New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-25
MR. COLER NOT PRESEn1.
RAPID TRANSIT COMMISSION lAhH'
ACTION ON THE ELEVATED
FIR aNCHISES.

,-bo r2oard Of Rrapil Transit Commissioners nv
ocoi, Yesterday afternoon. but owing 10 '"e
so,oe ~ Controller COler, mo progress ""o f
IN the matter Of the Manhattan iranc"'S'' ",
bour after the Board had been IN scSSo"
Coler te)cphonod that the engineer OF tho Fi'n'00
,-.,,,. b,d M, vet reported to him his OPINION
-, The nronosed grants and as consequence
was useless for him to attend the mee'ing' as i.'
would be unable 10 vote upon the Hpp''' "
approval Of the certificates. .-.,
The Commission proceeded 20 conslder inc -o' LA
-, tho scvco certificates OF the Manhattan extern
sions but whether any notifications "e'' i'"c -
,he conditions recommended by the contract O''''
rnittee or not could not be asceriaineu.
4 resolution was passed authorizing the presIuei
and secretary TO execute In the name Oh .io 49,
mission the stipulation required by 'ne App'
Io,v,e,on that in the contract FOR the building OF
he underground road continuous Dohd Ioi s''''V'
900 for the operation OF the road and a sf"''v"
bond for the period Of construction snail DC N
sisted upon The Commissioners aso received INC
report OF James L. Mitchell. the expert accou'''
they employed 10 investigate the accounts Vi ''o
Board Mr. Mitchell reported that the total amount
extended by the present body which was crea'ou
in June 1894 1866 80. 1t may be reinenoeIou
that the auditors appointed by Controller Coler 10
examine the accounts stated that ABOUT siV'''V
had been expended: but in arriving at THIS 'o'al
they also included the expenses or the previous
Commission over which the late William Stenway
presided.
None Of the Commissioners who were seen after
the meeting would comment in any way upon
the utterances OF Mr.. Croker concerning the com
mission. which were published yesterday IN Inc
Tribune. The Commissioners referred Tribune
reporter 10 Mr. Orr but the president OF the
Board on his part. declined to reply 10 Mt croker
Mr.. Orr however. answered an attack made upon
him by Assistant Corporation Counsel Creainer
At the hearing the Ellsworth bill before the
Senate Committee on Cities at Albany on Wednes-
day Mr. Dreamer charged Mr.. Orr with owning
large block of Manhattan stock. The following Is
The reputation which Mr. orr sent 10 Senator
"''"''"''''' March g. 1925
Hon y y. Stranahan Chairman Senate Committee
Dear Sir: 1t is reported in this mornings papers
that III advocating the bill now penang before
your committee lcgislate the present RAPID iran
sit Board out Of office, Mr.. Dreamer, who Is, | am
told. of the assistants 10 the Corporation Coth-
SCI Of this city. asserted that the president OF ue
Chamber OF Commerce alexander f.. orr. Of the
Rapid Transit Commission Is known TO he one OF
the heaviest stockholders In the Manhattan COM
As this assertion. If It was actually made. must
have been advanced with the intention OF creating
the impression that my personal interests might IN
some manner influence my official action touching
the Application OF the Manhattan f'dIi"hy ON
pauy, which is pending before tho Rapid Tran
Sit Board feel constrained. although with the ut
When first learned hat tho Manhattan Railway
Company intended to make an application 70 our
Board for additional franchises al once sold az
o. my securities IN that company (which amounted
only to lis shares OF Its stock ana nave not since
thCn held, and DO own, any OF the sccuri-
ties OF that corporation except 5000 per cent
bond
Although thus reluctantly constrained. from
Of official duty TO reply TO this reported in
situation. you Will pardon me- am sure. for adding
that from purely personal standpoint. the Obli-
ga lion to make this denial is the most dsagreeahe
that has been forced upon me for long period.
] am, sir. yours very truly. 4. l.. ORR
Several parcels Of land in the neehborhood Of
One hundred a nd-forty-iifth and North Third
ave. were transferred on Wednesday by Mary r.
W. ,.lo
Gould, representing the Manhattan Railroad Com
pany. The purchases are looked upon sig
nihcant. for the reason that the properly Is near
where the proposed extension Of the suburban line
Of the elevated system would branch off to West
Farms Mr.. Gould has not yet returned to town.
and Daniel W. McWil.ams. the secretary OF the
company. when asked Yesterday If the land had
been bought I'm view OF the proposed extensions OF
the elevated lines said 81 have nothing to say
about the affairs Of the company; you can draw
N.lDlr lNNr inf