New-York tribune., 1907-08-05
PROGRESS OF INQUIRY.
MR. ITINS GR4TIFIED.
u. S. Commissioners Considering
Infrr.-Met. Recommendations.

II. WINS special counsel. are well pleased with
the progress made in the Observation-Disclosures
investigation last week. Hearings "eI" l'ii
en- Thursday and Friday and it seems to be the
general opinion that unexpectedly rapid progress
has been made Last week Mr.. WINS directed ms
examination of witnesses along lines that Woud
tend bring at once TIE physical detects OF
the merger.
While neither Chairman Wilcox nor MI. YVES
will discuss present what it is intended snail De
done as the result of the evidence brought out II
IS understood that the chairman wishes 10 hahe
recommends tons the commission for remeoE'is
any obvious shortcomings in the service OF inc
transi. system From the line Of Mr.. 1vfnss q'es
tions II seems evident that Commissioner Wilcox
intends to make recommendations TO the colhn,Is-
sion which will lead to its issuing orcers Oh '''e
following points:
!. FIectrifying horsecar lines
. Experimenting with open cars in the subway
& Increasing number Of cars operated on eieEdted
lines with the exception Of the Third avenue 'eIe-
waited line -,
way.
. Running only steel cars in the subway
s. Policing subway the corporations expense.
Z Recommending traffic regulations TO clty
authorities
S Better type OF men for conductors motormep
and other company servants. go
1t is believed also by many that Mr. WILCOX VIII
try have physical remedies made before the ehd
of the inquiry. For this reason the hnanc'al trans
actions of the merger will he made for a time III
the inquiry secondary to the physical aithoush az
WINS explained. both will have to be gone INTO
more less Ccnte1npoTaneously
There seems be no doubt that the inquiry VIII
extend over many weeks. Commissioner WILCOX
has repeatedly shown by his remarks that he APP
rraciafes the necessity of giving travelling pub
lie immediate relief from the grievances II COM
plains OF the service given by the lnterboroush-
Metropolitan company.
Under the examination of Mr. WINS. Presdent
Shonts of the Interborough- Metropolitan mas a'-
lnouledged that the company is operating neither
the subway nor the u lines. with the exception
OF the Third avenue route TO their fuH capacHE'
and Mr. Shonts has advanced adequate rea-
sons for the companys failure TO DO So except that
its equipment is not sufficient 1t was also brought
only recently had the merger mace any
effort % get
Again Mr. Shonts admitted that the company
was not fulfilling its contract with the city IN re-
gard to running subway express trains. iie9o
trains are operated at the rate Of TWENTY-FIVE
miles hour. whereas the contract calis lor
speed thirty miles Mr.. Shonts said that o"i!S
TO tie construction OF the subway this rate could
not be made with safety On tho other hand
member OF the City Club pointed out that tho
company agreed operate its express trains at
that rate voluntarily. knowing AT the unle the en-
sineering features OF the tunnel
The question Of issuing intersSstem transfers was
brought up during the session on Friday. MI
Shonts said that the company had no intention OF
giving such transfers. Whether the Coillrllsso'i
will order il TO many close observers
doubtf,II No one of the commissioners would dis
that question or give any ldea OF MS liiui-
yidUal views on it ,
Capitalization OF the surface lines He attempted
to get Mr. Shonts to express some opinion on inc
capitalization OF the surface lines. but the witness
old not. pleading ignorance OF engineering S''i
tlons in New York City.
II is said on good authority that counsel Will call
other witnesses and put them through rigorous
,-,s.-a1a~oina,ion along this line. The fact that
one line on which horsecars are operated was said
TO have for road and equipment AT IN" ftts
OF over and half million dollars a ni'e
seemed especially 10 impress Mr.. WINS. and ho
asked Mr.. Shonts II ever in his career az d 'dI.-
road man ne had heard OF a horsecar line being
capitalized such sum
To residents OF Queens Mr.. Ivinss single question
ny which he established the ownership or the f9el-
mont tunnel proved the most interesting poiit
~ tho irouirv They argue that since the tunnel Is
owned by the Interboroush Rapid TRANSIT No''
pany which ia turn is controlled ana Is par ol
the marlborough gh-Metropolttan system no Aid'-
,innal fare should be charged through IT. Another
,rsorz. s advanced which If true II is thouSht pN
LAWYERS would stu enable the corporation 70 charge
tbe additional fare This theory is tnat ING ''''
doee NOT lie wholly within the city; tHat as u runs
under the East River II soes ont or tle CITY ~"
the land under the river belongs 10 IlS 9'h'o "a
~ 10 ~ time a committee OF three Public
Service Commissioners has been .appoinled 10 IA
vestgate the ownersiP franchise anu i'e"'S - ''
tunnel. .f ;1r =, b.,5 an
TUESDAY. On that day Mr iNlns mas i all,ou,, W ~,
that he Will call officials Of the 'lty 'uo 10 IAN
,,r, tho remedies suggested by the club ana inc
Complaints II has made against the merger.
while this inquiry las been going on o'Ier Hc,.I-
t.ra Of the commission have been tar from idi'
T-arh dav large numbers OF new c"inpmln's are
filed with the commission hardIF a uaE ne
necessary to take some ne" problem "hle a. a.
the same time carrying on the ones 'heE nave
started. ,,.,a. nd re
The committees appointed TO tnvestga," ana re-
ror+ ON tho Eleventh avenue New York tentrat
tarl sitrat;on the Brooklyn Bridge crush and the
1-|,,r.b o,.or.,e subway have held meetings ana
,enorted satisfactory progress. Last week ii'dfktd
,ba hcrinuinE of Investigations the BEL
mont tunnel inquiry and the investigation OF t'e
Gomez Island & Brooklyn Railway ton1panF' I.Ie
only line that charges hNe-'e"' '' -
Island. - -. o
T,ornrnissioner Naitbie under whose charge comes
a. a@airs of the old board Of commissioners
and the duties the state Inspector OF gas meters
SAYS ne finds the Gays u" eIi'i AN' 49,
work he has do.
Ia tho mean time the commission Is quietly con-
ductng an investigation of its own eIgineerine he-
n.rtneut No charges have been preferred against
the engineering staff. but the commission waits 10
know all about It and the effectiveness of lis per
sonnel =, An.
Two orders have been issued so Iar oy mo
conoroIssion The first in regard TO the report
ing OF accidents by common carrier cofipaies uil
der the Jurisdiction Of the commission TOT TINS uis
.rio4 a,d .h. second Was sweeping order for In
sorn,a,jon in regard TO all common carrier HieS
and subsidiary lines. .,,
The commissioners spent yesterday al thelr
homes Inspector Kennedy kept the offices Of the
co,r,iSsio, omen until IN the afternoon. "heu
he was relieved by Assistant Secretary norton
TO RUN LOCAL ELECTRIC TRAINS.
Announcement made yesterday that It's eec-
-ric service between New York and New Rochelic
had proved satisfactory that the New YORK. Ne"
Haven & Hartford Railroad would extend tile
service beginning this morning To all local TRAINS
,,,i,,g he,ueen New York and Port Chester
rbara arc thirty-ffve of these trains On september
| , tf not sooner the service will be extended 10
cover the entire electric zone or twenty-five nic''
.o-ro crxr1 rCpc rYOcTNE