Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-24
CHARGES BOARD
IS PREJUDICED
HORACE M. D0BBINS CREATES
BIG SENSATION
PASADENA BOARD OF TRADE IS
THREATENED
President of Rapid Transit Company
in Full Page Advertisement
Makes Startling An
nouncement

PASADENA, Dec. 23.--This evening
there is but one topic of conversation
in business and civic circles here, and
that is the remarkable advertisement
which Horace NJ. Dobbins, president Of
the Pasadena Rapid Transit company,
inserted in the Pasadena evening news
papers, in which he intimates that in
the appointment of the committee of
the Pasadena board of trade to inVesti-
gate his project unfair influence has
been used. Tonight President e. Il.
Off, Vice President w. f. Knight and
Secretary A. j. Bertonneau of the
board are in consultation at the Hotel
Maryland, preparing reply for pub
lication on the morrow. All three state
that they have not yet given the mat
ter consideration deemed sufficient to
warrant any statement tonight, Presi-
dent Off contenting himself with the
remark that he guesses Developments
will show that the action of himself
and associates has not been so black
as painted"
Dobbins' attack, if attack it can be
called, is the most remarkable docu-
ment ever printed in Pasadena. In 1t
he frankly states that the committee OF
nine, as constituted, is not satisfactory
to his company as an unbiased body to
investigate the merits of the railway
President Off of the board of trade,
who is one of the owners of the Pasa-
dena Electric express, operating over
the Pacific Electric, has allowed his
desire to find favor with Mr. Hunting
ton to dominate his actions. Dobbins
directly charges that Attorney Seward
A, Simons, one of the committee, has
had business relations with the Pacific
Electric. and in the advertisement
Simons is requested to resign from the
committee.
A circumstantial story is told in every
detail, commencing at the time when
Dobbins wanted the Pasadena board OF
trade to call meeting to consider his
project He states that in advance of
this meeting he and Off arranged
method of procedure. A committee OF
three was to be named by on to ap-
point another and investigating COM
mittee of nine. He states that ne was
asked to suggest names for this COM
mittee of three by Off and did so, and
that only one of the names he sus-
gested as satisfactory was favorably
acted upon when the time came. he
states that OFF substituted the name or
w. F. Knight, who was opposed 10
Endorsement of the project by the board
on the committee of three, and that
later Knight dominated the atairs OF
the committee and that after he nad
been asked to submit list OF names
for the investigating committee OF
nine Knight so manipulated matters
that the list selected did not contain
the names OF those he had recon-
mended but, he implies, did contain the
names of men he felt would act in the
interest of the Pacific Electric rather
than in the interest of full and fair
investigation.
Attack Taken Seriously
There is no doubt but that this at
tack on the highest officials in the
board of trade is taken seriously.
former president of the board this
evening stated that the very life of the
organization is menaced by the charges
The most unfortunate feature OF the
.ffair is that Off and Dobblns nave
until this time been warm friends
while other friendly relations have been
suddenly ruptured by the developments
of today
this afternoon consists of George A.
Gibbs, Seward A. Simons, Med. snow
ball. w b. Clapp. George f. her-
naghah, ]. o. McCament, I. +. Lukens'
Harry Geohegap and r. NJ. Furlong.
OF this committee PRESIDENT popDiis tEs
of the rapid transit company mas the
following to say in his sensational
printed statement:
"T desire to state that I will gladly
present our affairs to this committee
but not while A. Seward Simons is
member of this committee. | have the
utmost confidence that Harry Geo
hegan cannot be Influenced by any
one, now that he knows the facts IN
the case. The stockholder of the Pasa-
dena Rapid Transit company has been
dropped and another man has been put
in his place. c,--
for the best interests of the board Of
trade. to resign from that committee,
that the committee may proceed with
the work for which it was appointed.
Gentlemen of the board of trade,
came to you in all fairness, granting a
free inquiry into our business. | shall
be PARTY to no unfair inquiry, for no
unfairness could aid us, Mr.. knights
remarks to the contrary, notwlth-
standing
"I come again to you now, asking FOR
a fairminded. unprejudiced, free IN
ouiry into the plans, objects and pur-
poses of the Pasadena Rapid Transit
company by the board of trade of Pas.
adena. the business representatives, or
this city. HORACE NJ. DOBBINS.'
MYcTERI0IIS AIRSHIP