New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-29
Ottinger-Ellenbogen Law
Assured az Result Of
Albany Hearing
Expected to Veto .
Green Bill, However
Whitney Tells Coverno,
Latter Measure Is
Unnecessary
iBy Telegraph u rhs Tribune


Albany, May 2s.--Governor whitu.,
will sign the Ottinger. Ellenbog.n Nh
providing that the Public Service Con.
mission must approve any contract b.
tween the New York Central Railroad
and New York City for the West SID.
improvement, It became evident az IL
hearing on the bill here to-day. Ne
is expected to veto the Green bill call.
ing for an investigation Of the vhols
question.
Representative of the City Club ana
Citizens Union. who supported IN. OF.
tinger-Ellenbogen bill, declared The
Green measure needless. Public Ser.
vice Commissioner Travis Whitney alss
said it was unnecessary.
New York women formed a bic oar.
Of the delegation that crowded the szs
ecutive chamber. Mrs. Charles A. IN,
an, president OF the Women's LeafuA
for the Preservation Of Riverside RLrt
presented what she called the wemssS
side of the argument for the bills.
Women for the Bills
"The women's clubs Of New Yort.s
she declared, stand as one for thssl
bills. The proposed contract as nsv
drafted would destroy a residential soc.
ton and take away a park for many
years. We women are not going 70 Be-
driven from our homes; we do not In.
tend to De driven out like gypsies.
The parks are needed for the physical
development of our children, and it is
the lack Of parks in the past that has
resulted in a condition where mora re-.
cruits are turned down because Of
physical unfitness in New York City
than in any other city. When this bill
IL signed we will tell the Public Ser.
vice Commission that it mus, consider
the women IL it wishes to avoid trou.
ble."
Ira A. Place, vice-president OF the
New York Central Railroad, made the
principal argument against both bills.
He presented an opinion by former
Chief Judge Edgar ". Cullen holding
that the Ottinger bill was invalid. He
also submitted an opinion by Charles
+. Hughes declaring that the law OF
1911, under which the present West
Side contract was drawn up, 10 Q valid
exercise of legislative power and that
the proposed agreement for the West
Side improvement is in accordance with
the authority thereby given the Board
of Estimate and Apportionment.
He limited at prolonged ltigstion by
stating that if the Ottnger bill, in
case 1t becomes law, should be declared
invalid, its only harm will be the delay
in securing such benefits as may result
to the city, the railroad and the ship
ping interests of the city and state, II
the proposed agreement were eonsum'
mated.
Former Public Service Commissioners
William II. McCarroll also opposed the
bills, declaring that nothing but delay
could be accomplished by them. Or
CARNATIONS which sent representative
in opposition included the Merchsnts'
Association, the Brooklyn Civic Club
the Bronx Board of Trade and the har'
lem Board of Conference.
Arrayed against them were HUNDREDS
of representatives Of civic, improve
ment and real estate organizstisns
from all parts Of New York City
Judge William II. Ransom, counsel for
the Public Service Commission, replled
to Mr.. Places litigation threat By o..
claring that there need be no fear Of
delay on that score.
Marks Favors Bills
1--WE will meet Judge Cullen's opln'
ion," he said, "as lawyer, with op'n'
ions he wrote as chief judge OF ths
Court of Appeals, and beat him on ni'
own ground. This litigation could o.
cleaned up in three months"
Borough President Marcus NJ. MARKS
argued that the present contract gav'
the railroad a monopoly and would m
terfere with a comprehensive plan fo'
the improvement Of the port faeilities
"The death avenue problem, os
clared Borough President Maurice Z
Connolly, should be treated as grad'
crossing matter by the Public Servie'
Commission If the railroad does mol
come to terms promptly"
Former Public Service Commissioner
William K. Wilcox argued that ths
proposed contract violated the city
policy in not providing for periodiea
valuations of the franchise.
Others who spoke for the bills wef,
julius Henry Cohen, Of the Citlrens
Union; william II. Douglas, OF "a
West Side Association; Myer stem
brink, of Brooklyn. and Senators "ss'
Ott,,Oay