New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-29

. NaAAl NtlifSlNs I NIllIh AHeS $3.50
/ IONS is = safe margin.
Knew Coal Supply Was Low -,
The witness said in answer TO ques-
/ tons by Commissioner Whitney that ne
/ had known for months of the scant
coal supply at the Fifty-ninth Street
plant. and that he had called the mat
/ ter to the attention Of Mr.. Hedley ana
/ Mr.. Shonts. lie added that that was as
far as he could 20.
Mr.. Berwind recalled 70 the stand at
/ the opening of the morning session, de.
MED that there was any possibility OF
a shutdown. regardless of Mr.. Hedley's
statement that the marlborough was IN
4 Danger Of a complete tie-up at any time.
Mr. Berwind declared that his company
had $4,000 tons of coal ahOat IN the
harbor, and if given reasonable notice
as to the needs Of the subway he was
i'm n position to supply all the fuel nee
csSary.
Mr. Bcrwind was reminded by Judge
Ransom that ne had blamed the tle-up
on clerical error. Now. do you mean
the error by your company in deliver
ing two barges Of coal, when seven
were ordered. or to the incorrect estl-
mate Of the marlborough calculator as
TO the amount of coal in the bunkers?"
"To the latter one answered the
coal dealer.
1t was brought out while Mr. Berwind
was on the stand that about six months
ago the contract for the Interborough's
coal had been changed and the price
advanced 40 cents a ton. The agree
ment, which was verbal. was made to
cover tine advanced cost for labor and
transportation. Thirty cents was paid
for the labor and 10 cents a ton for the
transportation.
Under the contract the Berwind
White company was to supply the sub
way with coal at 1923 a ton. This YER
bal agreement therefore advanced the
price to 1888 for deliveries.
"Do you. as a director of the Inter
| borough. approve Of such. verbal con-
tracts ." he was asked.
"The board passed on the change. /
do not care to make any statement
about it, responded the witness.
"Have you ever used your influence
as a director of the marlborough in
making coal contracts? 49, Cravis Whit
ney asked.
absolutely not" said Mr.. Berwind.
Powerhouse Lacked Feed Wires
f. A. Kdder. the electrical engineer
Of the marlborough. testified the COM
pany's contracts with the Edison Com
pany for current had been nullifed by
the lack of feed wires TO carry the
power The witness explained that tho
only feed wire between the INTERIOR
ough and the Edison plants was at
Seventy-fourth Street. which can carry
q load Of 10000 kilowatts only.
This is the point to be taken UP
when the Public Service Commission
again meets 10 consider the tie-up.
Judge Ransom in his attack on tho
methods of the Interborough, called
on the operating officials OF the Inter
borough to settle differences with in
terlocking directories and run the sub.
ways as provided for in the dual con
tracts. He pointed out that Saturdays
tic-up was unnecessary, and could
have easily been avoided.
In fact, he added. it might have been
intentional on the part Of the operating
officials TO bring the company's most
powerful director to a point Of living
up to his contract with the INTERIOR
ough.
On this point Judge Ransom said
Operating officials, cxasperated and
weary from trying TO get financial and
executive officials Of the Panama
CIOWQ 10 lOlCc the Company mbeb
powerful director TO live up TO his
contracts with the lnterborough. who
was furnishing more than a meagre,
hand to mouth. barge TO boiler, supply
Of coal. may well have thought Satur-
day afternoon would be a good time 70
let things slide even though it meant
a te-up which would focus public opin-
ion on Mr.. Berwind's methods of living
up 10 contracts between his coal com
pany and the Interborough, in which
he is a powerful director"
Judge Ransom pointed out the fact
that Mr.. Berwind is getting 1928 a
ton from the Edison company, which
he was able TO keep we'll supplied,
while the l. R. r., which was under
contract to pay only 1923 per ton. was
left without coal. He charges that Mr.
Berwind always saw that the more
profitable trade was taken care of be-
fore the lnterborough.
Hayward and Hedley in Tilt
At the end of the hearing Commits
sioner Hayward turned to Frank He'd
lev. general manager of the INTERIOR
Ough. and said:
This is the first time, Mr. Hedley, |
have ever known you TO show the white
feather when II came to enforcing
contract"
Mr.. Hedley denied that he had not
made every effort 20 make the Berwnd
company deliver coal as the contract
called for.
"Why, he has you all buffaloed," re
torted the commissioner. you would
not dare treat him as you would any
other coal concern"