The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-14
He VIII Work for George West.
inghOuse of Pittsburg.
viii Build Trolley Lines All
Over the Country.
TRIED TO BLUFF TAFT.
Expected Government to Raise
His Salary to $65, 900.
He Had Not Accepted New Offer
When They Met.

New York, July 14.-It has been
learned at last what John F. Wal
lace had in view when he resigned
from the Panama canal commission
and what the $65, 900 position is which
led Secretary Taft to- characterize the
resignation as having been actuated
by mere lucre.' Mr.. Wallace will be
associated with George Westinghouse
of Pittsburg. president of the West
1nghouse Air Brake company and CO.
trustee with Grover Cleveland and
Judge O'Brien of the Equitable Life
Assurance society, in project for the
purchase and building of trolley lines
at all strategic points in this country.
The report that Mr.. Wallace was to
act as engineer for the Ryan subway
or and appears never to have had any
foundation, though the connection
with NJ. Ryan through Mr.. Westing-
house still remains.
A remarkable feature of the pro-
ject is the close harmony with the
steam railroads with which it will be
carried out. Throughout the country
notably in the case of the New York
New Haven and Hartford and the
New York Central, as well as in
Ohio, the railroads have found it
necessary in many instances and ad-
Visabie in others to gain control of
competing electric lines.
1t is with this situation in mind
that the present plans have been
made. Where existing trolley lines
which are successful competitors of
steam roads are bought by the West
1nghouse-Wallace syndicate, or where
new lines are built which prove to be
successful competitors, it is under
stood that an arrangement will be
made by which the steam and electric
lines will operate in harmony when
the trolley lines do not pass into the
control of the steam roads. Though
there may be apparent competition,
II is not expected that under the con-
ditions that will prevail there will be
any slashing of rates.
At the same time the carving out
of this project will enable Mr. West
1nghouse, who is an equipper rather
than an operator of trolley lines, to OBJ
tain a tremendous market for his prod
ucL ana, through possibly quick sales
OF the lines to turn his capital over rap
Idly, instead of having it tied I'D for
a considerable period during expert
mental operation of the roads. Plans
for new roads are believed to have
been already perfected in many parts
of the country, and before long, it is
understood. the new syndicate will be-
gin active operations.
That Mr.. Wallace was not certain
however, of accepting this offer when
he returned from Panama has been
learned. His resignation had a string
on it. Rather than lose his services, he
expected that Secretary Taft would
come to his terms and Increase his SAL
airy to $4,000 a year, besides making
him chairman of the Panama commits
sion, which would have made it posi-
bic for him to live most of the time in
Washington, instead of on the Isthmus.
Having become somewhat familiar with
the work on the canal, he thought it
would seem to the secretary that he
was the most available man to direct
the work from the capital.
President Roosevelt and Secretary
Taft, however, in some way learned of
Mr.. Wallace's plans, subject to their
refusal to make him chairman of the
commission at a salary of $65, 900 a
year, and when he arrived in New
York were loaded for him and Secre-
tary Tafts scathing denunciation was
the result
May Lead to Great Results.
Pittsburg, Pa, July 1.-That an Of
fer from the Westinghouse interests
was the one which induced John F.
Wallace to resign as chief engineer OF
the Panama canal was stated today
with authority. At the Pittsburg offices
It was said that any offer of the kind
would come from the engineering and
contracting concern of the Westing-
house interests. Westinghouse, Church
Kerr & Co., of New York
The offer made to Mr.. Wallace, it is
learned, involves his active services in
connection with plans for the con-
struction of very important intersll-
burban street railway systems. The sin
gle phase alternating current which
has been successfully developed by the
Westinghouse Electric and Manufac-
turing company for traction USE figures
lief, as it is claimed that in this sys-
tenn the solution of the long distance
electric line problem has been found.