New-York tribune., 1910-03-11
GAYNOR BACKS BlLLN Y. c. ClflS tAkE>
ALONG HUDSON RI ER
.4ssemblymm Lansing Hans
Fictorp after 2-Tcar Fighf.
~ Tel -rapn 10 The Tribune !

r. Tel Erapb 70 The Tribune
ALBANY March l1.-It has been eft to T.
r Lansing. Of Rensselaer, the smallest
member o. the assembly in stature. but
not in 1ghtiug ability. to phip the New
York Central Railroad into living M TO Ger
tain legal restrictions which he believed II
lad beer evading for Years Ills victory
after three years fight. was learned to-
night. when the Public Service Commission
I'd District, announced that the central
would put into effect after March 10 a re
duction in round trip fares between Ne"
York and all the cities and towns along the
Hudson River, based on a two cents mile
rate None of the present round-trip fares
are increased and those IN excess o. TWO
cents a mile are reduced to two cents. with
a few cents added when necessary 10 make
the fare a multiple of Eve. one of the re-
suits OF the reduction is to make the round
trip tickets between New York and Aioany
s. 70. instead of the former rate of IS. \
similar change is 10 be made effective on
the West Shore Railroad The round-trjp
tickets are TO be good for thirty days.
Three years ago Mr. Lansing, for the
benefit of his own constituents, and oe-
cause he believed The railroad company
was evading law, introduced = bill to re-
duce the rate to passengers riding in rail
road cars across the New York Central
Bridge between Albany and Rensselaer,
from ten TO two cents. reducing the freight
rates across the bridge and also the foot
passenger rate from two cents TO nifty
tickets for FIVE cents. The bill became a
law though every inch Of ;ts progress
through the Legislature was fought by The
railroad company. In the hearings before
the legislative committees and the Gov
eruor the fact was brought out that the
annual report on the bridge II 1856 showed
that IL had earned $4,000 more than the
10 per cent II was allowed 10 earn By lis
charter. That was the last report sub
mitted. Mr.. Lansing said that the law pro-
vided that the bridge might charge what
ever rate il pleased. but that as soor as II
earned more than 10 per cent this rate
should be reduced. He showed at the hear
ings that the company not only did not re-
duce the rats when the earnings became
more than II per cent, but that u then
ceased making reports.
THE railroad. said Mr.. Lansing. lived
up TO the law which I introduced in the
Legislature, so far as freight and foot
passenger rates are concerned, but made
no pretentions TO reduce the rates TO pas
sengers IN railroad trains I finally brought
/
mission and the railroad submitted an an
swer which didn't answer.
The answer according to Mr. Lansing.
was a new schedule. which. while Il pur-
ported TO reduce the bridge rate from 10 10
cents made UP the amount of the decrease
by increas sing the fare along tho entire
Hudson River division For instance, the
straight fare beteen Rensselaer, and New
York had been &. and that between Al
bany and New York S3 10. the 70 cents be-
ing for crossing the bridge. Under the
new schedule the company left the fare 10
Albany the same but increased that 10
Rensselaer, 20 g 0s Then the railroad at
torneys told Mr.. Lansing that they were
living up 10 his law. as the difference be
tween the fare TO Albany and to Rensselaer,
was only two cents. which the Law allowed
for crossing the bridge
They laughed at The dimiuutive grocer
from Rensselaer,. believing that he had
been beaten. But they reckoued without
knowing Mr. Lansing. He imms lately
brought auojher complaint before the Pub
lie Service Commission in which he OBJ
iecred 70 changing the passeuger rates,
which had ben in effect for twenty-five
years The commission. in considering tnis
complaint found that the railroad was
not living UP to the two-cent rate provided
by law, and notified the company that %
change would be necessary The reduc-
tion announced TO-DAY Is the result. n
fghting the complaint some OF the railroad
officials are reported 70 have declared that
the change would result in loss 70 thr
company Of 10000 a year.