The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-02
UTILITIES COMMISSION TOURS
ITS PREDECESSORS DIDN'T WAIT
no SAY NOW DYE no.
In Fact the state Railroad Commission
la Even Gut Out Its Telephone But
.Iastrow Alexander Keeps on Inspecting
Gas Meters-MectinE 20 Be Held To-day

Had Even Gut Out Its Telephone Hut
Jastrow Alexander Keeps on Inspecting
las Meters Meeting 10 Be Held To-day.
The members Of the new Public Utilities
Commission we're Sworn into Office by
Supreme Court Justice Dayton shortly
after 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon. mo
body Of men could do the work better than
you can" Justice Dayton said to them.
The commission takes the place Of the
Rapid Transit Commission. the State Rail
road Commission. the Commission Of Gas
n Electricity and the State Inspector
OF Gas Meters. Each Of these departments
a a large amount of routine with which.
u course. the commissioners are entirely
dnacquainted. The clerks and employees
OF these commissions have gone out of
Office with the commissioners. but it will
be necessary to continue some of them
temporarily under their supervising heads
until h new commission gets its bearings.
About all the afternoon was spent 10y
the commission visiting the various offices.
They will meet again early this morning
at the Offices Of the State Railroad Com
mission at l Madison avenue and remain
in session most Of the day trying to map
out things. No appointments were made
yesterday. but il liz likely that at least a
secretary will be chosen to-day. One of
the commissioners had to act as secretary
yesterday. In fact, they had no one to help
them all day long
The commissions. which arrived by special
messenger from the Governor, did not
designate the terms Of the members. Under
the law these terms run from one to five
years. so that there will be a commissioner
to go out Of Office each year. 1t was ex-
planned by Edgar l.. Murlin. the Governors
messenger. that az the appointments we're
recess appointments the Governor did not
have to designate the terms until the names
are sent TO the Senate on January L..
After an informal luncheon at tine Drug
Club as the guests of Commissioners Nc
Carroll the commission started out alone to
visit the various Offices il takes over, The
trip was made in two cabs and an auto
mobile. Chairman Wilcox and Commits
sioner McCarroll riding in the automobile.
The first place visited was the gas light
ing office in the Hanover Ban Building.
where they found the assistant clerk and
a few other clerks. After asking the clerks
to stay around the commissioners went
over to the Office Of the State Inspector
of Gas Meters. at 100 Broad street. Jastrow
Alexander, the retiring inspector, was on
hand personally. lie explained that tho
work could not stop for a minute, that
requests for inspection of meters were
coming in constantly and would have To be
attended to.
The commissioners told Mr.. Alexander
to keep on the job and said that one of
I their number would have a ak with him
to-day and see how the work should be
continued.
At the office OF the Rapid Transit Board
there were no eN-cOinmiSSiuners. but Bon
l. RlrrOWl SprrPtlfE Df the old hDar 1 and
his two assistants and Chief Engineer Rice
were waiting. MIR. Rice took the commits
sioners upstairs To the engineering depart
ment, where his force was still AZ work.
They were odd Ia keep on temporarily.
About twenty cameras had been numbered
in the board room where the old commits
sion used to sit and II was necessary then
for Chairman Wilcox and his associates
to sit for several group pictures.
The Offices of the State Railroad Com
mission were found e~mptyiSave for Assistant
Secretary Reyes and an assistant. One of
the commissioners tried 10 Use the tele-
phone. but he found that the old commits
sion or somebody had thOughtfully had il
discontinued. Each commissioner will rave
an office To visit to-day. and after talking
with the clerks in charge will try TO devise
a plan for continuing such work az il pro-
vided for in the new law. IL will probably
he lone under the form Of bureaus, each
with a commissioner in charge. What the
commissioners want To ascertain quickly
is how many employees will be needed TO
start the thing and just where to put them
all. In the matter of employees a rom
ference will probably be held some time
to-day with the Civil Service Commission.
There will he many new Clerkships to- fill
and the work of organizing will take some
time.
Chairman Wilcox carried around with
him the commissions mail. already growing
fast. He said he would try 10 read some Of
the letters on his way to Seabright for the
night. When asked TO give out the names
of some Of the candidates for the job of
secretary Mr.. Wilcox threw up his hands.
Most of them are in here and | don't
know them myself" he said. pointing 10
one Of the large envelopes containing mail.
II is likely that n tentative scheme of or
ganization will be drawn mp AT the first
formal meeting to-day and that a secretary
will be named.
Acompiaint bureau is TO be opened shortly,
but nothing can be lone until the com
mission selects an office. The board will
have to hold a public hearing on July l3
on the Brooklyn subway. that being "A part
If the unfinished business Of the old Rapid
Transit Board II will have 10 let the
three remaining contracts of the Manhattan
section of the Brooklyn subway loop. The
State Railroad Commission has turned over
several matters as unfinished. among them
being applications by the Brooklyn Union
Elevated for leave TO issue so. 900. 900 Of
bonds and a similar application in regard
10 a mortgage for IS. O0O.0O o by the Nassau
Electric Railroad Company
The new law provides that the Offices
of the Public Service Commissions shall
he kept open daily and Sundays from "A. NJ
to II j. NJ. In order to meet thiss situation
n temporary designation of clerks TO re-
main on duty before and after the Gus
tomary Office hours was made in the Office
of the new upstate commission to-day.
Col. William II. Terrill. one of the veteran
clerks OF the former state Railroad Com
mission. is to open the department at g
o'clock every morning and will be on duty
until 4 p. NJ. TO receive reports of accidents
and see to il that they are promptly looked
after, and Stanley Wells OF ~Syrscuse. one
Of the photographers. is to come to work
at 4 O'Clock every afternoon and remain
on duty until IL p, NJ.