The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-28
"Kickers' Day. Produces
Only 7wo p. S. C.. Critics
one Takes Investigators to See Wood Supports in Brook
ln subway. but Concrete Hides Manifestations
in Plenty. Says Sllonts.


Investigation Of the Public Service
Commission Of this city ended yeStcr-
day with a nnal hea ring AT city Hall.
Ou Tuesday morning the Thompson
committee viii train its guns on the
upstate commission in the Capitol AT
Albany.
In it's eighteen sessions here since
January 81 the committee has piled up
Il record of $3.50 pages of testimony
and evidence-about $4,000 words.
The subcommittee delegated to pre-
pare a report for Gov. whitman by
Wednesday will toll AT the Biltmor
until to-morrow. If. as now indicated.
that committee persists in It's Intention
OF giving the Governor only a summary
OF facts withou, the conclusione for
which he asked. there is likely TO be
a minority report. which Counsel Will
lam Hayward will write. He will keep
on trying. however. to swing the whole
jury to hIs point Of view.
Only Two ..ktckcrs."
When President Shonts and n few
] OAHtTt IlllSIfh Al'
committee at City Hall yesterday Chair
man Thompson announced that the doors
were wide open for any person who had
anything pertinent TO say about the
Public Service Commission The long
projected "kickcrs day had arrived,
but only two men laid hold OF the
grea, opportunity. When they were
through talking Chairman Thompson.
seated on the throne OF the Aldermanic
President. asked hopefully
is there anybody else here who has
had trouble with the commission
Silence.
We'll. said the Senator wistfully,
lis there any one who wants TO say
ANYTHING In favor OF the commission
Not a sound. save the earnest rustling
of the Official st~enoErapher from Sena-
Tor Thompson's home county. NIAGARA
who rocks like a wood burning narrow
guage locomotive while at his task. but
who always gets there on time, by the
nay.
Il wonder. then" unused the Senator
III there's anybody who cares to say
anything in favor OF this legislative
committee?'
Again the audience was mute.
That being the case the chairman
said. we Dc now adjourn from your
very pleasant city
"Kerslap," said the gavel. and 1t was
all over.
one OF the two volunteer witnesses
Michael O~'Sulnvan. gave some testimony
which impressed Col. Hay ward As eN-
tremely important. but which Robert
Ridgcway. ng.uec Of the Public Ser
vice Commission in charge OF construc-
ton. says amounts to nothing At I'll.
Hints mt Subwa, Fraud.
Nj O'Sulllvan. who has a Celtic
brugue, lives 1t 3-9 F.f,y-hfth street,
Br.ukIyn. lie describes himself rs an
architects superintendent IN charge OF
building supervision. lie proved MINI
self quite an tmateur detective as well
The Public Service toUm.s~.On,
said Mr. DSullivan. long ago lost in
.uruy,. 30 this city He men related
how he had BEEN watchiu- the CT s'rI'-
ton 81 inc Fourth avenue subway IN
Br~,klyn ard had found out that the
contractors men on a certain section
we're using wooden blocks 20 keep the
' upright steel columns n line and 10
raise tacm to grade.
"Many of those blocks he said. are
not taken out from under the coiuwus
49, the, ought to be Eventually they
will rot away. the steel pillars viii rat
tie loose. the whole structure SSH h"
weakened and you'll begin to hear Il
, leaks In the subway roof.
A this point Col Hayward suggested
that Mr. O'Sullivtn b. sworn. which was
lone by Senator Thompson. Ia" oath
covering an he had prev ously said
Are these wooden blocks whore |
could ~, them the chairman asked
Could show Thousands
81 could show you hundreds. thou
sands OF thcm.'' replied MIR OSullivan.
II Iou't know whether or not they are
called for IN the contractors spec!fc1-
tions. | tried to get q copy Of the sncci-
hcatiuns, but | ven to the Pubic
! Service Commission and they treated me
with contempt ana rldlrulr. saw two
or three people there and they told me
the copy would cost SO (which Is the
regular price T. everybody. a man
!, likr me don't Ike rid!culr | felt rs If
were ooked upon as an intruder he
cause | didn't have the Sc"
/. Later Mr. O'Sulivan said "A man
; like No is looked At more or less as a
: nybllc diturber. The u. Il. I, p'oplc
r say have hrains,orms because ! have
- complaircl OF their service | hav, also
I, been called a nut But II M nc.-h-
rors-tho folks that know me around
4 who. livc-Sly I'm safe, and that's
4 what t1ry do, ! don't care
{ In my o'iu'ou' said Senator Thornp-
. son. "what Public Service Commission
are fol- is to listen to men Ike you
After the hearing Mr.. ladgwaY. Th'
A had charge Of a great many other I'M
I po~tant engineering projects before he
Y Joined the Public Service Comm, 7S'ou
: nappcncd in. He said T. would be fool
i.r to emphasize the testimony of Nj
. D.Sullfvau regarding wo"d'n blocks
Hs ---- raN VEaR "a : ne