The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-03-01
dency of the company, and we had

acquired the sPoughkeepsie Bridge route. I became interested in secur- ing for that route, if possible. a road that should serve as an outer belt York, by way of New Jersey. and there was 8 road known as the Lehigh & Hudson River. which seemed to me to be peculiarly fitted to accomplish what I desired
 I made inquiries as to how the prop erty was held. and found that a small tnterest-not by any means con- trolling one.-was held in the interest of one of the railroads entering Jersey City.
 It occurred to me that the purchase was one beneficial to all the trunk lines as offering them a route into New England, without going through the eonges, ,ed New York city terri tory, and that it would appeal to all the other lines equally as it did to me, so I went to see the officers of the other lines and explained to them benefits that would accrue to all of us if the business could be diverted around New York city instead of through it. as had been the custom. and said I would like to get the con- trol of the road, and would be pleased if they would assist me-
 The meeting passed off very pleas antly The subject was discussed, and no particular objections urged, and I went away we'll satisfied with what had been apparently accomplish ed.
 Some of the stock was offered to me by private holders. as the result of in- quiries I had made. and I sent the offers of stock to the president of one of the roads who was at the confer ence as a matter of information, to show with how little difficulty the fro1 h1 very reasonable price.
 About ten days after had my first interview above referred to, I was called to New York to attend another conference and at the lunch table was advised that they concluded that they question. themselves. and divide it up among the trunk lines entering Jersey City. for the express purpose of keep ing it away from me, that they did not want me in that territory and they preferred to do their business by way of New York city, and they thought that the railroad was a good deal better kept as a country road than made a trunk hne.
 I made up my mind, as a result of that experiment.. that publicity was not an over desirable thing for a rail- and that further acquisitions on the part of our company would be made first and the publicity come after wards. as was the case in the New York, Ontario & Western purchase.
 If publicity and consent of some public tribunal must be obtained be- fore control by one railroad over an- other is had. then you force such ac- quisitions to be made by individual Is, or bankers. with the correspondingly incxeased expense. and often scandal; to be held until a legal consent may 1o NefD the delay incident to the obtaining of the same. and the charges for such service are by no means small, the salvage corps and the pawnbroker are not in business for their health.
 As an example of what prena ture publicity may do in the way of in- creasing the expense of the railroad, would state my opinion. as a result of experience in the construction of rail- roads. that the filing of loca ion for a new line in advance of acquiring the major portion of the right of way and many times. treble the cost of the right of way and real estate neces- sary for the roads purpose.
 So publicity. in the acquisition of railroads. necessary parts of a system that are being built up. if it were known the acquisition was contem- plated. or in progress would result in an advance in the price to such a de- gree the whole transaction would have to be abandoned on account of the in- creased cost
 Particularly. I want to call your at tention to the terms of the bill for Commerce Court, with regard to the effect that bill has upon the relations of the company to Its employees.
 In connection with the campaign that has been waged for a public utili- ties commission, it has been charged that the company feared such a com mission because of it's disposition to do justic to it's employees.
 The terms of the bill presented for your consideration will show that the New Haven road has not only pro- tected in the highest degree all of its own employees. both as to safety and health. but it has also thrown open that same protection to the en- ployes of all corporations. whether railroads. industrial or otherwise. in- cluding IS well all partnerships and individuals who employ any class of Ia bor.
 And I may say in this connection that we do not believe should this bill become a law that the New Ha- ven Company will be- by any means, the first that will be summoned before the Commerce Court by it's employees because its officers refuse to do them even-handed justice.
 This bill appeals as much to em- ployes 1nisused and oppressed in a department store. in printing office.