New-York tribune., 1907-09-18
? S. BOARDS HANDICAP.
THE CRY OF mo FUNDS" !"
City and Inter-Net. Too Poor to
Carry Out Orders Then Sau.

The financial condition Of the city and of the
1nterborough- metropolitan Company is proving
serious handicap to the Public Service Com
H'ISSich one OF the commissioners said yester-
oay' Nhen we propose transit betterments in
'h's city we are met with g. cry from the Inter
borough-Metropolitan Company: We have no
money; give Us time. Financially we are in bad
shape and you have caused it. You have ruined
creditr
Ihe city needs for other purposes all the
money 1t can raise is the reply that its officials
make to proposed new lines. | understand"
said the commissioner that the city has debts
to meet now or in the near future that will
take I'D every of the recent $4,000 OOG
bond Issue.
Under those circumstances. is 1t any wonder
that this commission is unable to accomplish
what II would like to accomplish Immediately?
The cry Of both the merger and the city must
be Needed to a certain extent. We can't go
ahead and say: 'Eh. that's all nonsense! If you
have not got the money TO do the work
need so oUt snd get IT" 1t would not be fair
for this commission, for the betterment Of
transit facilities. to make unfair or unreeson-
able demands.
New lines should be built both elevated and
subway. and some of the existing elevated lines
should he third tracked. But how can this be
done if there is money TO do it with?
You ask what relief will be afforded the
people of The Bronx in the immediate future,
and will tell you that with the present dearth
OF funds I really can see no immediate relief ex-
cept perhaps to order more cars run on existing
lines. and that viii not be adequate"
Chairman Wilcox returned yesterday morn
ing. and after the public session In the forenoon
held long executive session At the latter the
commissioners had A discussion Of many Of the
problems before them. The proposed Fourth
avenue subway was not discussed. but Commits
soner Eustis said 1t would come UP to-day. All
the commissioners are anxious to settle this
problem promptly but serious doubts as to the
edvisability Of building the tunnel still exist in
the minds Of two, at least, of the commissioners.
There will be a conference between the Public
Service Commission and General Bingham on
the subject Of vehicuar traffic IN a few days.
Oren Root. manager of the New York City Rail
way Company. testified on Monday that adding
cars to certain lines of the company would not
increase the carrying capacity because the con-
gestion of vehicular traffic at certain points was
so great that only a certain number Of cars
could pass in a given time. The commission
will discuss with General Bingham means of
relieving the situation.
An investigation Of complaints sent TO the
commission Of the service furnished by the cleo
tric companies in the city will be made and this
may lead 10 an investigation Of some of the cleo
tric companies. but nothing viii be done. one of
the commissioners said. until next month.
The hearing on the proposed order to the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company 70 forbid It
from running garbage cars between certain
hours was adjourned yesterday at the request
Of counsel for the COMPANY.
AS the contract for carrying garbage vas
made with The city. Brooklyn Rapid Transit
officials thought that the Corporation Counsel
should he present az the hearing on the order
and asked adjournment that account
Mr., Teomsn. Of counsel for the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit Company. said he thought there was
some doubt Of the commissions Jurisdiction.
This afternoon the hearings I'm tho commits
sion's inquiry into the Interboroush- -Metropoli-
tan Company will be resumed
Jacob II. Schiff viii be called witness
soon. though not this week
Kuhn. Loeb g. GO. at time closely
affiliated with the officials OF the merger. Since
then there has been a rupture between them.
II is understood that Mr.. Schiff viii be asked
to explain how and yrw no compelled certain
traction fnancers To take off the banks hands
$4,000 000 of Metropolitan Securities Company
stock overnight At that time II said I'm
Wall Street that Mr.. SchiT had fixed a certain
hour for the production OF the money to buy
back the stock and that the traction officials
had TO work hard to raise the sum in time
There ell sorts of rumors at the time
about the way in which the banker "coerced''
the traction people.
Drronr1tyzv xrrnzT nDorrn