The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-29
WOODS REMOVAL
FROM P.S G. Will
Be ASKED AT ONCE
Senator Thompson Says That
Charges viii BE- Preferred
To-day or Tomorrow.
70 INQUIRE FURTHER
INTO SIGNAL DEALS

senator George r. Thomnsun. chair
,,n of the Legislative committee when
T. Investigating the Public Service Com
Missions. said yesterday that o Whit
y, will be- asked to remove commas
,to,,r Robert co'gate Wood OF charges
,rhi,h the committee will lay before him
either to-day or tomorrow. Deputy At
,orn,, General Merton Il. Lewis, coun-
40, =, the committee. will be In New
work to-day and the charges will be
drawn Immediately.
TIVE senator also our that al
though the committee will continue its
Investigation its inquiries will not be
6e, ,ted entirely to the conduct u ht-
nos. Of Commissioners Wood. The en-
sne,riug forces. the legal forces and
even the secr,. rial forces Of the COM
mission for the First district are to be
subjected to examination.
DIVE q. Semple. one OF the commits
sion's counsel. has been mentioned for a
place on the commission. and Travis II.
whitney. who has been secretary since
IN, commission was organized. has also
been talked of as a successor to Com
missioner Cram or Commissioner Will
ans. Senator Thompson has expressed
the opinion that no one who has been
connected with the present organization
OF the commission ought TO be elevated
TO a Commissionership.
Senator Thompson put ON the conn.,
%pitt.e's record Yesterday IA formal state
n1ent of his views respecting the resig-
nation II COMMISSIONS Williams. He
said II did not represent the persona.
view OF himself or any other member,
but was an expression of the conclusions
which a reading OF the committees rec
ord to date warrants. He said
while | think II my duty to state
that our Investigations have developed
nothing detrimental to the personal
character OF Mr.. Williams, yet | believe
his attitude as a Public Service Com
missioner and his personal view as to
the manner Of administration of the
public service law was wrong. and that
his resignation has been a service to the
State.
The handling OF the rate case OF the
King COUNTY Lighting Company, which
vas allowed Ia remain pending before the
commission II the courts for more tina
I'VE years, was not adequately tried on
behalf of the consumers by the attorneys
for the Public Service Commission, and
although the company itself offered "a
reduce It's rates 70 that they would now
nave been 10 cents. the same as other
companies charge in the city of Brook
ln, Commissioner Williams had written
his opinion and distributed the same
among the other Commissioners advocat-
.ng the rate, which the company now
charges, to wit. 95 cents.
The action OF the Commissioner in
this case and other cases of Ike nature
while he might have reached his con-
illusions from his point Of view. yet pu,
him in a position entirely d~isregard!ng
the public sentiment and interest of the
community and what our committee re-
CARDS as the plain intent and meaning
CT the public service commission law.
II was the intention of our comm!tte.
10 prefer charges against COMMISSIONS
Williams, based on his action In tho
Kings County Lighting case. and other
cases of like nature which we hid in
contemplation, for the purpose of assur'
ing q more satisfactory administrator
Of the law In New York upon origina
principles, but in view of the resignation
our committee will not feel called upor
now 20 make charges, nor to investigat,
further with particular reference to Com
missioner viii but viii probabl,
call the attention OF the new commission
TO matters which have come TO GU
knowledge In this connection and thos,
found In our former charges"
Senator Thompson said his commltte,
Will be called upon very shortly to pre-
sent to the Legislature such suggestion,
as II may nave for amendments to tn,
public service commission law lie sli,
ne had received many letters urging tina
tho law be changed So as TO bring waite
companies within the jurisdiction OF tn,
Public Service Commissions Those ar,
receiving careful attention. as Will an,
other ideas for amendments.
The committee will resume its heal
ings this morning. and expects TO delv
into the methods by which signal con
tracts have been obtained from the Pub
IL Service Com misSi0p