New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-31

out; II they stayed in. he saw 10 u
that before dividends were paid they
20; share OF the profits in increased
wages, and he organized benefit and
insurance associations among them.
Protests OF stockholders against
passed dividends and threats to cut
his salary were poverless 20 move
him. From the moment of his instslla-
ton until his death he engaged In a
,pirited warfare with such Public Ser
vice Commission,rs as he thought 20
be meddleEs. His correspondence vita
hem was scarcely less pungent than
th- Gsynor epistles.
Always for His Railroads
First and last he was for his rail-
roads. When he thought the city was
Sinking in the matter OF cleaning
streets he did not hesitate to tell il
how tho job could DO done better-snd
to the advantage of the Third Avenue
Railroad Company. Experts told him
10 install new rails and economic on
cars. He bought new cars and econo-
mized on rails.
Under his management New York
got its first pay-ss-you-enter cars and
saw horsecsrs scrspped for storage
battery vehicles. The Third Avenue
and the other decrepit lines took 4 new
lease on life, and in less than four
years Mr.. Whitridge was discharged
as receiver and made president.
The present Public Service Commits
sion laid 20 his door the responsibility
for the recent trolley strikes, assert
ing that he had promised to arbitrate
future difficulties with the Yonkers
Railroad, where the strike started.
This Mr. Whitridge vehemently denied
though he made no secret of his dis
approval Of unionism.
OF Scotch descent, Mr.. Whitridge
owned a country estate in Scotland.
and was an ardent supporter Of the A.
lies. His son Arnold, who was Gradu
ated from Yale in 1914. Is an officer
in the British army, and received the
Military Cross in April, 1915. Mr.
Whitridgs was on hssty trip TO Eng
land 20 take advantage Of fUrlough
hi. son had received when the strike
began on his lines.
Condemned Wilson's Policy
In nc same blunt speech With which
he outlined hi. policies regarding his
street railways, Mr.. Whitridge con-
demned the Germans and the foreign
policy Of President Wilson, which he
once called that Of a poltroon. He
was the author Of book called "One
Americans Opinion of TIE European
war which was published in Octo-
Der, 1914.
He married Miss Lucy Arnold,
daughter Of Matthew Arnold, IN 1883.
His home was at rs East Eleventh
Street. On March 81, 1905, President
Roosevelt appointed Mr.. Whitridge
Special Ambassador to represent the
United States a. the wedding of the
King Of Spain. IL was the first time
such an appointment had been made
since 1878.
MIR. Whitridge was president and dl-
rector OF the Forty-second Street,
Manhstts-vil & St. Nicholas Avenue
Railway, the Third Avenue Railway.
the Westchester Electric Railroad and
a director OF the Northern Ohio Rail
way, the Niagara Development Com
pany and the Niagara Falls Power
Company. He was president Of the
Belt Line Railway, the Bronx Jrsc-
ton Company. the Kingsbridge Rail
way, the Southern Boulevard Railway
and the Union Railway OF New York.
His clubs were the Knickerbocker,
Century, Automobile Of America Uni
versity, Down Town, Metropolitan.
Church. Sleepy Hollow Country and
METROPOLITAN Of Washington.