New-York tribune. [volume], March 07, 1907, Image 1

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
rum _ ' ■ ■ " " ■ ■ ' _— fjTjl j a -....-.
JIT- LXVL . . X° 22.026.
HAEBLMAK OPTIMISTIC.
SOT OPPOSING CANAL.
lie Refuses to Discuss Report of
Purchase of Reading.
I From The Tribune nur»-au.'
Washington. March d. — Before returning to
Jfew York to-night E. H.Harriman discussed .i
number ' ' public questions with a score of
newspaper men. He neither confirmed nor de
nied the report that he had bought the controll
ing Interest in the Reading Railroad, although
fee declared he had rot bought or sold any stock
■whatever s!r.cc he came to Washington last Fri
day; pave it as his opinion that the currency
and the tnrifT should have received attention be
fort the railroad rate question was taken up;
denied that the transcontinental roads were
Interfering with the construction of the Panama
Car.al: said complimentary things about the
Pres'.deiit. and expressed optimistic and pa
trijtic views of conditions generally.
The newspaper men were received in his
apartments in the Wlllard by appointment, jusl
after he had finished dinner. He greeted them
affably, king hands with each one and In
qi'?r?r.ir whit papers they represented. He
asked them all to sit down, himself taking a
6i-M. at a writing desk, but most of the inter
viewers preferred to stand about him. When
the interview', which laMe,; three-quarters of an
hour, marked by a running fire of questions and
■nsuera, was over, he again shook hands, say
!r.? that he had enjoyed the talk, and. indeed.
Cad i;ot had such a pleasant time during his
♦itr-.y ... Washington. Now that bis children
fcaJ gone he continued, he was rather lonely.
Tlie first question asked Mr. Harriman was
ab'/ut •ho report from New York that he had
Just acquired control of the Reading:.
'I will neither deny r.or afflr- > - > . stock reports,"
»aid he. "I will say 1 have not bought or sold
c share of stock since I came to Washington."
His attention was ailed to the fact that this
might be taken as an evasive answer.
•Well, I don't want to deny it positively, be
cause it is against my rules. he explained.
"Pome time you might ask me something that I
would not want to deny or affirm."
•"! notice that the afternoon papers say that
the Ncv York Central holdings and those of the
old Washerman pool in the Reading Railway
v.v-re takeVi over last night. This is not true,"
Mr. Harriman added.
He turned the interview to a discussion of his
views regarding the necessity for rebuilding the
railroads of the country with a wider gauge, or
of substituting electric engines for locomotives,
which, he thinks, have reached the limit of size.
"This change will oome in your lifetime, eas
ily," he paid. "I think it must come within the
next ten years. We forget how much has been
done in the la« ten years in changing the mode
cf transportation. Give us a six-foot gauge,
with th.- "wider and broader firebox that would
be possible then, and the steam locomotive can
be made to serve the purpose of moving the
greater loads that the expanding business re
quires. Even now the firebox must be made so
long that' '.!:'■ fin-man cannot properly scatter
the ooa] ovdr xhe fire."
FAVORS RAILROAD REGULATION.
In reply to questions, he said he thought there
ehould be more cooperation between the govern
mont nni the railroads. th;it the transportation
eompar.ifs took Just as much prMc in the wel
fare of the country as the newspaper men, the
politicians or the fan.:ers. The railn ad rate
law vi;i not hamper the railroads, he went en
to say. if they are properly administered. Tin re
ehould be feme way to legalise co-operation of
railroads so that the business could bo carried
on more cheaply.
"Oh. it will all come out in the wash," said
fee. "I believe in American character. A little
Lioodlctting may he productive of good some
times. I am an optimist. };-. ■ry one should be
mho has the good of his country at heart.**
His attention •-. as again directed to his sug»
g(--: : shout legalizing some combinations.
"That i.« hardly n fair question to answer in
tfn minutes," he rep.i:;. "But there should he
ton* method devised whereby traffic can be
liar.dlrd at lesser cost."
The rerrark was made that he and the Presi
dent stood on boot the same ground, then.
