New-York tribune., 1918-03-25
President of Interborough
Writes Mayor in Con-
ciliatory Spirit
Would Speed Pooling
Again Points Out That Com
pany Will Not Get Cent
of Extra Charge

Theodore 7. Shonts. president OF the
lnterborough, added another letter yes
terday to the already lengthy CORE
spondcncc that has passed between him
and Mayor Hylan concerning the ad-
visibility of Increasing fares on the
subway to c-nt This letter was
more concillatir an those which had
preceded it and sered the city imme-
date representa- fN on the board of di-
rectors of the I'll s,v if, on the other
hand, the municipal authorities would
grant scent fares. Mr.. Shonts writes
81 note you say that even if the peo-
pie of the city should allow the scent
iare they would not have any more rep
rescntation in the management os the
dual subway contracts than they now
have. | have said to the Public Service
Commission and to you that if the g.
cent fare solution of the present emer-
gency were adopted the Interborough
would be willing to advance the date
when the pooling arrangement under
the contract becomes effective to make
1t correspond with the date when the
scent fare becomes effective.
Would Hasten City Control
This would CORES spondingly advance
the time when the city would have di-
rect control over operating expendi-
tures and in addition thereto | would
be glad to adopt your suggestion as to
having city representative on our
board of directors.
Mr. Shonts agrees with Mayor Hylan
in his objections to the dual subway
system, but adds:
Il do not think that our former views
as to the wisdom or unwisdom of the
city's entering into the dual subway
contracts with the Interborough and
the B. r. 7. are now Important. Those
contracts were made They have been
declared legal by the highest court
and are established facts. The pres
ent problem which concerns us is how
TO best meet the actual conditions
which have arisen in connection with
those contracts.
Points to Big Deficit
While the figures used in my talk
with you, and also in the memorandum
sent you, related only to the Inter
borough company, | am advised that
the Public Service Commission has
studied the same question from the
city's point of view, and estimates that
for the first few years the cty's an
nual deficit on its investment in the
two systems will approximate $4,000,
900 year, on the present basis Of
labor and material.
"This sum, whatever it may be, can
be met in only one of two ways-either
by making it a part of the city's tax
requirements or by increasing the rate
of fare.
at was because | heartily agree with
your statement that the burdens borne
by the rentpayer and taxpayer in this
city are already great enough that |
suggested the increase in the rate OF
fare, so that those directly availing
themselves of the transportation facili-
ties would contribute their share of the
burden, rather than that the obligation
of providing for the whole deficit
should be thrown upon the rentpayer
and taxpayer, who are already so heav-
lily overburdened.
II desire to close this letter." Mr..
Shonts concludes, with repetition of
the fact which / tried to emphasize
during our talk and also in the memo
randum-namely, that this suggestion
of ours is made with the full knowledge
that the Interborough will not receive
an additional dollar from this increase
in fare, but that, on the contrary, its
agreement to advance the date of pool
ing with the city ahead of the date of
completion of the trunk lines will mean
the waving of very large sum of
money which it would otherwise secure
from the operation of the property"