranging PIan--
Nixon Promises His Support
In Move


That the congested traffic condi-
tions between this city and Totem
vile will be relieved in the near fu-
ture seems at last possible. Efforts
are again being put forth by the
Perth Amboy and Tottenville Ferry
Company to obtain a charter so they
can erect a dock or ferry slip on their
property in Tottenville, and the firm
of Linde e. Griffith, dock builders and
contractors of Newark. who are now
building the Albany street bridge at
New Brunswick, are arranging plans
for the slip to be built on this side of
the Staten Island sound at the foot
of Washington street
For the past five or more years the
Perth Amboy and Tottenville Ferry
Company has been paying the city of
Perth Amboy $500 a year for the
privilege of building a slip in this
city, but owing to the fact that the
company could not obtain a charter
to erect a slip on its property in Tot
tenville the line could not be built.
When the company was trying to
obtain the charter from r. A. c..
Smith, the dock commissioner at that
time, the Staten Island Rapid Transit
railroad 1T was said this morning by
a representative of the Ferry Com
pany presumably used its influence
against the granting of the charter
adj a. 1T was refused. At that time
tn plea put up was that the two lines
w6uld cross each other and in this
WAY interfere with the operation of
the boTts, even in view of the fact
that many of the ferry lines in the
Hudson and East rivers at New York
City cross and recross each other.
Not only are there high hopes OF
the new ferry being started here, but
there is also good prospects for the
betterment of the present ferry con-
ditions. So many complaints have
been received by the Railroad Admin
fstration that George G. Reynolds.
collector of the United States Railroad
Administration, service division, was
in the city yesterday looking over
the conditions, and admitted to the
representative of the new ferry COM
pany that he realized that the ferry
boat Tottenville was not the boat for
this place.. but he also pointed out
that it would cost the Railroad Ad-
ministration about $50, 900 to replace
the boat, and he doubted whether the
Railroad Administration would con-
slider the matter at this time.
1t Is understood that when Mr..
Reynolds left the city last night, he
took with him data concerning the
operation of the present ferry line,
d
representatives of the Perth Amboy
and Tottenville Ferry Company The
proposition which Mr.. Reynolds will
submit to the railroad administration
is: The Perth Amboy and Tottenville
Ferry Company, owns about 800 feet
of land adjoining the foot of Bentley
street, Tottenville, and the present
slip of the Staten Island ferry. This
land they agree to turn over to the
Staten Island Rapid Transit Company
on which to erect new slips for their
ferries, providing the railroad COM
pany will give them their present slip.
This would be not only great
benefit to the Perth Amboy and Tot
tenville ferry Company. but also to
would join Bentley street on the
south and lay in southerly direc-
ton, or about parallel with the shore.
and the railroad company could with
little expense build a bridge over the
street for the use of the passengers
going to and from the trains.
Under this plan. which 1t is claim
ed can be built for $4,000. the two
turns now necessary for the present
ferries to make would be a thing of
the past, as the boats would be run
ming almost up and down the sound In
a straight line, the only turn being
necessary as the boat left or entered
the present slip in this city. By agree
ing to the proposition, the company
would also be able to operate the fer
ry Tottenville here to advantage, as 1t
would do away with the turn at the
Tottenville slip which now causes the
boat considerable delay. 1t would al
so do away with the necessity of the
boats crossing each others courses
The new ferry would be operating
from the present Tottenville slip,
tn lp1n ncrf a linz IN
this city. making the trip in four or
five minutes. At the present time it
takes from seven to eight minutes to
make the trip.
Whether or not the railroad admin
fgtyation can see it's way clear to take
up the proposition submitted by the
Perth Amboy and Tottenville Ferry
Company is not known, but this will
not delay the efforts being put forth to
obtain a charter for the building of
their slip in Tottenville. The Com
pany will make application to the
commissioner Of docks in New York
as soon as the papers are drawn. 1t
is estimated that the new ferry can
be placed in operation within three
months after the charter is granted.
The matter OF granting the charter
was discussed yesterday with Lewis
Nixon. Commissioner OF Public Utill-
ties Of New York City by city officials,
during the survey of the Raritan river
from the Nixon plant. Mr.. Nixon said
that he realized the need of better
ferry service between this city and
Tostenville and would make an ap-
peintment with the dock commission
er of New York for any Perth AM
boy delegation and promised to use
his own influence toward securing a
franchise az Tottenville.