The sun., 1919-10-07

County Railway Company; C. M. Owen
and Frederick z. Royce. representing the
b r. t.; Brainerd Tolles counsel for
the receiver Of the Second Avenue Rail-
way Company; James r. Sheffield. trus-
tee of the Interbosough Consolidated
Corporation ]. Sherlock Davis of the
Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce Alfred
7. Davidson. counsel for the Third Ave-
nue. Railway Company Hobart Porter
general manager of the Brooklyn City
Railroad Company, and Mr.. Stimson.
Explanation by Delaney.
John II. Delaney, vino was formerly
Commissioner OF Plant and Structures
under Mayor Hylan. and is now Commits
sioner Nixon's colleague in charge Of
II ansit, said that II was only fair In the
absence Of any members of the city ad-
ministration to point out that the men,
bers of the Board of Estimate were
busily engaged over the budget and that
problems concerned with salary in
creases for city employees might well
have operated to keep them away from
the conference even IL they had desired
to be present.
This explanation. however, was re-
ceived without enthusiasm by the trac-
ton men present 1t was pointed out
time again by members of the Admins
tration that the traction men were not
anxious to come out in the open and dis
cuss the problems confronting the city
One of the conferees stunned up the sit
uation this way to representative Of
THE SUN:
The city has repeatedly charged that
we were not willing to discuss the trac-
ton situation with than. The truth is
hat L.
anxious now 10 do so. The members of
the Board OF Estimate are not all en-
gagged In making up the budget, and in
any event there is the Corporation Coun-
sell who Ia not member OF the Board
or Estimate, who could have been pres
ent to safeguard the city's interests II
such was thought necessary in order that
things might have got u~ier way. AS
we can see 1t the city officials ara the
real obstructionists in finding a solution
for the problem"
Nixon's Eight Points.
The eight points upon which Commits
sioner Nixon hoped to establish an un-
Outstanding between the various inter-
ests involved as outlined by him yester-
day were:
81. Each of the present railroad sys-
TENS 70 be simplifed by the conso;ida-
tion or merger of Its constituent COM
panies into one railroad corporation and
II possible a unified control of all sys-
TENS brought about. Any settlement
must take into account the competitive
situation. A course should be shaped
by what the city will reasonably expect
to do, as any rearrangensent requiring
a uniform fare Except for isolated sys-
tems) should be based upon a wisely
founded municipal policy.
80. All holding companies mot rail-
road companies) should be abolished
"3. Perpetual franchises securing long
time rights to the streets should be re-
nlaced by terninable or indeterminate
franchises.
~. There should be at once instituted
by the city. under conditions of unques-
toned equity in findings, a valuation or
appraisal of properties.
''5. All leases and underlying con-
tracts to be terminated
IS. The city to have the option Of ac-
Quiring the properties within a fixed pc
Rod at the agreed valuation plus the
actual cost of additions, extensions and
improvements 1t may be desirable to
lnlortize the purchase price out OF earn
ings.
~. A flexible fare to be- Instituted
automatically adjusted to meet the cost
of service. The cost of service to be
fixed as to cover reasonable return on
money paid in, the rates paid on such
Investments to be those warranted by
fixed rather than speculative return. A
surplus fund to control variation in
rates. Modification requiring a fraction
of a cent to be effected through tickets
sold in books, the full cent above being
levied on the occasional traveller.
"S. The city to have a representative
on all boards
Memorandum Filed.
Commissioner Nixon points out In a
memorandum experimenting his basic
points certain observations. These in