"I bave been surprised at the way the Presi-
Ccr.t has come round." Mr Barrlaeaa said. "It
l;as» J'»»cn boil and courageous, after the position
xi.at hr> had previously taken. I think our right
e!onfr "thip line will be recognized. We may have
tc Jtiv-.» uj» something to get It. For instance, I
believe that every railroad ought to be subject
eti'.ie regulation, regulation by some properly
constituted body."
I?e was risked about the currency laws and
tlu-ir effect on business interests. He expressed
the opinion that before the regulation of the
railrceds -was" takes up attention should have
been paid to the currency and the tariff. As to
vi:<thcr the tariff should l*- reduced or in
creased, In would rot : ay. ' .
"Well, works of art ought to be eliminated
frcm the tariff." he said, when asked for his
vi^vv* as to what i liana 1 should be made in the
tariff.
"li-f'v about steel rails?" some one inquired.
"1 never Jtnew that steel "rails were < ; iss. .'.
&8 work? of art; I wish they were." he plied.
Hard times will come again, he predicted, and
then the currency question will be taken up.
Ue hoped they would not come in the lifetime of
fcis iT)tvrvJc'v<rs. but added that they were sure
to come.
As f> t!:e reports that the transcontinental
railroads .re fighting the construction of the
Panama Canal, he raid there was no foundation
for such Btatementi. He said lie was not sura
that the catial would hurt them, and that when
tht ti::i<- came and the right of way was pro
vided "js intf rests would have something to
chip through the canal He accounted for the
fiwjuoucy of report* of this natnre by saying
.thrt whenever any one wanted anything of the
eowrr.nifiu ;hey used the transcontinental roil
rr.ri j-ari-.
cats': OF TIGHT MONEY.
\ Mr. Barrtman returned to money matters to
r*.y Bcmetnlnf about the rate of Interest. "The
hlr« ■ ,i money for the big enterprises Is Just as
tapojta«t,7 said b«, " as the hire of labor oi
tu<? c.Rt <.f material There has been an in
rrwse of from -'■". V? cent to 33 1-3 per cent
tor tho hire of money. This Js due to the fact
that lit- Fcntlmrnt nlcfa has been created has
ir.a.io raorjey, lenders fearful Of what might
Uc, mo . ♦ , no j.. money If they loaned It to rail
r-M.l emrrprts«.. Bui why co not railroads do
nuneihinc to- ...inter*' this sentiment? Are
you •u*»^Vney do not appreciate It?"
•Well. i know one thing," interrupted a New
York-r. '-railroad men are an entirely different
««t of rx-ople hTe hi Washington from what they
£r« in New York."
* I "ill ten you why railroad men do i»t like
to ha*.« newspaper men about them." Mr. Har
tiiAan. responded. Take my experience here
*'Y*rt<;fday I had two i-orvrs come up. I went
•ut :mo the ha!! -.-, meet them and treated them
C«ssu«««1 obi third P*S<v *J __^
COLD C BLACK LABEL SHERRIES.
6i it, ;,;,ajj._r\Wt:aMn.laJsortins Cx. New
Tn-dav. fair.
To-morrow, rain and » atni.r ; fr*»h .it>rth io east wlml*.
MAP OF THE READING SYSTEM, ABOUT WHICH A IUG SPECULATION CONVERGES.
READiXfi K ALLIES LIST.
rT TEN POINTS IN HOUR.
Heavy Buying Thought To Be by
Harriman or Friek.
The course of the stock n!.-«rket yesterday was
• fluctuation* on ■ scale not often wit
!. v. i-li a general early rally, then a dip <>f
Irs extent, ar.d in the last hour and a
afternoon a recovery *o sharp
v.ije out the earlier losses and bring th.?
• eg of the majority of the principal
■ • the closli b prli • ■ of Tuesday,
lies s/ere -.«"'•♦.« *<'■'• shares, the li
business since Aupust 20 of last year,
the day following the sensational dividend an
nouncements on Union Pacific ;'nd Southern Pa
cific, when the total transaction! were L'.iV.xuhni
Reading was the leader of the advance, and
the centre of Interest during the day. Opening
at 115%. ii of a point above Tuesday's close. It
(1. dined to its low level of the day. 11414. with
in the first half-hour, and was "strong in the
sharp general decline at midday, standing at 11G
at noon and at 115 at 1:4." o'cloc':.
