New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-31
LIGHT on RICE'S FORCES.
HOUSE CLEANING BEGINS.
4. S. Com missiOncrs Wdnt 10 knozc
Ab0ut Their Engineers.

10 Public Service Commission has begun quiet
investigation @ Of its departments The
enefreernE staff Of the commission and its chief,
George :. Rice for the last three days been
undergoing investigation by tho commission. NO
charges have been preferred against Mir Rice or
- department. said chairman Wilcox Yesterday.
''rcr Is this investigation in any sense hostile -
engineering staT.
We want to find out all about them and their
work il. continued. We find the
capabilities Of the men employed We want 10
knoN- that each man is capable 70 do the work
assigned him and what that il. The engineering
staff is most important to our work. and We want
- know that each man is efficient and able to do
wr1f he has % do IN first class style / 90 not
.rant infer that they not good. capable men.
~ mean 90 * .hat We want TO know this
a.. more TOO
SaeaStr. Of the proseut force which is practi-
sai,, tne same that Of the old Board Of Rapid
Transit commissioners Commissioner Wilcox said:
No Eav, IN that department about three hundred
aUd fifty mon. most OF whom are engineers \
large pat OF this force is doing the work Of in
spec1ors. NoW, that quite number Of engineers
90 have our payrolls If it is too many-Oore
tnan need-we viii get rid Of some Of them,
IT. however. the force proves 10 be smaller than
IS necessary 10 carry on our Work, "hY. the' We
will get more That IS another object Of this
Investigation. to ind ont the needs II the depart
ment numerically
With the number of men ALREADY on the pay
rolls q The commission the engineering depart
lneui alone costs the city half million in
- Iaries each year This inspection OF the enGl-
rleeriug department will he carried on privately
and viii OCCUPY several weeks. Then tho commits
sion rs a committee of the whole viii discuss its
findings and make such changes. if any, as it con
Eiders advisable.
Theodore =. Shonts. president or the INTERIOR
ough- metropolitan company and oren Foot. lr
general manager Of the New York city Railway
Company viii he Of the witnesses called AT
n" first hearing Of the lnteToor"ugh Metrop"!itah
Investigation Thursday. This decision Was
reached Yesterday by William NJ WINS, special
counsel who will conduct me legal side of the in
veetisation. President Shonts himself vii, be the
first witness 70 90 tho stand. and Mr. WINS has
prepared il is understood a rapid fire set Of ques
Fysl1ay r1fT11G EaG nil
le called the first day said Commissioner
Wilcox Yesterday. - have left il to our special
counsel 10 arrange the order in which they are to
Ia called
M Wilcox said that subpoenas might he served
the witnesses early to-day. They are being pre-
Jared. and Mr Wins is taking no chances and Will
risks Of having an important witness fan
him
1t is believed that Thomas F. Ryan will return
from Europe voluntarily. and of his own accord
viii appear before the investigating commissions
should appear in the course of the hearing that
h is needed Paul d. Cravath Of counsel for the
1nterhorough. is keeping in close touch with Nj.
Ryan, and will ask him to return II he thinks IL
necessary.
Mr. Shonts and Mr.. Cravath spent several hours
yesterday afternoon in consultation With Mr. WINS
At the larters law offices Mr.. WINS. il is under
stood. advised Mr.. Shonts o the general trend
Of his examination OF Thursday. that III" latter
might be prepared To give the desired information
Representatives OF eight Brooklyn organizations
appeared at the hearing on the form of contract
FOR five sections OF IN" proposed fourth "E"il.
subway held by the Public Service Commissions
yesterday. While of these organizations IL
fered on minor points. all urged quick constrUc-
ton Of tho subway. The Manhattan Single Tax
Club and the Staten Island association had repre-
sentatiyes 10 urge their views.
chairman Wilcox requested the speakers to con
fine their remarks 20 the form OF contracts and
not to the general proposition. He said the com
mission might give hearing that later.
r. W. CreUzhar. engineer from Borough
President Coler's Office. criticised severely about
every point in the plans prepared by the old Board
O. Rapd Transit Commissioners. These plans are
now ready for execution. Representatives OF other
associations however. favored the form of con-
tract that had been prepared The sections for the
construction Of which the Public Service Commits
sion Is ready advertise for bids Nassau
WilouEhby street and Willoughby street to Ash
land Place: Sackett To 10th street. 10Th 70 9th and
9th 41st street. The gap between Ashland Place
and Sackett street IS caused ny the work Of con
structng the great Greene avenue storm sewer the
completion OF which is still fifteen months away.
Joseph b. Alice. OF the Myrtle Avenue Board 81
Trade. spoke for the downtown business men. He
said that if The subway constructed by the
'open ditch method in that district of Brooklyn
4 would mean great Inconvenience and a serious
loss Of money 10 business men. He urged The com
Tletion Of the Flatbush extension for use
+ street possible. lie said there
20 pieces of property along the line Of the avenue
which would be useless until the avenue
Tleted for traffic involving aggregate loss OF
500 Oo0 in rentals a year.
Staten Island representatives wanted the commits
sion TO build Il tunnel connecting with the Fourth
avenue subway from the island
The commissioners spent the afternoon in com
mittee meetings.