The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-19

right OF supervision OF any contract for
elevated extensions-and suggested
that N they would waive their right OF
supervision I would recommend to our
board the granting of the contract to
John +. Stevens on some reasonable
percentage basis. I wanted TO do some
thing that would hurry matters along"
in other words. you had asked the
commission to allow the company to take
the exclusive and ~unsupcrvised right OF
elevated extensions?"
YES"
with whom had you made that ar
rs6genpnt?"
II had snot made the arrangement. I
had written a letter to the commission
stating that II they would waive tina
right l would recommend giving the
contract to Stevens"
ITO wh0m did you address that letter,
to Mr.. MQCaiiy"
II don't remember. l suppose It was.
When did he come inT"
why. Mr.. Shonts.'' said Senator
Thompson. while the crowd was still
sntckering at the arch query Of Mr..
Shonts. you must have a good rccol-
lection Of that You had to have Mr..
Mccall appointed to get the contracts
signed"
Yes. that's right. lie came In Just
before the signing Of the contracts In
March. 1913. am trying to think Of
more dates at once than 1 ever did I'm
my life before
Mr.. Shonts said he made his sugges-
ton as to the elevated railroad contract
orally to Judge Mccall and that the lat
ter suggested the writing of a letter to
MIN as chairman Of the commission lie
said Judge Mccall did not Indicate what
MS ATTITUDE toward the proposed modih-
cation oil the contract would be and he
declared he did not tell his directors that
L was favorable to his suggestion.
objections 20 Contract.
The contract with Stevens. AS drawn
py MIR. Qu~ackenbush. was laid before
tne directors. the witness said. and a
discussion took place. lie said the per-
ceh'ase OF cost TO be given to Stevens
AS a commission was not written into
the contract and that the figure discussed
ranged from 5 to 20 per cent lie de-
MED enphatically that he himself said
maj the percentage ought TO he ten.
what was said during the discus
MR.: Shonts said Mr.. Berwlnd raised
the objection That the experience Of MIR.
stevens did not qualify him 10 supervise
the equipment Of the improvements and
THIS provision OF the contract was
eliminated. ~
The next thing" he continued. was
q question as to who was to furnish
the plant. Mr.. Freedman took the posi-.
.ioh tnat no contractor should be al.
lowed TO take the contract without fur
nishing the plant. 7 not only agreed
with that. but I agreed that every con-
tractor should be compelled To pay his
own administration expenses"
o idea In that n proper construc-
tion contract should require tina, con-
tractors supply the plant and pay the
work."
YES. After the contract was read
Mr.. Read made the motion tina, i, should
not ne entered into. ! saw plainly that
II were going to put this thing through
as ] had proposed II. l couldn't sail
the next day"
opinion was
MT. Freedman thought the contractor
should pay for the plant"
. DO you mean to say that Mr.. Read
or MI. Lane thought the ought
to a for it,"
NO. They did not. I will tell YOU
very frankly. The Impressions mad. by
WAS tlut lie thought
because Mr.. Stevens was a friend 81
mine there was some interest between
> MT stevens and me. II was in regard
TO my friendship for Mr.. Stevens and
our relations. Az near as can recall
IL. ne said. You were very closely az.
ISOLATED at Panama. You are yrea,
friends. You are urging him in here :
l said. i am urging him in here only
Ior 'he reason that ] stated. This IL n
very difhcult task. You don't realize
now difhcult 1t Is. II is not an ordinary
TASK. and | stated that the only pur-
pose l had in calling them together was
10 quar- them with what ! had done
III case the matter came up while | was
away so they would understand IL that
no action could be taken by them and |
uidht expect any action by them unless
the Public Service Commission took ac-
ton on my APPLICATION"
Tells of Reads ~ rcasn,
do you mean 10 imply that Mr.. Lane
suspected the relations between YOU and
/ III I