New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-19
TRAIL P. S. INSPECTORS
Receiver Whitridge's Detectives
Watch Commission Employees.
FALSE REPORTS CHARGED
Third Avenues Head Resents
Suit for Failure to Put on
Wheel Guards.

Frederick W whftridge. receiver OF the
Third Avenue Railroad Company. disap-
proves Of the methods of the Public Ser
vice Commission and wants the members
Of that body and their counsel 10 meet MN
end counsel for the company at luncheon
or dinner to discuss their differences
Mr. Whitridge's criticisms of the com
rauv are set forth in a letter addressed to
Travis H Whitney, secretary of the COM
mission. which had not been officially re-
,,eived yesterday up TO the time the com
17lirsior's Offices We're closed In his letter
Mr whitrldge SAYS:
Il an indignant that suit should have
beer brought against me for SSo0.eeo upon
what is at the worst the merest technical
itv." He refers TO the suit for penalties
for failure TO provide the lines of the
rrn5on Railroad Company. g part of the
Third avenue system, with wheel guards
Is ordered by the commission. He adds;
..-rbe ac,ion was. as several of the jurors
volunteered to say TO my counsel, perfect
Is ridiculous.
The suit referred 10 was brought as
result of the death of Patrolman James
REYNOLDS who was killed on September q,
leaq by a car U1nprovided with wheel guards.
TIE company had teen ordered by the COM
mission 10 have its cars equipped with
wheel guards by August /, and the mas
ter mechanic al the hearing on the acct
dent testified that OF the ale cars operat-
ed by the company only 2S9 had been MT
led with the prescribed guards In view
# these facts the commission brought suit
- recover the penalty Of S.eoe for each
DAY during which the company had failed
10 live Up to the order.
When the case came UP for hearing last
week Justice Brady advised counsel that
he was a holder of stock in the Third Ave
nue. Railroad Compony, bit counsel for the
company remarked that shares in that
company had only nominal value, and
the commissions counsel did not make any
objection to the judge. On motion of coun-
sci for the receiver Justice Brady dismissed
the case without calling on the 5ury TO
decide.
In his letter Of protest Mr.. Whitridge
attributes the action of the commission TO
misleading reports on the part of the in
SECTORS He SAYS: 1T appeared at the
trial that your inspectors are given row
ing commission to wander through your
Jurisdiction in search of violations of laws
and regulations, and system of petty
espionage is thus established which do not
think was contemplated by the statute, and
which am sure the American people will
not in the long run tolerate" Continuing
he says:
7 wish the members of your commission
would get out of their heads the idea that
the United States receivers Of these roads,
who are public officials and responsible as
the commissioners themselves, have any de-
sire on earth except to comply with all the
laws and regulations affecting them. and in
every way 10 accept anybody's suggestions
for the Improvement of the service
He also says some of the reports by in
spectors are absolutely false. and goes on:
= hope that it is the inspectors alone
who are responsible for having put the
commission in the position of collecting
what they suppose 10 be evidence keeping
IL secret, and bringing action against me
for an enormous and ruinous sum of money,
without any notice or warning, contrary to
the recognized principles of law, justice,
common sense and good Manners
Mr. Whitridge informs the commission
that he has caused the inspectors TO be in
spected, and submits skeleton copies of the
reports of detectives which, he says, would
convince anybody that their labors are Of
the most trivial character. One report re-
cites that q Public Service inspector. leaving
home at 7:55 a. m, went TO q cigar store,
then by elevated to Brooklyn Bridge and
the Tribune Building. came out at g AS 4.
m. went to an office building on Broad
way, returned TO the Tribune Building came
out for lunch, and returned leaving the
Tribune Building at 4:40 p. m. getting
hack home at 3 80 ?. M. and staying there
until S o. m.
A second report tells OF an inspector leav-
ing home at SIS a. m, leaving the elevated
Al Warren street with woman whom ne
mai on the train. and going with her TO
he Tribune Building Corning out at l2:1O
7. m, the inspector is reported as having
luncheon, then going 10 No. 80 Church
street, staying half an hour in the Erie
Railroad Company's offices. conversing flf-
teen minutes with woman he met on Park
Row and Beekman street; returned to the
Tribune Building, came out at SOS p. m.
went 10 vine house. came out with what