New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-09
Expert Tells Thompson
Line Was Saddled with
Coaches at $4,000 Each.
TRANSFERRED so BUILT
FOR STEINWAY ROUTE
marlborough Mulcted Line After
Obtaining Control, Wit
ness Declares.

ne IOiHIHNiA AfE t0AHNaf'
got back 10 work yesterday after a
lapse Of ten days The bulk Of the
testimony taken in its two sessions was
in regard 20 the alleged mismanage-
ment Of the New York and Queens
County Railway Company by the Inter
borough Rapid Transit Company.
Testimony was given to show that
the Interborough, after getting control
Of the Queens County Railway in 1903
had mulcted the company in various
ways and allowed the service 70 the
public to deteriorate TO an alarming
degree. The matter had been called TO
the committees attention during the
early stages of its investigation, but 1t
was said that the commission had done
nothing to improve conditions.
James Sidney Eadie, special counsel
for the Flushing Taxpayers Assocla-
ton. appeared with an indictment
against the Queens County road under
the management of the lnterborougn'
He called attention 10 the report Of an
Investigation Of the road conducted by
John Holley Clark, jr., then counsel for
the association and now secretary TO
Public Service Commissioner Hayward.
Queens Railway Attacked.
Mr.. Clark's report maintained that
the service on the line was grossly in
ADEQUATE, that the Interborough had
charged the company exorbitant rates
for power after il had obtained con-
troll of the stock. and that the com
pany's financial condition figured in the
Interboroughs preferential in the city's
subway contract.
DR.. Abner F. Weber, statistician for
the Public Service Commission, who
made an independent investigation OF
the service and equipment Of the
Queens County road, said in his report.
which was made part Of the record Of
the hearing, that during the eleven
years Of PETERBOROUGH cxtrol Of the
Queens road traffic andN@venue had
doubled, but operating expenses had
increased threefold, the heaviest in
crease in expense being for main
tenance. DR.. Weber's conclusions
were.
]. That the expense Of the Queens
road since 1906 had been abnormally
high, having increased from oO TO 50
per cent Of the company's revenue.
?. The principal causes Of such in,
crease were deferred maintenance and
overchargng for power, etc, by the
controlling company.
3. The expenditures prior 20 lSV5
were small and probably inadequate
and that therefore the surplus shown
as Of 1903 was probably fictitious.
4. The purchase Of fifty steel cars
from the Interborough in 1908 unduly
burdened the property, injured the
tracks, increased accidents and doubled
the interest charges.
5. During the five years from 1908
10 1912, inclusive. the lnterborough
charged the Queens County road IA
cents per kilowatt hour for current,
and in 1918 reduced this charge to "A
Of a cent If this reduction had been
made previously. S39s,OOO OF the COM
panv's deficits would have been re-
duced.
s. II the excessive power charges
and maintenance expenses were ellml-
mated. the operating ratio would not
exceed - per cent, and the net revenue
would have been able to pay the taxes
and bond interest during every year
for which & deficit is shown.
Tube Cars Cost $4,000 Each.
Il was brought out that the fifty
steel cars, which were originally pur-
chased by the Interborough for use in
the Steinway tunnel, had cost the
Queens company $4,000 each, while
the cost Of regulation trolley car IS
$4,000.
Mr.. Clark testified that he had pre-
pared a report on his investigation,
which was used in the case Of the
Queens road before the Public Service
Commission In an effort 70 obtain bet
ter service on the line. The case was
taken before the commission In Octo-
her. 1914. tho witness said. in answer
tc a question by Frank Moss, but there
had been no improvement in the SER
vice. Asked u he had called the mat
ter 20 the attention Of any Of the
Fublic Service comm ssioners, Mr.
Clark said that he thought he spoke
10 Commissioner Hayward about II.
Mr. Clark charged that the INTERIOR
cugh got two cents out Of every nickel
lcfore the Queens County road had
chance a. the returns. The car service
rad decreased - per cent, he said,
while there was an increase Of pas
sengers Of q per cent.
Miss Pauline Goldmark. research
secretary Of the National Consumers
League. submitted report relative 10
the wages paid % workers in the sub
ways under construction. she said
some Of the workers made only ss68
..,.- ,,Ltck ia sLc amount that the