New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-29
THURSDAY.
MARCH 20. 1900.
THE ERIE MERGER Ia w.
WILLIAM n CORBIN SAYS sUSQUEHANNA
LEASE WAS IN OPERATION
ONE YEAR ONLY.

During the session OF the Legislature % fsas -
act was passed whereby the Erie Railroad and the
New-York Susquehanna and Western Railroad
permitted 20 merge The act practically placed
the New-York. Susquehanna and Western under
the control OF the Erie by lease. and on March 1
1895 the Erie leased the Susquehanna for one year
The second section OF the law. which was known
the Erie Merger act- provided in eject t1at
reither or the said railroad companies should tn
crease the rate or rates OF their freight OF pas
senger traffic then IN force in this State
Repeated allegations that the Erie Railroad. as
the lessee had violated the section OF the act
mentioned in connection with the traffic % tbs
New-York. SusGuehanna and Western led sen
ators Braun, Of Passaic- Cornish. Of Warren. and
Martin. Of Sussex make these allegations a
matter for legislative inquiry. and Senator Braun
introduced a concurrent resolution calling tas
Acknowledgement for MS opinion whether the
Erie Railroad had violated the law under which
the merger OF the two roads was made
After interviev with the Senator's named. A.
torney-CieneraI Grey William n Corofa.
counsel for the Erie road. asking for such facSs
and information the resolution required Mr.
Corbin gave the Artorney-General the facts in de-
tai whereupon the Acknowledgement addressed
his opinion the Senators who had introduced shs
resolution which said since their inter-
view he had into the possession OF additional
facts and continued:
Information received from William H Corban
changes in the situation from which il VIII appear
mat the ease made under The sanction Of the aeS
expired March / 1883. OF course. the expiration OF
this term. during which the Erie company had
possession OF the SusQuehanna leaves the Erie
without any rights % the possession control OF
the New-TOrk. SusQuehanna and Western. and, In
asmuch as the condition imposed by the Legislature
was predicated upon the existence OF a lease and
operative during It's continuance. the fact that
there IS no lease and that the Nsw-YOrk. Su>Qle-
hanna and Western Is operating its Own property
leaves nothing for the statute 70 operate upon
In my opinion the New-YOrk. Susquehauna and
Western, being now in possession % It's road,
must operate II under IFS own charter. with such
rights as 20 the rates 20 De charged for freight and
passenger traffic il is entitled TO demand under
its charter
After the opinion OF Acknowledgement Grey had
been submitted 10 the Senator's who had presented
the concurrent resolution. some inquiry was nads
IN the senate as 70 what had become OF resol-
reference 20 H. but neither IL nor the opinion was
acted upon there directly. IN fact the opinion
or the Attorney General was not expOsed F3u-
another resolution. placing the n the hands
or Governor VOORHEES,. introduced and passed
Nhsn asked yesterday what action ne going
70 take upon this resolution. Governor Voorhees,
replied that II had reached him vet but -
understood that the resolution threw the burden
OF me matter upon MIN. and thar ne would taxa
such acton as II required early day. which
Vas ne oelleFed, 20 ascertain whether the Erie
HaiirOad mad violated the provisions OF the merger
Nj Corbtn said II cellar that the exDi-a-
tlon OF the lease under the merger che senate
resolution unnecessary, and he intia that il
prObaoI that the conditions beer Fl1TTv-
understood II would not have been introduced