The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1921-11-24

AlgierS, NOV. ~, lSZl.
DR.. Kraft.
Editor Algiers Herald,
Dear Sir:
Referring to our conversation the
other day regarding your ardent
work in the endeayor to obtain a
municipality owned Ferry System. I
wish to quote an instance which
will remember of condition similar |
to our present one, is the town OF |
| Grayesend, England. This town is
the Port of London where all the
| big shipping is handled on account
of the river not being deep enough
| for boats of our ten thousand tons
to go right up to the city, it is
situated about eighteen miles below
London on the River Thames. Now
although all the official work is
done in Gravesend, the shipping is
all done at Tilbury docks, which
are situated on the opposite side OF
the River, these two places were
Joined by a ferry system which was
: controlled by the L. Y. e e. Rail-
road, who could practically do as
they liked because it was the only
mode of crossing the River. The
boats they had were old side wheel
ers which had been in operation
about forty years, and were really
. UNIT for any kind of service, far less
passenger service, they were unable
to keep any kind of schedule and
often the thousands of men who
daily crossed to work in the boats
: we're delayed in getting to work,
? and on top of that man had to
= wait almost an hour to get his ferry
!. fare back. Well conditions got SO
!, bad that the matter was taken UP
!, before the town council, who at once
notified the Railroad company they
must improve their service or else
the city would confiscate the ferry
~ system, notice l said confiscate no
buy. Well within two months We
n had six new turbine ferry boats
"a running, keeping a five minute
i. schedule, and reduced the fare from
" SIX cents each way to two cent
each way, and in conjunction witt
n that the Railroad ran what wa
e. called a workmans train from tn
"a ferry right into the docks for a.
Id additional charge of two cents, an
n from financial statistics, the ferrie
e. were still earning serviceabl
s. profit. cannot see why somethin
r. like that cannot be done her
A. that was a town of thirty-five thot
sand people, while We are nearin
ed the half million mark. Yet we stl
'e- have the same old ferries which wei
n good enough for our grand parents
m why to a stranger coming in, the ferr
le- boats are an absolute joke, to thin
at that a modern city like. New y
II. leans, still hanging on to the sty
n, of boat built sixty years ago, BY II
In way. the River Thames Is a tid
c. river. having a difference OF abo'
as. twenty-six feet between high an
r. low tides twice a day with GU
rent at as much as nine miles dow
- and seven miles up, that Is sometnir
which we have not to contend wit
I. personally, as a well wisner II
I the improvement and advancemel
| of our side Of the river do hearth
endorse the work which the COZ
mittee of Algieriens have done I
ward trying to wake up the CT
authorities to the fact that, we
New Orleans, is vital part OF I
citv of New Orleans, and is sure
entitled to more consideration IN
Il as IL it were situated on the mort
81 ern coast of Africa. Hoping u
may be of some use to you IN yo
arguments for improved Ferries a
Service, beg to remain,
IL Sincerely yours,
ANDREW Ma