New-York tribune., 1919-10-23
Hedley Urges
City Start Fund
Toby /. r. T.
New Railways President
Would Sell Subway and
Elevated Lines or Agree
to Municipal Operation
Favors Flexible Fares
Says Affairs of Company
Will Be Aired Fully
During His Incumbency

There will be no secrets from the
public in the affairs of the Inter.
borough Rapid Transit Company under
the administration of Frank Hedley
elected Tuesday as president of the
system. that official announced yester-
DAY he met newspaper reporters IT
his office, l65 Broadway, and told
them he was at their disposal to fur
IRISH any information on traction af.
fairs at any time.
Mr.. Hedley, in an hours interview
asserted:
That fares should be made f1ex-
ible, and should be fixed now at be-
tween s and 10 cents.
That the city should set aside
fund from increased fares with
which to purchase the transit lines.
That the Interborough would pre-
fer to continue operation under its
leases. but would entertain propo-
sition to sell the system to the citv.
or turn it over for municipal operaa-
tion.
That in return for an increased
fare the Interborough had made q
proposition to Mayor Hylan to give
the city interest on it's investmen
after the bondholders were taken
care Of, and take its chances on find
ing additional revenues.
Full Publicity Promised
"There will be no secrets under my
occupancy of the job insofar as the
true condition of the railroad COM
pany is concerned" said President
Hedlcy at is owned by the city and
private interests and | don't see why
the city isn't entitled to just as much
information as the private interests.
"Thc problem is simple The bus
mess ought to be conducted by sane
business men to render adequate,
satisfactory, efficient, safe service to
our customers, who are the people of
New York"
Mr. Hedlcy said the people ought to
be willing to pay sufficient carfare to
equal the cost of the service rendered
including a reasonable return on the
capital invested, both by the city and
the private interests. He said the city
had not answered the plea for ade-
was in serious danger Of deterioration
and the service Of decentralization.
81 h.s se.vice, the best in the world
for the lowest fare, cannot be con-
tinued without serious loss, which
colr"s. first. on the city of New York, -
Hedley continued. AT least Sl3,0OO.-
600 year will have to be paid by the
taxpayers, and ultimately by all the
people of the city.
"When you realize that 500 600 peo-
pie day use the subways who do not
live here or pay taxes, don't think
rs q square deal that the people of
carfare for them"
"Samc Kind of a Rabbit"
President Hedlcy, at the conclusion
of his talk, grinned at the newspaper
men, and said:
"l'm not damned bit different now
than when I was switchman. I'm the
it all, and Pm not afraid or ashamed
of it, but if you ask me anything. III
make every effort to find out for you
Asked what his idea of a reasonable
fare was, President Hedley replied
that it should be flexible, so that when
costs and labor came down, fares
would come down TOO, so that the com
pany should not have the advantage
AS profits would accumulate above
fixed charges, he said they should be
divided by arrangement, into portions
interest on its investment. and lay
as.uc additional sums for purchase OF
the system at future date
Another portion, he said. should GO
to the private interests on investment
while a fund should be created fol
'stepping down" the increased fare as
soon as the accumulation was adequate
eff you were to be allowed to fix the
rate tomorrow, what would it be 2
was asked
Somewhere between an eight and q
ten-ccpt fare"
Would Pay Interest in Fun
When it was suggested that the In
terborough had asked the city te