Then beg) the rise In this stock which
checked the panicky feeling In the market and
eventually stimulated the advance in the gen
eral list, Within forty minutes Reading had
advanced to 121, and within the next twenty
minutes gained an additional 4 points, mak
ing a total rl?e of 10 points In the hour. Tha
heavy buying, obviously for some powerful In
terest, naturally alarmed the boars, who prompt
ly beg covering their short contracts, their
buying, which became more urgent as the price
soared, Ing in such volume as to help along
the advance to an important degree.
Rumors Sew thick and fast« as to the source
of the initial buying. From Philadelphia came
a circumstantial report that the Harrtman party
had secured control of the Reading property,
and it was declared that the New York Cen
tral's holding*, owned by that road through th.*
Lake Shore, and the stock held by the old Was
sennnnn pool had been transferred to Mr. Har
riman and his associates on Tuesday evening, to
be turned over by them to the Union Pacific.
which was said to have raised the money for
financing that transaction by the sale recently
of par: of its holdings of Atchison. It was also
said that Mr. Harriman had purchased the en
tire Reading stock owned by Henry C. Frlck,
and another rumor had it that Mr. Frlck had
secured control of the road.
HARP.TMAX REFUSBB TO TALK.
Th:.t th.r- *few Tork Central had parted with its
Reading holdings was doiied later in tho after
noon on the highest authority, as was the rumor
that Mr. Harriman had acquired control of the
property. Mr. Harriman. who is still In Wash
ington, declined to discuss the subject at all.
Mr. Prick has just returned from Florida, and
the beat Information obtainable in Wall Street
yesterday afternoon was that it was his buying
which advanced Beading so rapidly, and, inci
dentally, rallied the whole market. He has been
understood to have been the principal factor In
the loriK advance of Reading, of which he Is ;l
director, and which In l!» f| 4 sold as low as Sg%>
and In lftf'o m Id down to 79, to 164 in January,
19f>C. It las beer, the understanding In Wall
Street thut he ■ >!'< a large part of his holdings
tlnee the latter date, when the stork was ruling
around H'», and it Is b> lleved In well informed
quarters that on his return to the city. a day or
two ago, he decided that at around 113 or 114 the.
stock could be advantHK«ou*">y taken on again,
and promptly beK:ni buying M «n a heavy sea!-.
Mr. Frick Is credited with being the 'argosl
individual stockholder of the Reading, as well as
of the Pennsylvania. Ho is a close business as
sociate of Mr. Barrtman »nd of the so-called
Standard OH party, who are the dominating in
fluence in the Union Pacific and largely in
fluential in the New York Centra! system and
the Baltimore ffc « >hjo.
In 1901. it will be remembered, the Pennsyl
vania acquired $GS,. r ,65.G00 of th» $140,000,000
stock of the Reading, or practically control,
lodging its- holdings with the Baltimore & Ohio.
Early i:< I ••I one-half of this block was sold
to th* New York Central, which placed it with
Its subsidiary company, the Lake Shora & Mlchi
gan Southern! This $68,565,000 was made up of
(outlaw.! on •fond pane.
SEABOARD FLORIDA LIMITED LEAVES
m v .imiv ItJB !ii»n. Due St. Au;. 2:.v> p. m. Be«
board office. 1183 BW; or any P. R. R. ofnees.-
Advt. .
OEV/EY'S SAUTERNE AND MOSELLE.
\\'iit.» Dinner 'A'H'f;-. •<: Suiierlcr Quality.
H. '• Dewey & Sons Co.. IX Fulton At.. New. York.
— ACM.
NEW- YORK. THURSDAY. MARCH 7. 1907. -FOURTEEN " PAGE&^*» ( M
ANOTHER P. U.K. WRECK
NINE HURT NEAR WARREN
Diiplaeed Switch Throw* Cart Down
Embankment.
Warren. Perm.. March B. — Train 83, on tha
W< rtern X>'W York & Pennsylvania dlvfsion of
the Pennsylvania Railroad, was wrecked * ri
ni^'i'' between Irvineton and this place. Nlns
persons were Injured, probably none fatally.
The injured ai
COfIIUAN', T. J.. Clean. N. V, conductor of train No.
S3: neck wrench«*J and tack hiKt.
