The sun., 1919-10-07
STEP TOPUNISH
COMPTROLLER IS
TAKEN BY COURT
Judge MayerOrders Inquiry
Into Craig's Letter to
Nixon.
MAY BE CONTEMPT CASE
Commissioner Outlines Eight
Points for Solution of
Traction Problem.
MAY BE CONTEMPT CASE

Whatever solutions or the various
traction problems confronting the
people of New York may have beer
expected from the conference yester-
day between Public Service Commits
sioner Lewis Nixon and the represent
atives of the subway, surface and
elevated lines were, at best, post
poned.
Commissioner Nixon did succeed In
bringing the traction men together in
his office. They averred they came
with open minds-ready to consider
any feasible suggestion that might
tend to relieve the present situation
But no representative Of the city ad-
ministration was present and the al
ready strained relations existing be-
tween the city and the Public Ser
vice Commission were rather agra
waited than alleviated by the introduce
ton of a letter addressed to Commits
sioner Nixon by Comptroller Craig
in which the Comptroller attacked the
good faith of the conferees and criti-
cised the official acts of Federal Judge
julius NJ. Mayer in declining to ap-
point a representative Of the city as
coreceiver of the New York Railways
and B. r. T. systems.
Before the day was over Judge
Mayer had taken official cognizance of
the Comptroller's communication and
had directed United States Attorney
Francis G. Caffey to furnish him with
official information of what had been
written by the Comptroller concerning
"the orders and action of this court
in a pending cause or causes"
Would obey Court Order.
Mr.. Carey would not say yesterday
what might result except that his office
would obey the courts mandate to in
vestigate whether there had been any
contempt OF the Federal Court in Comp
troller Craigs letter. which had been
given out for publication to the after
noon newspapers before 1t had been
drawn to the attention of Judge Mayer.
The net result Of the conference held
in Commissioner Nixon's office and to
which Mayor Hylan and all the other
members of the Board of Estimate had
been invited, was that Commissioner
Nixon presented tentative draft of a
plan by which he hoped solution of the
many problems involving increased fares.
perpetuity of franchises and the right of
the city to have representation on the
boards of the traction companies might
be found. The plan, Commissioner Nixon
explained. is based on eight points and
was open to criticism, amendment and
suggestions from every interested source
The conference adjourned until next
Friday after it had been decided on the
suggestion OF representatives of the In
terborough Rapid Transit Company to
deal first with the problems involving the
rapid transit lines-the subways and ele-
vated-and deal with the surface lines
separately. The entire traction problem
Will be discussed again at further con-
ference to be held October Is.
Comptroller Craig's letter to Commits
soner Nixon was given out from the
Comptrollers office with the information
that 1t had been sent to be made part of
the record OF the conference called by
Mr.. Nixon. 1t was in reply to Commits
sioner Nixon's letter of October 1 in
wiling the Comptroller to participate in
the conference.
Comptroller's Letter,
After drawing attention to the fact
that the Board of Estimate was busily
engaged over the 1920 budget, the Comp
troller's letter ran:
Before any such conference can be
seriously considered, and as an evidence
Of good faith on the part of those act
Ing by and under the authority of United
states District Judge Mayer. there must
Do reversal of the policy for which
Judge Mayer is responsible of denying
10 myself and other members Of the
Board OF Estimate and Apportionment
any access to original sources Of in
formation concerning the property and
affairs of those various public utility
corporations holding franchises to OBJ
crate in the streets of New York.
When the applications were made to
Judge Mayer in the friendly proceed
ings instituted by those interested in
these corporations for the appointment
OF receiver of their own liking. IL not
of their own selection, the Corporation
Counsel of the city OF New York. acting
under instructions from the Board of Es
Innate and Apportionment, given at nv
instance, urged upon Judge Mayer that
he appoint an additional or coreceiyer
acceptable TO the Board OF Estimate and
Apportionment to see that the facts and
conditions Of the corporations involved
were fairly and fully presented to the
united states District Court in the
course of the receivership so that any
orders or DEGREES that might be made bv
the court would be fair and lust TO the
city OF New York and the members of
the Board of Estimate and Apportion-
ment might be accurately Informed with
respect thereto In order that any action
-