New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-02-19
PANAMA R. R. INQUIRY.
FEES OF COMMISSIONERS.
admiral Walker Explains Them
Operations of the Railroad.

Foreign Commerce at the close OF its hearing to-
day by Chairman Hepburn. having been received
by him from Commissioners Harrod and Grunsky
in letters dated to-day
The commissioners were also informed by the
esen tins na a. IF m ses h pa
tSs BYLAWS q sis ssRsH9s Esirsas eSnpaa asp was
ss1on to be INFORMED that hs order fixing the
tended to prevent the acceptance Of such fee.
No action in the matter was taken by the COM
mittee The letter OF Commissioner Grunsky In
closes communication from him TO Vice President
Drake of the railroad company Of September 10
last, in which he returns unopened envelope
containing his fee for the rst meeting he attended
He says he did not refuse the envelope the time
1t was handed TO him. at the close Of the meeting
because he did not wish to ebarrass his associates
on the commission. He says he could not construe
the attendance fee as other than compensation and
must decline TO accept it, Commissioner Crlnsky
said that the words 'ths President In the COM
missions minutes referred to President Roosevelt
Regarding the question OF fees for attendance
accepted by the Tsthfuian Canal Commissioners as
directors Of the Panama Railroad Admiral Walker.
chairman of the commission. To-Day said
reefS sry cqPo5at,9a PAYS attendance fees s
mission made directors OF the panama Rail-
was TAKEN ap some s @ . Of the
Rat they emitted 70 tSese ees and otsrs
Roosevs q ana she tod i3m R Chat
Of Pnon q hs eaaa nn
m nes es Ea he4s sf h sPd
she should se taken as matter q course and that
next meeting Of the commission toG what th he
P President hSa said All Of the members
SS G te mop ~ the There law that
Terms PreFet ORDER ana when ss as we 70 vent ehf
a b he aea
Of stock and to wansa f
P fPst them had ssf9s e
f@ th s4ee We shG S Pay for at sr
o d 6e as
ss t. %f e aHS fas % t Of the saRe
our a IN ss m as S a and rbss had
n n o 9Sd aa sf 0f .ss ha
belong 70 the g9yernment and no member Of the
TO hs b b9as IA an9 Ts s 2 aSSeSs
a rsesmX b dsoa[ef fSd the creeks
city. Secretary Taft said to ndorse them TO him
s eg oy 70 the Wf that h b be
has been done. That is ali there Is Of 1t.
FEES PAID TO COMMISSIONERS.
vice-President Drake resumed his testimony
when the hearing began Chairman Hepburn I'm
mediatey took UP the question OF payments for at
tendance the meetings OF the board OF directors
and Of the executive committee of the company by
members of the Isthmian Canal Commission.
DO you keep a record OF the meetings OF the |
board of directors he asked
1T do" answered Mr.. Drake
do you keep a record of the meetings of the
executive board7"
"A full and complete record of every meeting
is kept
Have you that with your
No"
do those records show the attendance"
"They do"
How many meetings OF either OF those boards !
have been attended by the directors who are MEM
bers Of the 1sthmian Canal Commssion?"
An Of the meetings Of the boards have been |
attended by members of the commission
Have members of the commission on each oc- |
CASTOR received their fees for attendance?"
They have. SIR
Who. you now remember?"
"All of them except General Davis who is out |
Of the country
Were any of them members OF the executive |
committee"
Mr. Parsons is member of the executive
board"
Did he receive mis- fees for that?"
Yes sir"
Mr.. Drake said that the nonresident directors |
were not allowed mileage and denied that any |
Of the members OF the Isthman Canal Commission |
ever received their travelling expenses from his |
company.
Continuing, the witness said that the meetings |
Of the board Of directors and of the executive com
mittee are rarely held the same day. and that |
the fee for attendance OF the members OF these |
two boards was determined by resolution of the |
executive committee six seven years ago
Has any change been made in the aIacies or |
compensation to officers of the company since |
January. 1902 the witness was asked.
None. except to subordinate employees"
Can you furnish the committee with an item.zed
statement showing the amounts that have been |
paid to gentlemen who members OF the 18th |
milan Canal Commission for their attendance at |
the board meetings OF these boarcs?'
Yes l will. There is perfect. detailed account |
Of every penny spent by the company"
Mr. Drake added that he would include In that |
statement tho dividends paid TO them. and that |
II would be practicable for him bring the record
Of the transactions OF these two boards
This closed for the time this feature OF the in |
vestigation.
Mr. Mann then inquired regarding he steamship /
connections Of the company, and rates both of |
steamship and railroad
Speaking OF the $4,000 paid to Colombia each |
year Mr. Drake said he understood IL would be |
necessary to pay this sum long as the conces- |
sion ran which would be until 1862. This money J
he said, is be paid Panama II was Mr. |
brakes opinion that the railroad would continue
to do business and be important factor when |
the canal is constructed.
Mr.. Lowering referred again to the board OF di |
rectors and asked what was the specific work done |
all questions Of policy the approval OF contracts |
and traffic agreements. the operation of the road
and the increase Of facilities.
Mr.. Drake suggested that there is no boa rd |
whose members have higher standing Replv-
ing to Mr. Wanger, he said that the Southern |
Pacific Railroad Company owned the controlling |
interest in the Pacific Mail Company
Mr.. Drake expressed the opinion that the offices |
of the company should not be moved from New |
York 10 Panama.
MR.. CROMWELL GIVES EVIDENCE
William Nelson Cromwell. general counsel for |
the Panama Railroad Company for the last 6r,eer
years followed Mr.. Drake. He said he negotiated