Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-08-07
BOAT TROUBLE
HALTS TRAFFIC
Usual Jam Here Made Worse
BY Crippled Ferry Service
to TottenviIIe.

Seashore automobile travel
through Perth Amboy broke another
record over the past week end,
While not as heavy as that Of three
weeks ago, when the roads were
janmed as far down as Keyport,
cars came through the city in such
volume as to keep the traffic squad
on edge for thirty-six hours. Mat
ters were further complicated on
Saturday night when the ferryboat
Tottenville broke down.
Yesterdays situation was featured
by an attempt on the part of scores
of motorists to start home early and
avoid the congestion that usually
occurs in the early hours Of the
night. The inspiration seems to
have come to too many cars owners
make it effective, however. because
while the flood of returning cars be-
gan earlier than usual yesterday so
many tried to avoid the last minute
rush that the concentration OF ma
chimes lasted all the afternoon rath-
er than merely a few hours after
dark.
The Tottenville ferxy carried the
last of the Market street lineup at
1880 o'clock this morning. The
string of machines at times stretched
from the ferry as far down Market
street as State street. After l:3U
this morning there was no furtner
delay in making the ferry although
scores of machines arrived from
then until daylight. The estimated
total of cars carried by. the ferry
yesterday is put at 1000. A tar
larger number passed through the
city to Newark and points north
ward. Twelve traffic men were on
duty continuously.
The ferry disaster came at 8
O'Clock Saturday night when
broken air pump put the Tottenville
ou. of commission. She was unable
to proceed under her own power out
to avert the congestion that was sure
to result from only having one boat
in service, the ferry officials had
the Tottenville pushed back and
forth by the tug Underwood.
Although crippled to some extent,
service by this means was maintain
ed until o'clock yesterday after
noon. when the ferryboat, Paunteck,
of the Lackawanna Railroad and
sister ship OF the Tottenville, arrived
from New York to take over the
work of the crippled ship. The
Paunteck ordinarily plies between
Fourteenth street, New York, and
Hoboken and her arrival here was
delayed because she was in use at
her own route until o'clock yes
terday afternoon, when she was re-
leased for emergency work here.
The Tottenville was towed to the
Perth Amboy Dry Docks for repair
and ferry officials said this morning
that the craft would be in service
again by Wednesday of this week.
For several hours yesterday the
police directed incoming traff1c
from Amboy avenue to Convery
place by way of Brace avenue, and
thence to the county bridge by
Smith, Herbert and Market streets.
The plan worked well, relieving the
main streets of the city, particular
ly the converging lines of tramc at
Prospect and Market streets. Dur
ing the day Chief Tonnesen made
frequent tours Of the congested
points to observe the work OF the
mer and to observe the cooperation
of the motorists.
AS usual state troopers handled
the situation from the South Amboy
side of the bridge down to the shore.
Returning motorists reported that
while there was the expected flood
Of machines the troopers kept the
problem in hand and few serious de-
lays ensued. Speeders and those
who attempted to slide by the line
using the left side of the road were
stopped instantly, some cases re-
sultinC in arrest.
To avoid the county bridge with
its expected congested result in this
city hundreds of machines went
around by way of New Brunswick.
Four arrests were made and ten
srmmonses were issued by the
motorcycle squad of the police de-
Iartment over the last Weekend.
Fines were inflicted in some cases,
while others were adjourned for
hearings to be held later on, Motor
cycle Officers Paul Layden and Will
lam Bachman were on duty. De-
tective Lieutenant Gutowski arrested
Charles Cohen of 109 Brighton ave-
nuc for reckless driving on Satur-
day night. Cohen was accused of
knocking down Harlan Gray of 2S4
State street from his bicycle. The
accident took place near Smith and
State streets. Gray was not in
|jured.