New-York tribune., 1910-12-09
.EUST|S BITTER AGAINST
THE IN1ERBOROUGH
Says Service Out of Rush Hours
Is Bad. Without Excuse
for Conditions.
COMMISSION ASKED TO SUE
Bronx Member Says Its Orders
Have Been Disobeyed-Hed-
ley Explains One Days
Troubles.

ley Explains One Days
Troubles.
Public Service Commissioner John L.
Eustis attacked the Interhorough Rapid
Transit Company bitterly yesterday. He
said it's attitude indicated that the COM
pany ran its subway for the almighty.
dollar alone. without the slightest regard
for the convenience of the public, and
that its policy was to do business with
minimum OF trains and a maximum of
straphangers- Mr.. Eustis was talking in
the commissions office about recent in
spections in the subway and consequent
hearings.
Mr.. Eustis charged the company with
lack of good faith and a desire TO haggle
over every needed Improvement. and said
the Interherough's attitude to the public
would change entirely if there were COM
petition.
At the same time Commissioner Eustis
asked counsel for the commission to rem
der an opinion on the report of inspectors,
showing that the Interhorough had yio-
! lated the order of the commission by
failing TO provide seats for 1870 pas
sengers during the afternoon and even
ing Of Sunday. November %. Mr.. Eustis
said ne would recommend to the com
, mission that the company ne sued for
the recovery of the penalties,
Neither Theodore r. Shonts, president,
nor Frank HedIey. vice president and
general manager of the Interborough,
would discuss the statement made by
Mr.. Eustis. After prolonged con
ference with Mr.. Shonts Mr.. Hedley
made public q letter sent by him last
evening 10 Travis II. Whitney, secre
tary of the Public Service Commission,
seats on November -.
"Runninu for Dollars Alone"
From present appearances. said
Commissioner Eustis lit looks to me as
il the Interborough Rapid Transit Com
pany is running the present subway for
the almighty dollar alone. without the
slightest regard for the convenience of
rl1e public One great reason why Will
lam @. McAdoo is so popular and the
Jnterborough is 50 unpopular is the man
Ter in which the Interhorough treats
the public In starving the service at
hours in The day when there is no ne
cessity for stra phangers. the INTERIOR
ough is extremely shortsigbted.
But it is Just what TO expect from
them. Their policy is TO get along with
as few trains as possible. carrying as
many straphangers over the system as
j,ossible''
Mr. Eustis explained that the COM
mission ordered the Interborough last
spring to furnish as many seats as pas
sengers for each thirty minutes. or put
the company's maximum service into
effect.
..What happened as the result of our
attempt t. be fair with the INTERIOR
ougla?' continued Mr.. Eustis. They be-
gan their cfleeseparing just as soon
they thought orr inspectors We're not
Watching them. They don't care for the
public"
The condition on Sunday, November
%. when thousands of passengers had
no seats N the subway, Mr. Eustis pro-
nounced as outrageous and in absolute
defiance of the commission : orders For
this violation he said. the company was
liable 10 q penalty Of 5000.
Experience has shown US that there
is small dependence to be placed on any
promise the Interborough may make or
any explanation they may offer" said
Mr. Eustis. and related how he and Mr.
Hedlev had reached an agreement on the
elevated extension, and how, in spite of
that. counsel for the InterborougA ap-
I,eared before the full! commission and
tried to get concessions that had never
been mentioned in the conferences.
Whatever concessions the commits
sion has wrung from the InterbOrough
were obtained either at the very last
moment or under -compUlsion. They
never have met the commission half
way. When we call their attention to
this OF that need for an Improvement
they always haggle. Mr.. McAdoo does
not DO this. He tries 10 pIeaso the
public"
Mr Eustis said the or1fy way to get
The Interborough to provide enough
seats in non-rush hours WAS To shorten
the periods Of averages TO fifteen min
,Ites, and if this is not enough to ten
minutes. He pointed out that there are
q few people standing in the centre cars
while there are some vacant seats in the
end cars. but added that this observation
has nothing 10 do with the INTERIOR
ough's attitude toward the public
eIames Monopoly for Conditions
THE Interborough's attitude toward
the public" ne ended, 'is always found
among people who think they own or
control the whole situation. If there
was competition. as in the old days this
manner toward the public would be en-
tirely changed"
In his letter Mr.. Hedley says the lack
Of seats discovered by inspectors on No
vember "a was brought TO his attention
too late 10 change the entire service"
the following Sunday. The order Of the
commission directing the Interborough
10 provide enough seats in nOn-rush