New-York tribune., 1921-03-10
Traction Bill
Reported With
Many Changes
Continued from paue one)

act similar expressions found in the
several articles. Aside from these, the
principal amendments are indicated be.
low:
"ln the bill, as originally drawn, the
Public Service Commission was en-
powered to authorize rates, fares and
charges upon such terms, conditions
safeguards or readjustment of fran
chisc or contract rights or obligations
as the commission deemed proper.
Power to Change Rates
"Undcr the amendments, the express
sion or read justment Of franchise or
contract rights or obligations has been
stricken out wherever it occurred, not
only in connection with common car
riers, but also in connection with rates
for all public utilities included in the
act A special clause has been inserted d
in Subdivision / of Section 40, dealing
| with the power Of the transit commits
sion to fix temporary rates, this clause
reading as follows
Provided, however, anything here
in contained to the contrary notwith
standing, the transit commission shall
not authorize any such change prior to
the adoption of a plan of reimbursement
under the provisions of Article 6 of
this chapter, unless. pending the COM
pletion Of the valuations of the rail
road property which it proposes to in
cludc in any such plan and during the
preparation of such plan, the commits
sion shall. as the result of its studies
and Investigations, find such change to
be necessary in the public interest for
the accomplishment of one or more of
the purposes to be achieved by such
plan as specified in said article, and in
such event the commission shall re-
quire, as conditions precedent to such
change, the execution of any such
stipujations by the railroad companies
and others as in its judgment shall be
necessary to further and protect the
consummation of such a PLAN"
Article a, relating to gas and cleo
trlcal corporations, has been amended
so AS TO permit such corporations to
establish classitications of service
based upon quantity used, the time
when used, the purpose for which used
and the duration of use, when ap-
proved by the commission, and the
commission is given power to require
such corporations to establish such
classiticatons.
Purpose Lowest Possible Fares
I'm Article 6, Section 1O6, dealing
with the plan Of read justment, the fol-
Lowing clause has been inserted as in
dicating one of the purposes to be ac-
complished: The assuring to the peo-
pie OF the city the continued opera
lions of the railroads at the present
or lowest possible fares consistent with
just valuation of the railroads and
q oy,J
There also has been inserted in Ar
t;clc 6 a clause which reads:
"'The commission shall also endeay-
or to include in the plan of readjust-
ment a provision for the protection of
tort Creditors."
"The paragraph relative to valuation
has been amended to read as follows:
In connection with the preparation
of such a plan the commission shall
cause valuation to be made of the
property, other than franchises and go
ing value, necessarily used in public
service of the railroads it proposes to
include therein. Such valuation shall
be in such detail and shall include such
elements Of cost or values and shall be
made in such manner as the commits
sion may prescribe. Such valuation as
finally determined by the commission
Shall be the basis for all allowances to
the railroad companies under the plan
Section lO8, defining the additional
powers of tho transit commission, has
been amended so as 10 confer upon the
com Uilssion the powers and duties Of
the local authority of a city to approve
contracts or notifications of contracts
under ant provision of the rapid tran
SIT act or OF any contract heretofore
made.
Has Power to Make Contracts
"The paragraph dealing with the
power of the commission to make con-
tracts for the use Of city streets, has
been amended to read as follows:
IN addition to its powers under the
rapid transit act the commission in
connection with any such plan shall
have and exercise in any such CITY the
authority, subject to the other pro
visions Of this article, to make con
tracts for tho use of streets of any
such city for street surface railroads
and for stage and omnibus routes. ANY
such contracts shall be in the form of
q certificate or contract with terms and
conditions as nearly as may be as re-
Quircd by the rapid transit act in a
case of rapid transit railroads, under
Section "a and Sections 20 and 27, and
providing for limitation of such rights
to q definite term or for q right Of
termination by the city on rotice with
provision for making good to the con-
tractor his investment under such con-
tract.
Bill Fails TO Meet Objections
On behalf of the New York City
Republicans who arc opposed to the