New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-26

Here is the case; now, this condition
has got to be stopped. ~
What if they wouldn't obey?'
81 would hold hearing and have
the nrcs4 ;horc. am a great believer
in the powcr OF public opinion
starting hi, testimony, Nr. Whit
ridge said that in trying 70 enforce
the purposcg Of the law the Hughes
commission made it ridiculous.
at was just as if boy got a new
nistol" he said. "and was so pleased
with his possession that he fired n
of in cvcrv direction as fast as 1t
could be loaded They were so in
fatuated with making orders that when
thew learned the receivers OF the Net
ropolitan we're about to do something
they asked them 10 wait until the
commission could issue formal order
for IT,"
A sad picture was drawn by the
witness Of how he had taken charge OF
tho Third Avenue rs receiver when
there was not 50 much as tack ham
MGR left i'm the car shops, and he read
an order issued two weeks after ne
took hold requiring him 10 put all ms
cars in the pink of condition. lie PAID
no attention to il. and when hear
ing was ordered did not 60 TO IT, as
it would have been silly"
Tangle Over Equipment.
anybody with the common sense Of
a rabbit would have known better than
TO have asked me to give them plans
of the equipment ! intended getting
before got ii" added the witness. I'VE
compromised, and furnished the plans
after the equipment had been brought.
Then they said they would not APP
prove the cars. Now that type has
become standard all over the country"
pamphlets. and spreading them out
with an air of disgust, said:
They have got some sort of doctor
Of philosophy over there, who had
never kept a set OF books in his life,
hut he insisted upon wonderful month
ly, quarterly and yearly reports. |
leave them with you, for they are so
marvellous. Nothing like them has
been since the beginning of the world. y
Mr.. Whitridge had another good
laugh over the. time when the courts
awarded 81 penalty 10 the commission
against his road in the Fort George
loop case.
"The foreman of the jury told me
later he thought ! would rather have
a verdict for 81 against me than TO
take the trouble to fight an appeal.
That is the only 81 the commission
ever got as a penalty, and ! under
stand they had it framed and hung
in their Office"
81 think I've run down" said the
witness as he left the stand, promis-
ing to write if he thought Of anything
more the commission ought TO know.
Mitchell Favors Dual Plan.
Mayor Mitchell. cool and smiling, took
the stand for an hour in the late after
noon. He said he believed two com
missioners were necessary and thought
one should have its activities confined
exclusively to this citv.
"The law IS adequate" he declared.
at is question Of administration,
given good. efficient commissioners,
dealing with the problems day in and
day out. II did not seem TO me the
administration was efficient, and early
in the year | established bureau IN
the Law Department, through the aid
Of which citizens could present eases
more effectively to the commission.
speaking nrSt from the point VI
view as Mayor, | am not anxious to see
it done now, and the work OF executing
the big subway contracts turned over
to the city government The business
of the Board of Estimate is heavy.
Logically speaking. the planning for
and executing OF rapid transit lines
ought to lie in the local city govern
ment. 1t seems the best time to trans
fer it would be when We get our new
charter in effect, say January !, lsis'
Then there might be this division the
regulation Of contracts, the determine
tion Of plans and policies should be
under the Board of Estimate. Inc
work Of construction should be IN
city department under the Chief Ia
ecutive Of the city"
The Mayor could not think Of any