New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-10-17
CONNERS'S PART In
BLANKET CHARTER
H4S REASON TO OBJECT
TO PUBLIC SERVICE Law.
Holds Stock in Corporation Possess
ing Franchises in Al Cities and
Tosrns of the State.

~.r,o--s1jc state Committee, and his friend. ".
rsr,I Ely. Of Buffalo. whom he once suggested
ks g candidate for Governor. are large holders
[Fstock in q company which has a franchise in
l,,e-v street and road in every city and town of
IT, state which the company is beginning to ex-
l--,se without the consent Of the local authori-
Les is the charge made in a statement given
- last night by Julius Henry Cohen. chairman
- she r1blicity committee Of the Hughes Ali
snoe The Public Service Commission. created
Nv Governor Hughes. is now conducting pro-
hee6fnc in Buffalo 10 determine just what rights
IRE corporation has, and what II has done in
pursuance Of the phenomenal powers given 1t in
franchise put through the Legislature when
Roswell P Flower was Governor
The company is the New York Powers Securi-
lies COMPANY. which owns 497 of the 500 shares
!. s-ocl in the Economic Power and Construc-
s,, Co-,7nanv. the owner of the franchise. Will
s, 7 ~anners and ". Caryl Ely appear from
bYhr;c records in Buffalo interested in the
Hep, York Powers Securities Company, which
has already begun business particularly in Buff
ls7o. and has made contracts for New York City
md other places
-te co77ngnv refuses TO submit TO the juris-
s;ction Of the Public Service Commission for
he % District which has been making a siren
lo,s effort 70 get on the record in sworn state
nents Of the conpany's directors, the facts re-
Earding its status, stockholders' ofncers ana
assets
The franchise under which the New York
Powers Securities Company seeks 10 do an cleo
trical business IS owned technically by the Eco
bo-1ic Power ana Construction Company It
: under the name Of this company that an at
Eenut vas recently made 10 open Buffalo streets
against the positive objection OF the city au-
sbo-ities. Since the New York Powers Securi-
les Company puts up all the money and owns
ind Construction Conpanysit II does not require
I Philadelphia lawyer TO understand that the
Etockholders Of the Securities company are the
PERSONS really interested in the electric business
1nder this franchise.
LIST OF THE STOCKHOLDERS.
Who these stockholders are Herbert P Bis
ssl. one Of the directors OF the Powers Securi-
les Company has refused TO state under oath
81 the hearing III Buffalo before the Public
service Commission. Fortunately, however,
his information appears in the testimony taken
before the Supreme Court of Erie County in
litigation occasioned by the action Of the Po-
hos Department OF Buffalo, il preventing the
kpering of streets by the Economic Power Com
penv These stockholders as given then we're:
Robert L Fryer. Of Buffalo
William K McFarln, Of East Orange
( William Hamlin Of Buffalo.
Robert z. Powers. Of No JOS St James Place,
Fe-t l. Jones. Of No 81 Ashland avenue Buff
talo-
John Boyd Thecher. of Albany.
4 Edward McNaster Mills. Of East Aurora, n Y
} Ea-rv T Ramsdell. Of Buffalo.
( u Ca-yl Ely. Of Buffalo
E william J. Corners, Of Buffalo
+ Governor Hughes IS reelected and the Pub
hc Service Commission for the ID District con-
tlnued under its present auspices. recommen-
iaton viii undoubtedly be made to the next
legislature for the repeal Of certain provisions
n the act q 1888 by which the Economic Power
fCornrznv secured the remarkable special privi-
aeges amounting, il is asserted. to franchise
Ia every highway in TIE state To get informa-
ton showing If any changes in the law are
'recessarv IS the announced purpose Of the
bearings conducted by the Public Service Com
mission Enough has been adduced to show
that some legislation IS urgently needed TO place
the operations OF the Economic Power Com
.pany and those of the holding company under
supervision OF TIE state. Legislation has been
presented several times in recent years 20 re-
peal some OF the provisions in the act IN
s,orpo-a-ing the Economic Power Company.
these bills have regularly been pigeonholed in
Ioorrrnit-ee = IS to the personal interest Of
s5Er. Corners and his friend " Caryl Ely 70
have such bills pigeonholed in the future, or TO
have them vetoed by a Governor amenabie 10
the Corners influence. Mr.. Corners is credited
with an intention to have Mr Ely appointed
lor tne Public Service Commission for the 2d
iDstrfct. = he can bring this about The best
recollection Of M Rissei when testifying before
ithe Supreme Court was that the interests OF
sg- Conners and Mr.. Ely in the Ne"
York Powers Securities Company were equal IN
amount and that each one held s223.0oo Of the
.stocs. 1fr. BisseTs understanding was that MT
conners had paid cash for his stock
HISTORY OF THE FRANCHISE.
The hstorv q this remarkable franchise, in
(Which the Democratic state chairman is so
lteeply interested and which is under fire from
iet Public Service Commission appointed by
leovernor Hughes. furnished some striking eX-
itnples of how things were done in the Legis-
ia'ure in the carly 90s. and typical instance Of
Ithe sort Of orerca pitaiization that the Public
lseryice COMMISSIONS have taken steps TO pre-
E;ert
The Economic Power and Construction Com
IIany vas incorporated by law passed in 1898
The state government. including the Legislature,
was then entirely in control of the Democratic
party. Roswell p Flower was Governor. Will
nam r, sheehan Lieutenant Governor and
william Sulzer was Speaker Of the Assembly.
an innocent little biiIT was introduced in the
senate on April i by Amasa ) Parker a Dem
0crat' of Albany. n WAS entitled An act TO
incorporate the Pneumatic Power and Construc-
oon company" and. as Introduced related
so-e-y 10 The use of pneumatic power In this
'i"- u va printed and placed the desks Of
'ie senators aflo rapidly advanced to the point
:" maj passage Senator Punkitt more re-
Gently q honest graft" fame. reported II from
r-cf 90 u