The evening world., 1915-02-06
WOOD TELLS HOW
He SOLD RAILWAY
T.O|NTERBOR0UGH
Public Service Commissioner
Under Fire of Legisla-
tive Committee.
HAS A PRIVATE WIRE.
Uses II to Talk With Hedley
and Other Railroad
Officials.
HAS A PRIVATE WIRE.

Ing been sworn In May. 20. 1914, was
the witness to-day before the Thomp-
son Legislative COMMITTEES. which
continued its investigation of the
commissions methods in tho City
Han Council Chamber.
Col. Hayward frst asked Mr.. Wood
what experience he had ever had In
public service corporations. and Mr..
Wood replied that he had acted as
promoter In one or two instances. IT
mean promoter In It's best sense" Mr..
Wood explained.
Q. Did you have sales agency for
equipment? A. I had a small interest
In n company that did deal in those
things.
Q. Were you a director in any pub
lie service companies? A. Yes, I was
. director In Lincoln Gas q Electric.
and New York City Interborough Co.
My firm took active part In financing
a number Of companies-in Milwau-
kec. Buffalo. Grand Rapids. Lincoln.
Mass. and Dcnver gas and electric
companies.
Q. How much New York City In
tcrboroush stock did you ever hold7
A. I was a large stakeholder.
Q. These holdings gave you special
knowledge Of the broader concerns of
public utilities? A. Yes. some knowl-
edge, certainly.
Q. You found II valuable when you
became Commissioner A. Yes, but
never was what you'd call an expert.
q. What was your Arm? A. Wood
& Havomeyer-J. Craig Havemcyer--
dealing In utiblic utilities securities
and help finance them. We dissolved
before l went on the commission on
account Of the illness of my partner.
Q. Have you ever had any expert.
ence In handling construction work
In handling large bodies OF men7 A
Yes. In tho Lincoln Gas Company
and l have done some contracting.
q. DO you have control over OF.
press companies? A. Yes. for example
we have had the Yellow Taxicab case
q. That was your case. was II not
A. have held hearings In that case
2. When did you begin hearings
A. Last July.
O. What was the ouestion invo,ved
then? A. II concerned a contract ths
Yellow Taxicab COMPANY had wifi
the Pennsylvania Railroad, Tha,
case has been adjourned definiteiy
to permit application to the Legis.
lat,ire to bring about an amendmen,
TO the law.
@. Now tell US what the Commits.
sioners arc forbidden 10 do? A. The,
shall not have businesn relations wifi
or stock In corporations. That's ali
I recall.
O. (By the Chairman. Do YOU thinl
that IL was because OF YOUR connec.
ton with utility companies that yo,
were appointed? A. I think that IN,
gentlemen who suggested NV nam,
knew / was connected with THESE
utility companier and had had ex.
porience with them.
O What wa, the New York on,
Interboro,,sn, Comnanv In which va,
vera in,crestod3 Not Tho .u,,u,o y
h,,t s,reat ra,,wav In th. n,ory
Mv.alt and assocIate. Iaid ont mi,
IT,. "a nnod~ ~ ,ha swrd,ca,o =,
h,,,,d ~ Tina In,erhoro,,nh Ror,,
Tron.,t co,,nany uv,. tus, .hnn, =,
49, ~ .,,h,.,a',, .nJ ,Sav ,hnm..h, !,
w,ou,d b. vaiuohIs SaeSor nv Tho,
ncn,,irod ~ Arterwnrd thew .o,d /
~ ~. T,,rt Iven',o ''' '''"
W ~" IA, NJ Uowward, What Il. ,h.
-, or,.n, ;h,n. yo,,.wa onoorm
, n. h .,,nn az. 90, haco yv. N n'an,h.
p' ~ 'o go WI ~
VI " s ~" '
wou'o 10 nru ~ say. ~ VI .n'
hrohN thoy apprte'a.o "nal ivo uoho
| ". On your uesA .noIo ac two .oio
phones n; ies; ono pr'a'o wire
y ~ ~ listed! -, NO.
| ~ VINO Knows .he nuhpeE Oh ina
telepnohei A. uoh Nnow
| q. You have talked with MI. HE'D
ley. A. Yes
| q. And you have called Mr.. An
drew Freedman over that phone a
Yes. occasionally
| q. DID the city pay Tor the phone
A. No, l pay Tor II.
| q. Why was II necessary Tor you D
have a private telephone TO cal, nl
Mr. Hodley, MI. Maher OF the Thir,
Avenue. and Mr.: Williams OF the II
II. T.? A. ! used II for official business
| y. why was IL necessary 10 get