New-York tribune., 1909-12-11
RIVAL FOR N. Y. c.
WANT L. y. UPSTATE.
Bst p. S. c. Discorages Cap
,taI. Sans President Thomas.

-,rs-r~-nus Leading citizeas OF Northern
- Yors. REPRESENTING the Northern New
.-o-k peveIop1nenr Leasue. appeared be-
-. President z. q Thomas ef the Lehish
.-.usv RalrcaE yesterday with a petition
..~ss-e The company 70 extend fts lines into
- nert of the state and compete WITH
-. Neu- York Central Nr. Thomas SAID
-. me proposition was an stractive one
:. rs-n but that Il was a question whether
a. investors could be persuaded 20 put
- money into q railroad venture IN New
-r,-k stare under the present system OF
regulation
- ez-t rhar 70 railroad had been con-
,--u-.ea II this state since the Public
ss-rioe Commission was established.
..rre rave no quarrel with THE commits
I'm. e!rher personally o. orlcially.' said
NJ Thomas. but II Is = fsct that that
49, sra The law under which L operates
.sDd 10 keep investors from assisting in
-an-ose construction Investors viii not
Ar her money into any venture where
,hev arc SIRE not 20 make more than or
& per cent. and where they are more likely
"a est a mach smaller return or none az
a. 4 Is TOO easy for them 70 ind more
,-~s,irr Helds for their capital.
n lie delegation were Edgar a. Newell.
--esident % the Og6ensburg Board OF
-rs5s. T.c-a Z. Carlisle. % Watertown:
r.ss-re 2 Drvden. OF Copenhagen. and
lanes p Lewis of Beaver Fans. They
p-o-eh- with then facts and figures 20
shou- me. possibilities Of Development in the
ro-rhe-n cc---ies, and how fun and rapid
s.-sloprneut was impossible while there was
onlv one road 10 supply all the freight and
passenger service
uRGE BCLpING OF ROAD
" Carlisle acted as spokesman. With
-n,~ rhe Sew York CenIrz! 70 depend upon
fs- rrsrspo-rnuon. he said ''rhe proper
s.-eiopnent q our region Is thwarted We
-rsur 70 urge you an6 the directors of the
Lehirh Valley 70 extend your lines north
uar5 y piL be cf mutual henshI-it VIII
helr ". an5 we believe il viii pay you.
so-rhern Nsw York has renaarks bie re-
sources. and the company thai builds there
--ir share .- the prosperity that IS sure 20
solov aew railroad construction"
G.tsr BIS remarks about the effects OF the
P-blic Service Commission law upon rat
roec br.l6-rg Nr Thomas said:
Gentlemen. 7 know there is truth IN what
- say about rhe resources ana possthili-
ties OF Northern New YORK ! feel that
vour faith In rs development Is justified.
snc viii nor deny that your proposition is
. very attractive one u many respects
''Whis ne could not hope 70 derive any
considerable parT of the passenger trafic
from thar region. We could probably develop
q considerable freight trsfsc. We need an
extension = yoEr direction 20 market our
snthrs-it coa.. ard. n return. We could
osr-y ths valuable agricultural products OF
vcEr ree-o2 down ia-o the azthracite region
and Philadelphia. which need your products
-ust as vou need GUY anthracite coal.
WOULD COST s. .50Oeeo
Ths extension that you ask viii entail
sr outlay q a. least s25ooe0o. Tcu know.
~ course that any investor who puts his
noner tr-o Il must be flrsr assured that the
capita invested VII earn a fair income.
The burden ot the cost Of this new road
ca-not De PIT upon the shoulders % the
pareL- company
Us is where the -gb comes. Urfortu-
nstsly. as have said. capital is not tempt
q Into -alrosd building these days. Il Is
nor thar capital fears proper regulation. for
r does not Regularion las been supplanr-
e BY acminisrsticn. and We now have the
fsasral and state governments not o1ly
reg-izting but managing the railroads.
These commissions. no doubt with the
h=st Intentions. are confusing and colnpii-
eating he work q railroad mana cement II
th.s country. The men wko run American
railroads have built up 3 system which
transports a ton Of freight g mile az a
smaller cost than n any other country n
he world. The result is proof enough of
ne abilry O. the rnsn who have brought
about There have been many mistakes
snc occasional devistions from the narrow
pa-h q upr.ghrness. as there are in every
business = rhere had nor been. tie only
suitable place tor the railroad manager of
mis- country would be in 3 land where
mans on.y -ransporrarion Is bv means OF
wings