New-York tribune., 1920-01-10
fraction Tangle
Inquiry Opens.
Next Tuesday
rs,imate Board Sets Day for
Hearing in Fare Increase
IN Plea From Com
panies for Speedy Relief
Temporary Raise Urged
subprnas Will Be Issued
Calling ON All Lines for
aComplete InfOrmatiOn''

1HyN0taEatioN OF Cne Guy 2 tangled
.,.etion affairs, ordered by the Board
.fEstimate several weeks ago, will get
,sder way next Tuesday. This date
=, sst at the board meeting yester-
s.y. when representatives of all the
tnnsit companies presented a joint
ala for speedy relief to stave off
disaster.
For the first time since the traction
dtustion became serious, the leading
-ompany officials and receivers and the
c;tv authorities to whom they must
,ook for increased fares were brought
face to face.
Lindley NJ. Garrison, receiver of the
grookiyn Rapid Transit; Job E. Hedges,
receiver of the New York City Railway
Company; James r. Sheffield. trustee
ef the marlborough Consolidated Com
many: James L. Quackenbush, counsel
(. q the Interborough Rapid Transit
Company, and Colonel Henry L. Slim
an were seated in the first row of the
mectators' benches. facing Mayor
Hylsn and the rest Of the board when
he session opened.
Board Meets Secretly
When the meeting had been con-
eluded. with every display of courtesy
sides. one of the traction representa-
tives said: We've been trying to get
together with the Mayor and the board
for many months. to sit down and dis
cuss this situation. o-day's meeting
is the start, and I'm convinced it's
worth more than thousand formal
letters and communications between us
in clearing up this matter"
After the public hearing had been
completed in the morning the board,
IN q protracted afternoon session, or
ranised as the committee of the whole,
and, in secret conference, is said to
have mapped out it's plan for conduct
Ing the sweeping inquiry which was
ordered.
This will call for the issuance of sub
punas for officials and documents, and
Il is said. will start in on the petit
tions for increased fare presented by
the receivers yesterday.
Traction matters occupied the atten-
ton Of the board almost exclusively
The board heard from a representative
Of the Corporation Counsel's Office that
the city was within it's legal rights to
own and operate it's own buses, and set
for next Friday consideration of a pro-
posed appropriation of $4,000 to buy
100 new buses.
Shutdown Threatened
Staten Islands traction affairs also
we're presented, and a committee of
Prominent men from Richmond reported
that, unless an increased fare were
Eren the companies there, complete
hutdown would take place in a week.
After spirited verbal bout between
Comptroller Craig and Aldermanic Pres
ident La Guardia the board passed a
resolution directing Corporation Coun-
gel Burr to guard the cIy's interest
IN Staten Island, even going so far as
to demand receivership of the COM
panies involved if necessary.
When the joint petitions of the Man
haitian and Brooklyn companies came
up for consideration. Mr.. Sheffield
arose. and. speaking for ell the re-
ceivers and company officials, fled a
memorandum, following the lines of
Judge Mayors suggestion for tenn
porary eight-cent fare, and asked that
date for hearing be set as soon
Is possible.
will you produce all the informa-
sion you have in this investigation or
viii We have to subpoena it?" asked
Comptroller Craig.
We need no process We will pro-
duce everything" Sheffield replied
When Craig wanted to know whether
Saemeld spoke for the other company
efaeials Judge Garrison got up.
Full Facts Promised
~ say the board can have every
ming at any time without process of
any Kind" he said. Eve have ALWAYS
gwen all the information we had"
we've never been able to get Just
Ms information we wanted" Craig re-
1fted. When Hedges was called upon
-of course, everything we have will
be produced
And what you haven't got?"
Can't produce what we haven't got. >
Craig smilingly suggested that q
sucn Information, and Borough Presi.
gent Riegelman of Brooklyn said tina,
should be brought in city buses.
would never get here if we
Sonsht 1t that way" Hedges flashed
sesk, TO the discontinue Of the bus
.eaefent and the amusement of the
SPECTATORS.
..Ae joint memorandum stated that
snaoueh s.n the situation differed in de-
~ various companies, the general
Rneiples we're identical.
Temporary Relief Urged
q said that income had been found
below expenses. and that tenn
sorary relief should be granted at
- sno permanent solution worked
"a conjunction with the Public
clHee Commission and the Transit
ssanssruction Commissioner.
toe extent that this situation is
IN ;mIaeed by reason of contracts, it
- ' ce necessary to consider remodel
sss.s me contracts" the memorandum
49, r.aaaed I'VE stand prepared to
isss sssf7 provision in the public
r. ~ which will insure that abso-
~ vefy great deal of work along
~ iias already has been done In con-
nisssss With the Public Service Com
tis 3 Tor the First District and with
sssn4r." CONSTRUCTION oommis-
d. !. Memorandum then suggested
b. n. - ."HbracS changes be made
&. Soard, sitting ar a committee of
yrsn;sSHIs or ny smaller number, and
fjos q s'i cooperation and informa-
Ne.,I arriving at = solution which
ae1~.s ss0v'ds for adequate geryice and
ssesease Recommended
d. ssassn Island committee, Of
NJ ,slssen, headed by Louis l.. Tri-
~ fsGyx!sa that the Midland Rail-
IN g tnYeetened 70 suspend opera-