New-York tribune., 1909-03-21
WHITRIDGE'S HOT SHOT
At p. S. COMMISSION.
Tells Hoe He Built Railroad Loop
Without Permission.

BEFORE the cigars had been long lighted by mem
t.s Of the City Club after its luncheon yesterday
,r,oke from another source appeared. William G.
yoAdoo president of the Hudson Tunnel Com
rsny was announced the principal speaker. but
:. = speech is 10 be Judged by the discussion il
IN. forth then that Of Frederick ". whitridge.
.,.c.fver of the Third Avenue Railroad Company.
~ss the feature. Sparks few upward from diff
,e-eut corners of the room. and speakers acknovl-
edged that Mr.. Whitridge had blown them into
being.
NJ vbft-i6re was the first speaker and the first
-hinF he said started the fire
when 1 was appointed receiver Of the Third
Avenue Railroad Company, about a year ago he
,,id ~ didn't know any about the transit
,,,slaess than an expert OF the Public Service Com
mission. I am not absolutely sure that know II
al even now"
I,oTnn1issoners Maltbie and McCarroI were pres
eut and tried TO appear as though they did not
know they being looked at by several hun
6red ewes There was some laughter. Mr. Whit
ridge smiling just a hint Of q smile, continued:
A nan must however, eat 10 do good work. A
member OF the-Public Service Commission has Just
told me to-day that this is the fourth lunch he
Ia. had this month. What you expect from
su unfed commission like that7 Now, have been
-eported as having clash with the Public Service
Commission There is little story about that.
used my own judgment"
he then told OF how he had handled the matter
IF the Fort George extension, loop. He said
that the receivers had decided to go ahead with the
u-a-E .
government. He found fault with the various de-
nartments Of the government with which he had
come in contact in effort, he said, TO facil'ate
matters.
u an, -boroushly convinced that they are just as
dishonest as they dare be- he added For one
T-ssbr,au with 4 hoe there eighteen on the
navrol standing around. That kind Of thing comes
rich The unfortunate capitalist deserves great
deal more sympathy than he gets
Then Mr Whitridse told with careful detah no"
Le had been brought to take matters into his own
hands and build q loop at Fort George. lie said
,bet he had written TO the Public Service Comrnis-
sicn. and received no reply " hen ne sal ooN''
-he ernlause was ringing and prolonged
Homer Folks presided. There were two members
- ,bs F,lhlic Service Commission present, he SAID
7-ho. as such, had been assured that they "ouu
not he called on. However. he said. poln conn
-,,issione.s by happy coincidence. were members
:. =. rsr,- club and as SUCH he would ask them
~ ren1v TO Mt. Whitridge- He called hrst upon
Nfo R MaIthie. Mr.. Maltbie replied that ne
Wished Il understood that such summary lHe'HouS
=, going ahead" with railroad construction as
A. E1-ni+-i5pe had adopted, without due warrant
.pe-sons have been sent TO jail for proceeding
b.fora getting a franchise" he said Ihe la" Oh
-A state Of New York has prescribed that Gel ehIii
,,.7i+sse he gone through with before franchlse
shall be granted This law or the state OI -
York IS Just as binding upon q receiver oI d -S -,
co,,rt as rIpo7 any else. No extension s-a-I 80
hrr- ,,rti 3 franchise has been secured, is "ha'
.,,sr N raagnifvng the value OF activity Just Aoi
its oun sake. We admire a man who gets 'is -ile+
-. However either it is not necessary 10 OBEY
1be lsz- or = is The Public Service Commission
80 bsaD established to ascertain the facts ana
deal fairly all round S,
M Whitridge arose and SAID that Ihe ~ uOu
with the Public Service Commission as d "no'e "
mat il continually suffered under a delusion tha'
ne Law vas exact science NO Two me" O
Re had ever seen he said, could extract the same
meaning from a given statute Of the law
The commissioner mentions JAIL said Mr.. "hi'-
ridge You see, he doesn't give me the creot Tot
having tried 10 have a valuable personal OPINION
IS 70 what the law may. mean in this case. Ihere
resIlv is YOU know, the possibility that real
difference Of opinion may exist between two men,
both Of whom are trying 10 observe the law
He told a story Of tourist who wanted 10 De
introduced al court in China, and who asked that'
t7 view of the fact that he was from Democratic
country the ceremonial embroidery be omitted
YOU can't get along without the kow-toW, MI
Whitridge said was the reply Of the mandarin
Commissioner McCarroll said he wanted 70 cor
rect 2 rnfsapprehension which Mr. Whitridge's re
marks might have caused TO exist in the minds Of
al present
Nj Whitridge intimated that there was doubt
about 1hether he was good railroad man., MI
McCarroII said. Mr.. Whitridge is fine railroad
man He seized the loop around Fort George with
out the title That is just the kind OF thing
that ali OF the very best railroad men nave oeen
ready mentioned it. but wish 10 add my testimony
that such things must stop
Mr. Whitridge made promises, and at this
point asked the way to the elevator and departed