CORBETT. ANNE, Talker's Landing, K*nn.; tad cut over
right e>«> ami trul?''! alHrjt th<- b*«ly.
GAZBTT. JOSEPH, Oil ■■... N. V.. brakrman; lee*
crushed.
KJUSTON, ANTONIO. Silver Fprlnjr*. N. Y. . BUT! about
t>nrk.
PIIEWB EOnEHT, liandolrh. N. V.; two r!t<s brolien
an.l cur nlxnit »>• 3.1 nn,l coMU*ioni ab'.ut the body.
PHEL.Pi? tins. EGBERT. Randolph, X V.; i.n.ily cut
81-uit hen<J.
ROBERTS II W.. Chli-ano. n sa'un'an: log badly cut
and »tuls<><i about body,
BTEBBINH, EDWARD. New York: Fa>*man for th«
;'• paui Manufacturing Company; hurt a'out the
h«*.l.
WILLIAMS. R. J . Elmlra, N. V. ; !rg find Lack hurt.
The train was running behind a freight from
Irvincton to Warren, and. when three-quarters
of a mile from Warren, the freight to>>k a ski
ing to allow the passenger train to pass. After
the freight was on the siding the passenger
started through the switch, which was set from
a tower, about a .i%irter of a mile away. The
switch was not entirely closed, and two cars
were thrown from the rails and down a foot
embankment Into a pond of water.
A pipe line of the Pennsylvania Gas Company
with two hundred pounds pressure, running near
the track, was broken and the coaches filled
with natural gas. There were four passengers
in the rear coach, which was turned completely
over, and they had a Barrow escape from
asphyxiation. Had the lamps In the coaches
been lighted an explosion would have taken
place.
Nearly every passenger on the train was
bruised or cut, and several were taken to th.
hospital here fcr treatment. The wreck, which
wa.s in the local yards, attracted the attention
of workmen near by, and they assisted In
ing the injured In a freight car, la which they
were brought to this city. All of th ■ ambu
lances in the town were press* 1 Into service,
Mi.;s Anne Corbett, of Parker's Landing,
Perm.. who was injured, was coming to Warren,
where sh'' was to have been married to-night to
Orville Brown, who, with a party of friends. w;is
waiting for the train. Brown hurried to tho
scene of the wreck, assisted In rescuing Miss
Corbett and had her taken to a hospital.
BOMB HITS NEPLUEFF.
Another Attempt to Kill Commander
at Scbastopol.
Sebastopol, March 6.— General Neplneff.
commandant of the fortress here, who has Just
be*n transferred for duty at a less hazardous
post, was driving through the city this evening
to attend a farewell dinner at the palace, given
in his honor by Admiral Skrydloff, a bomb was
thrown under his carriage, where it exploded.
The carriage was shattered. The genera] sus
tained Injuries about the feet. Ills coachman
was wounded, a woman who happened to bo
passing at the time was seriously hurt, and tha
horses that were drawing the vehicle were crip
pled. The man who threw the bomb got away.
This Is the second serious attempt made upon
the life of General Neplueff within a year.
General Nepluelf, while acting as commandant of
the Sebastopol fortress, was captured by the mu
tineers in November. 19<V>. but was released after
one day's detention. Troops und»r his command
then moved against the mutineers and subdued
them after, ■ hard tight, nn.l in this action he di
rected the sinking of th« mutinous cruiser
Otchakoff. ■
In April. 1906. the general had a serious differ
ence or opinion with Count \Yitt*» on a matter of
policy. A month litter he was wounded by the ex
plosion cf a bomb at a review of troops at Sebus
topol.
ACCIDENT TO WABASH LIMITED.
Throwa from Track to Prevent Collision
with Grand Trunk Train.
Cayuga, Ont.. March 0.- Th« Wabash limited,
bound from St. I.ouis to Buffalo, was purposely
thrown from the track at Canfield Junction last
night (a prevent it crashing into a Grand Truni:
Railrrad train. No pasaengws wore hurt, but
James Scovel, fireman, of Detroit, was slightly
injure*.
AFTER ALL, USHER'S THE SCOTCH
that trace tUe tiichbuil iuuious.— AtivU
UIRL HAD MANY JEWELS
ma skizvkk ox vier.
