The evening world., 1915-02-27
WOOD BASESLEFT
IN THE SUBWAY,
WITNESS CHARGES
Covered and Not Replaced by
Concrete, in Brooklyn Tube,
O'Sullivan Swears.
PROTEST BY SHONTS.
"Too Many Cooks" He Says
of Order to End Jam
PROTEST BY SHONTS

Michael O'suliivan, OF No. 50 Fif-
ty-nfth Street, Brooklyn, testified this
afternoon before the Legislation Com
mittee investigating the Pubic
Service Commission that on tho sx-
tension OF tho Fourth Avenue sub
way In Brooklyn, the wood bases tenn
porarely placed under tho steel stand
ards supporting tho subway roof had
been covered and left instead of being
withdrawn and replaccd with con-
crcte.
The statement made such an i'm.
preston upon Chairman Thompson
that he mmediately swore O'Sullivan
and had him repeat his testimony.
Senator Thompson-Could I find
out II ! hunted for It?
Mr.. O'Sulilvan-Thero were hun
dreds OF cases; you'd find ono II
you dig down for It
President shonts OF the INTERIOR
ough took the stand to suggest 4
change In the Public Service Law.
"Our company was served last
night" he said. with . notice from
the Board OF Health that one OF our
street lines should b 20 operated
that the number Of passengers In any
car should not exceed one and one
half times the seating capacity. Now
we'd like to obey. but this looks a. II
We wore getting too many cooks.
"while you arc considering change
In tho law. ws suggest that authority
be concentrated. 30 that notices and
orders OF this sort be simpiined. We
have nine separate Investigations ON
against US now"
Chairman Thompson referred with
great soberness to tho state .nent by
another witness that people had TO
stand on other peoples feet In riding
homo At night.
shouldn't complaints about tina,
come from the Bureau Of Weights and
Measures :" he asked Mr.. Shonts.
Say. that's funny" Mr.. shonts
replied, as he and the spectators
laughed.
This was kickers" day.
The Legislative Committee gave
tho "kickers" q chance In order that
all possible light might be shed upon
the efficiency or incflicisncy Of the
commission after the illumination
produced by the Commissioners
themselves. by city of,cials and BY
the heads Of the big metropolitan
utilities.
Tho "Kickers' did not have their
Innings until after Joseph johnson.
head OF the Commissions Transit
Bureau. had read statement TO the
COMMITTEES. This was In answer to
tho Characterization Of Mr.. johnson
as n brass band" by President VII
liams, Of the II. X. T.. ono Of the wit.
nesses OF yesterday.
Mr.. Johnson's statement said:
"Coi. Williams said that tho motive
for my survey was . desire to secure
publicity. No man can known the mo-
tives Of another. but II such were the
motive, the end has been obtained.
and the inadequacy Of his service and
the failure OF his management has
received q wide and wholesome pub
iicity.
while carrying less than one-third
Of tho traffic Of tho city. more than
half tho complaints wero made
against him.
The fact he has received an over
hauling may explain his flooding
Brooklyn with literature printed with
straphangers' money, which seeks to
prove to his patrons that between
rush hours everybody has a scat.
The only trouble with this propaganda
In that half the people read this iitsra-
ture with their fellow passengers
standing on their corns."
In Q supplement verbal statements
Mr.. johnson said It was his view that
there could be no real hope OF an
ameliorstion OF trafiic conditions until
the new subway system had been COM
pleted-
Cornelius N. Bheehan, secretary of
the Allied Boards OF Trade Of Brook
lyn, continued the lengthy statement
he began yesterday by attacking the
dual subway contracts.
Col. william N. Amory. formerly
secretary OF tho old Third Avenue
Railway Company. delivered q
spirited attack upon tho Commission.
THE Commission has been grossly
neglectful." he said. ''in safeguarding
life and In seeing 70 the integrity OF
the securities OF the corporations
under It's control.
Tho subway u Q firetrap. 1t II a.
dangerous AZ a powder factory and
this Commission In aware OF Il. Any
day an accident may happen which
win destroy hundreds OF lives. and
- sure TO happen II somsthins Is not
done At once"
Every traction system In New
York 10 insolvent. Their condition 10
nearly as bad to-day as II was In
1907 when . number OF them went
into the hands OF receivers."
During Mr., Amory's address
Lieut.. Gov. Schoensck entered and
~~As hAAA>A 90 aAAN h>nAAA