New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-27
SAYS ROADS DON'T KNOW
WHAT THEY ARE DOING
Commissioner PrOuty Wants
Those Interested to Suggest
Just What Is Needed.
NAMES A JOINT COMMITTEE
Halts Hearing of Complaints OF
New England Shippers to Re-
mark on Lack of Stand
ard for Railways,

Boston. Dec 26-"There is one thing
about the railroads OF this country. and
that is that they don't know what they
are doing They don't know whether they
are doing right or wrong. said Interstate
Commerce Commissioner G.. A. Prouty' al
the close OF to-day's hearing on the COM
plaiuts Of New England shippers o'
freight service and rates.
commissioner Prouty had called a hait
i'm the proceedings late in the day 10
renark on the lack OF a standard TOT
doing business among railroads. He sug-
gested that some Of those most interested
get together TO formulate tangible sug-
eestions as TO Just how the commission
could order the railroad service OF Ne"
England improved. He named on the
committee Robert Romans, counsel OF the
Boston Chamber OF Commerce. u. o.
Ives. manager OF the transportation de-
partment OF the chamber: Nice-Presideht
Buckland. Of the New Haven road and
Louis u. Brandeis, counsel Of the Boston
Fruit and Produce Exchange.
Commissioner Prouty had listened
through most of the day to the defence
Of the New York. New Haven Hart
ford Railroad to the specific complaints
made earlier in the investigation
ON being questioned BY Mr.. Buckland
Mr. Ives. who was the principal witness
ina support Of the complaints. testified that
he considered the freight service OF the
New Haven and Boston g. Maine roads
less reliable and expeditions than that
OF other roads. He thought 1t less i'm
portant that the New Haven give up It's
coastwise shipping arrangements than
that competing railroad lines be allowed
TO operate in New England The witness
sad he had no desire to see any special
service taken from the New Haven road.
Asked if he preferred 10 have the al
( legged New Haven monopoly broken up or
improved service secured under II, MI.
/ Ives said he could not say, but would
give an answer later.
Mr.. Ives admitted that many Of the
complaints were due 10 changes In rout-
/ ing asked for by the shippers lie said
! his investigation OF the freight situation
| in behalf OF the shippers was directed to
the service and rates, and not TO any di-
version OF traffic Mr.. Ives said he knew
I OF no supper WIN dullbhNNO bN'is
| Of the New Haven or who felt that he
/ had been Disseminated against by the
/ road
! A report was submitted by II. A. Fa-
| bian. manager Of purchases and supplies
/ Of the Boston & Maine road, 10 meet the
criticism that favortism had been shown
in awarding contracts for supplies. MI
| Fabian declared orders had frequently
/ been placed for locomotives, cars, sup
plies, etc, with New England firms for
| the sake of favorins home Industries
when better contracts might have been
made outside.
The committee named by Mr.. Prouty
will investigate freight service conditions
and rates at Nashua. y. H., and Bridge
port. Conn. Columbus, Ohio and Roch
ester. with view to making comparisons
10 be used as q possible basis for i'm
movements TO be asked OF the New Ia
ven and Boston & Maine roads.
| Officials OF the Department Of Justice ir
| charge of the investigation into the
Grand Trunk New Haven agreement have
changed their minds concerning a notin
cation OF Alfred w smithers. chairman
OF the board OF directors OF the Gran,
Trunk Railway, that he has been In
dicted.
Henry A. Cutler. Assistant United
States Attorney. said yesterday he would
not write TO Mr.. Smithers. after all. i
Mr. Smithers hears in London Of th'
charges made against him and comes
over 10 face them he doubtless VII
notify the government officials Of his in
tention. The offence charged is not sub
feet TO extradition
NEITHER 90 WE.