New-York tribune., 1908-06-28
A YEAR OF P. s. BOARD
SOME NOTABLE SERVICE
Nr. HTloor Tells of Work Done in
Lighting and TRANSIT

LtSNHftS haQ Il fUHST.
Tbs Public Service Commission for III. +. M.
49,, created under the Public Service s
cons law recommended by Governor Hughes -,
Re- one year old on July j. In the year it has don.
,.eu-o-fhy work in two fields-thoss 90 ,,-,s
and trsns7ortauon-thus substantiatinr +b. 60
.-rrrs belief in recommending its create, e. -.
,sed the old Rapid Transit Cor7missio, ga - .
state Commission Of Gas and Electricity
some of the important work done b1- tho ~
mission N us first year included an exhaustive
investigation or the affairs of transit co,,
,Airh disclosed misuse Of vast s,,,s =. -
shocking disregard Of public obligations as =, ~
ouste service: the substantial increasa of 80.
subway. eieVated and surface lines: the foroe5
repair 81 roiilne stock on specific orders Of the
commission, the laying out OF three new, s,,h,-o
routes, TWO IN Manhattan and The Rronx ,-o -
brooklyn. contracts for which have bee, o,-a.s.s
snd important improvements in the BROOKLYN To-
subway snd at the 9sth street station ans ir,..t
estion 81 me electric light and gas companies
with resultant improvements
William r Wilcox. chairman Of The o,,,,....--.
fo- the Isl District. said yesterday ,t,. ;; -,
o. the hiE difficulties encountered he v-as ss+;.i,
with The results Of che work done hy the cor,,is1
sion. He said
Clothed with the power remedy transno-+s-ior
stlseS 80 t g eIelencles the commission has
issued 8 SrF@t many orders street railroad -
oheT rallread corporations and those orders have
fev Of me most notsb bJe ree,,7ts -, 49,,
rsss and local service in the subway better and
r1o-e treqJenl service on en the elevated roads
snd greatly increased service on an tbs ,1os- a.,
ro-Tsrr surface lines: the car movement 90 -
Brooslyn Bridge has been materially accelerate ted
5EinS IN ne action OF the commission in insisting
ucon proper repairs 70 the rolling stocl an5 -
regulating truck traffic. that vehicles NAV NOT
Erils of financial misnana cement and oo,sec,,.r.
dsreTor7Tior IN operating service disclosed tv
nc c2i5-Sl3n lnLeslisation into the INTERIOR
= TEN ana the experience gained
s. mrs non mas resulted in action by the
corlrsSi0u looking toward the prevention in future
a nc abuses OF the past We have already taken.
or vii soon take action which will prevent the
overirs zation of public service corporations and
ms oislrlol1ion 70 Poticsi or other favorites of
s.slahe - the general public
T. -vo important hond issues authorized by This
commission fhe principle has heen laid down and
vi'i ha adhered 10 that all bond issues by such
coT7or7i'oHs shsii h opened 70 public bidding un-
Jess 2--auCer7ents are made for private sale at =
figure which The market justifes
The commission aisc proposes TO reform the
system II accounting in fun by such corpora
t2rs- saG Nll make such changes as MI com
fer oepreofation and 10 set aside funds for the
TIE -ommission has also established p prece-
cen - the authorization Of new corporations
application II the Long Acre Electric Light and
fo- lie purpose Of getting cspitai to enter into
general competition with existing electric light
Af.e- much study the commission has decided
mat where the field is r1onopolistic-that is.
s1p7ig- t7e needs Of the community Il is mad
fe 7frdicared in a few years by the improvement
To- --e first time under adequate state regula-
TIE commission has also taken definite steps
toward building new suhUaTs and elevated lines
rhe Fourth avenue subway in BROOKLYN. laid
dom he route for the Broadway lexington ave
haitian and The Bronx. and is preparing plans for
he Brooklyn extension Of the Brooklyn loop
TIE commission perfected, the plans for the
board Of Estimate and ApportionTnent and only
ssed for an aIproITiatlop Of s2.s5oooo to start
could 70 with the undertaking. for the law re-
ro- nnent appropriate the money for building sub
W. T TE @ e aePgse s GreT Ee te e oee Geef n fTo
making The appreprla tIon. and that Is the only
e lot iH progress % st te faS psese1t piee
This commission did everything in its power TO
AZ So bo-oughs OF the greater city have felt the
e-ec- or -f= commissions work in improving ex-
5srinz transportation facilities From Staten Isl
and 70 The Bronx and from Coney Island 10 the
t1u1Son HiF@r nearly every section OF the city IS
wear ago
Much of the hertern7ert in service is due 70 the
orders of the commission requiring the thorough
0ver-zUlirE and repair Of Streetcars. This work
has beer rushed 50 that practically all the open
cars placed IN -ervice this spring put out in
beer fever accidents during operation and conse-
0ueHrv fewer delays with the result Of better and
n re TeId Of gas and electricity the commits
sion hss also done effective work. The testing Of
Ess 71rrerS has been carried on - an extent IN
heard OF before with the result that accurate me-
viii Be the rule in all parts Of the greater
CRY. The electric light companies have. at the
solicitation Of the commission. resumed the giving
- 7ozn service periodical consumers; that
Is. persons or firms owning individual lighting
plants. and this is a concession which all owners
of Independent plants deeply appreciated
The closing n the first year Of the commissions
work is siEuslized by the first exercise OF its pow
regulate the fares charged by street railway
companies = scent fare IN place Of Scent fare
has been ordered the Putnam division OF the New
York Central from 155th street 10 University
Heights ,,
Sirr7fs- Questions involving well the problem
free transfers will he considered IN snort tlrIle
in connection with the surface railroads IN Man
haitian and The Bronx, and in order 70 gam N m
formation necessarily preliminary 70 actlon; re
commission has ordered appraisal or an lIle
property owned nv such companies rms ap-
prsissI VIII he undertaken at once unoer the ol-
rertfcr - experts .-.s-,.
For months the commission has been lnVestsay
and and within short time decision VIII ne an |
neurceG.