New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-14
TODD ON STAND
In N. H. INQUIRY
Former Official to Tell
of Conditions Before
Mellen Regime.
MAY TESTIFY AS TO
GRAND TRUNK DEAL
Report of Earnings for August
Indicates Improvement
Under Elliott.

The federal grand jury which Is in
vcstiRating the New Haven, WIN
view OF finding indictments for viola
lions OF the Sherman antitrust law
had Percy K. Todd, formerly vice
nresident in charge of traffic on that
svstem. for nearly seven years preSl,
dent Of the Bangor & Aroostook ana
an expert on traffic conditions IN New
England. testify yesterday as 10 the
condition OF affairs in New England pc
fore the Mellen policy OF acquiring
everything in sight had really got uh-
der Roadway. NJ.
Todd was succeeded on the New
Haven BY Tim" Byrnes, who, until
the advent of Howard Elliott as PRES
dent Of the New Haven, served Meheh
IS general utility man, especiaIly
IN legislative matters IN Massachusel'S'
Toad went TO the New Haven from
tho West Shore as second yice-presl-
dent under the late Judge Hall. Mhen
Nellen became president, In 1908, Ioad
was moved up, and remained as franc
manager until October IS, 1918, wnen
no was voted q years leave Of absence
with salary. In the ensuing year ~
yres persistently reported that he ana
HeIlen were at outs. Mellep regarded
him, according TO reports then pup,
lished. as a New York Central spy
this being during a period when there
was friction between the two systems
over trackage rights and charges INTO
New York. Mellen denied all this' ana
waited until the day Todd's leave OF
absence expired and the latter was IL,
mid-ocean, homeward bound, 10 present
Byrnes 20 the public as the new hrsV
,ice-nyesident of the New Haven.
Rv Mr.. Todd the government eX-
necfs 10 prove that in the early ~
there was free competition among tho
railroads Of New England, particular
w in the matter of water trahc, that
shippers had choice Of routes and as
a result obtained better and cheaper
II is also expected that Todd may
testifv as TO the Grand Trunk deal
The Grand Trunk runs over Bangor &
Aroostock tracks into Maine, ana
thence over the Maine Central INTO
Portland, the winter port for the sys-
TEN. The building of new line wa
Providence, which was abandoned AFTER
millions had been spent by Grand
Trunk interests, for which Mellen ana
Alfred Smithers, Of London, chairman
OF the Grand Trunk, are now under IN
dictment, would have seriously inter,
Fered with TINS franc. lOuu Is iS4iOu
upon 10 explain this, as well as to tell
something Of the negotiations that led
70 the abandonment of the Grand
Trunk project. ~
The report of earnings on the New
Haven for the month of August, made
public yesterday, shows clearly the ef-
feet Of the war upon business in New
England. Gross operating income de-
creased from S2018,415 to Sl,863.S93.
and the net income from operations
from S51s,772 to 1887, 259 Gross income
from operations for the first two
months of the fiscal year shows de-
crease of about $4,000, compared with
he corresponding period Of 1913.
OF the subsidiary companies, all eI-
cept the Boston & Westchester. the
New Ravens "white elephant" show
loss in earnings as compared with the
corresponding period of year ago.
The Westchester again shows the i'm
nrovement in earnings that has been
noted in every report since Howard
Elliott became head OF the New Haven,
the deficit after the payment of taxes
and operating expenses m August
being but S15.969. as compared with
sci .233 in August. 1913 In two months
the deficit is s27.144, as compared with
n loes i'm the same period Of 1913 Of
s42,910.