The times., 1897-07-15
HARRIES' REPORT SUPPRESSED
Retiring President Says He Treated
the Men as Memo Friction
Among the Force-Hours short
eued and Toll Softened- He Has
Nothing to Regret-New Officers.


not shed their victims blood, but now
and then thtir wrath broke out
The slate agreed upon by the repre-
sentatives OF ma iority of the stock at
caucus held last Wednesday was voted
through. but it came forth from the Con.
test cracked in several places by hostile
votes.
Ine noard of directors elected and the
votes cast for them follow: S. Thomas
Brown, $3.50; John Gammack, 1856;
Griffin Il. Coleman, s,5S7; John JOY Edison,
s.934. William B. Gurley, 9,S71; A. b.
Grunwell, s,I69; Charles r. Spence, 1894;
Robert u Weaver, s,69S, and Nathaniel
Wilson, 1882.
one thousand votes were cast for Presi-
dent Harries for director and there were
scattering votes for S. Il. Kauffmann,
John d. Larner and Dorsey Claggett.
The new toard of directors met irnmedl-
ately after election AMI chose officers for
the Metropolitan Railway Company for the
ensuing year as follows:
observation-disclosures ID. Weaver
Vice PTesident-A. b, Grunwell.
Secretary and General Manager G. b
Coleman.
Treasurer-W. G. Wilson.
W Ipn lUt IHttbluD hsiu bttll tdlIc'A W
order, Griffin b. Coleman read the fiscal
statement of the company FOR the year.
The gross receipts had been $1,1S1.113,
an increase of S207, ,44907 over the re-
oeipts for the preceding year
President Harries then read his annual
report 4 synopsis OF this follows:
when | was elected president" said
Mai Harries, there was laid out for
me program most formidable in It's
dimensions and character. Boycotted by
every local labor organization, and with
its character and future threatened By
every knight of Labor in the land, this
company was awkwardly situated. What
ever 1t waEted of the authorities was
systematically and persistently opposed by
powerful agencies, with which large
proportion OF the public sympathized To
remove this sentiment was the task which
faced me at the outset.
ITO bnng about a better state OF af-
| fairs, devote all III time and energy, ana
to such effect that whea we made our ap-
| pearance before Congress in behalf of our
night 20 extend out the Columbia road. we
| had tue friendly assistance OF every labor
| organization in the city with the en-
/ ceptjon OF the knights of Labor. That
| legisl alton, To Sc cure which not one
dollar was dishonesty spent, gave to this
company franchise the value of which
| will daily become moTe apparent. The
economies have been general Operating
expenses have been reduced to d thor
ouehly busiuess-like basis. Never has the
coInpany's working force been in such fine
condition. There is no friction among
the subordinates, Conductors and motor
men are satisfied They have been fairly
dealt with Their minor, yet annoying,
| discorifucJs have been removed. Hours OF
labor have been shortened and their toll
properly ameiiorated. The men have been
treated as men, and the consequence is
mutual affection, OF which l am, and al
ways shall be, most proud No fault can
be found with the plant or equipment.
| Plans for the reinforcement OF power at
| both stations are being worked out To
| the carrying of passengers we have added
| the business of carrying United States mail.
| The financial situationis Unsatisfactory. o
Ma jor Harries then dealt in statistics
| to show the advance made during the
year. He closed by saying; with tins
sf.wing l am perfectly content. l have
nothing to regret and nothing to apologize
for -
John B. Larner moved that this report
be printed, and that a copy Of 1t he sent
| to every stockholder in the company lie
| thought that every stakeholder had a
| right to know the transactions of the
meeting.
| This was the signal for war The OPP
| position did not wish that any defense nf
Ma JOY Harries should reach the public.
| Robert D. Weaver did not want it printed.
| II this should be Gone, he Said it would
| only be question of little time when
| 1t would get into the papers, and he
tic ught this would be bad policy.
Nj. Wilson also objected, calling the
report ''self glorification'
President Harres replied sharply that no
board of directors could elect president
| who could live on the same square with
! Wilson, or about whom Wilson would not
| gossip.
| Harries' return shot evoked great ap-
! plause, and showed that the sympathes
| of u majority of those present Were with
| him
MI. Wilson desired that nothing should
be published about the report which PTesi-
dent Harries rendered He demanded a
stock vote, and the result of this was
that the report was tabled.
! Mr.. c. R. Spence, of the Mercantile
! Trust and Deposit Company, OF Baltmore
the corpor alton which, it is said, furnished
the capital for the installation Of the
| electric system on the Metropolitan lines.
| was present, and urged that the report
should be printed.
Mr.. Dorsey Claggett protested against
| the candidacy of Griffin B. Coleman for
director. Mr.. Coleman was secretary and
| general manager OF the company, and il
was bad business form that he should
| also be director In the company.
1t was decided that no publicity should
be given to the report of President Harries
by vote of S,145 to 631.
The judges OF election were Anthony
Gaeg!er. George W. Gray and 9. L. Edmons-
ton.
Major Harries will draw his salary and
take leave OF the office force today
His future is undetermined. He has sew
eral prospects, but he has not closed any
engagement or signed any articles.
The friends Of Harries say that the
company used him as. a stool pigeon
They got the needed reforms and legis-
lation through him, and, having got it,
dropped him to make place for one of
their set.