New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-06
NEW HAVEN DEMORA[|zEO
PENN. DIRECTOR SAYS
PerCivaI Roberts Unsparlng in
Criticism of Operating
Force of Road.
NEW STAFF is NEEDED
Passengers on the Mauritania
Who Lost Friends in North
Haven Wreck Come
Ashore in Mourning.

Percival Roberts. jr., of Philadelphia
a director of the Pennsylvania Railroad
was much distressed yesterday on ms
arrival by the Cunarder Mauretania from
Liverpool TO learn details of the recent
wreck on the New York. New Haven q
Hartford Railroad. and did not hesitate
TO condemn what he called the derIor-
able management of the road. lie. ike
a dozen others on board, was a friend OF
several persons who lost their lives IN
the disaster on Tuesday morning News
Of the collision was received aboard the
Cunarder Wednesday, but il was not un-
til YESTERDAY that the travellers learned
Of >the details.
Mr. Roberts. who is familiar with the
operations of railroads, said he regretted
the big loss of life and felt that 1t was
exceedingly unfortunate that such
calamity should have befallen the road
on the first day of Mr.. Elliotts regime
a president
THE operating force Of that road he
declared. lis thoroughly demoralized and
needs reorganization from top 10 bot
tom The road has had so many wrecks
and has been damned so often by the
public that the employees have lost heart
and have at last damned il themselves
President Elliott is a splendid man and
an able official. and by time and patience
| am sure he will put everything right
The operating end Of the company, how
ever. is weak The road needs an entire
e, nd sYn ChOml1 no pllf
into service at once. a new method
of signals is imperative.
THE New York, New Haven & Hart
ford Railroad has tried TO create mo-
nopoly of transportation in the East. and
! assure you monopoly is a great mis-
take. 1t creates an unhealthy condition.
Good honest competition is needed IN
every line of industrial endeavor. 1t is
the commercial backbone Of a successful
nation"
George Won l.. Meyer formerly Secre-
tary of the Navy and chairman OF the
stockholders protective committee Of the
New Haven road, returned on the Maure-
tania accompanied by Philip Dexter a
lawyer and member Of the committee.
Mr.. Dexter said he had no doubt that
the road had been neglected and was not
able to cope with its enormous growth
but Mr. Mellen, its recent president. he
declared, should not have been hammered
so much by the public. one man. he said
could not do everything and could not be
held responsible for all that went wrong
Mr.. Dexter said he thought the public
was wrong in demanding steel cars on
railroads as he himself considered steel
cars more dangerous than those of wood.
His explanation was that in the event OF
A collision the doors, vestibules and win
dows of steel cars Immediately become
TANNED and those within are locked up
as in a steel tomb
George II. McFadden. Mr.. and Mrs. W.
w. Curtin, Mr.. and Mrs. 5. e. Hutchinson
end Frank T. Patterson were friends OF
Miss Emily * Davis, of Philadelphia
ana Miss Harriet c. Biddle, OF Torresdale.
Penn. who were killed in the wreck
Many Of those on the Mauritania VINO
lost friends and relatives In the wreck
wore some form Of mourning yesterday
when they came ashore.