Fifty Emerald* and Pearls and a
Diamond Taken.
A seizure of pearls, emeralds and diamonds.
valued at $10,000, was made on the pier of the
North Gorman Lloyd Line. In Hoboken, last
night, an hour after the steamer Kaiser Wit
helm II docked.
The precious stones, which consisted mainly
of pearls and emeralds, about fifty in all. were
taken from Miss Florence Koebler, of Chicago,
who was a cabin passenger on the Kaiser Wtl
helm 11.
Information from special agents of the Treas
ury Department abroad was sent to Washing
ton and Special Agent Brysinsky went down the
bay on the revenue cutter Hudson to meet the
steamer.
Miss Koehier*s declaration of dutiable goods
was carefully scrutinized by the special agent.
but the stones were not declared.
After the steamer docked and the passengers
had gone ash.. re Mis.- Koehler was asked to step
aside and was taken before Matthew Coneys,
deputy surveyor of customs; Deputy Surveyor
McKeon and Special Agent Brysinsky. but would
make no statement about the stones. She was
searched and $10,000 worth of emeralds and
pearls and one diamond were found on her per
son The entire lot, which was seized by Deputy
Surveyor Coneys, is subject to a duty of «•" per
cent. Miss Koehler was told to appear before
Collector Stranahan to-day.
MB. SPOONER'S PLANS.
He port in Minneapolis That lie Will
Be Hill's General Counsel
[Ry Telegraph to The Tribune.]
St. i Paul. March o.— Senator John C. Spooner,
whose resignation, to take effect on May 1. was
recently announced, will, according to a report
here, become general counsel for James J. Hill's ■
Interests, Including the Great Northern. North- i
crn Pacific and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
railroads, as well as the Great Northern Steam- \
ship Company, the Northern Steamship Com
pany and the Hill interests In ore lands, both In :
Minnesota and other struts. Senator Spooner j
will assume his new duties on May 1. the day I
when his retirement from the Senate takes j
effect, k
Although Senator Bpooner"s selection by Mr. j
Hill to head the. legal department of the Hill in- ;
terests has not been officially announced. th<s |
Great Northern president now being in New !
York. 'The Minneapolis Tribune" was to-day in- •
formed that it is only a matter of time when \
the appointment will be given out from the I
Great Northern general ottos here.
[From Th* Tribune Ilureau.]
Washington, March »».— The report that Sen- j
ator Spooner will become general counsel for the ]
Hill Interests is discredited by his friends here. ;
They say that he will make no plans for hid
future till his resignation takes effect, on May 1. |
NO STRIKE ON THE P. R. R.
Both Sides Make Concessions at
Philadelphia Conference.
Philadelphia. March G. — The differences be
tween the Pennsylvania Railroad and its train
men, which for ■ a time threatened to ! cause a |
strike, were "settled to-day 'at a conference be- j
tween General Manager Atterbury of the rail- j
road, and the' trainmen's grievance, committee. j
Concessions were made by both the railroad and I
the trainmen.- -
The trainmen demanded the Pittsburg rate j
of pay and conditions of working in all yards
east of Pittsburg and Erie. The rates tor Pitts
burg are o"> cents an hour for day conductors
and lit! cents an hour for night conductors; 30
cents an hour for clay and :il cents an hour, for j
night braki men. The railroad had ■ offered t» j
pay in all yards outside of the Pittsburg amH
Jersey City districts, Xi cents for day and «4 j
cents for night conductors, and 28 cents for I
day and 28 cents an hour for night brakomen.
The railroad at the conference to-day agreed
to extend the Pittsburg rates to a district ■
within a radius of about forty-five miles of !
Pittsburg. The trainmen agreed to accept the
rates previously offered by the railroad outsldo I
the specified sections. • |
The total number of men affected by the ex- !
tension of the Pittsburg rate is three hundred. ;
while the total number of employes of the Penn- ':
sylvania classed as trainmen, including freight.:
and passenger, yard and road conductors, brake- !
men. flagmen end baggagemen, on lines east of !
Pittsburg an Erie is sixteen thousand. !
The railroad company In an official statement :
issued to-wlght says that the increases it ha« j
granted to all employes on lines east of Pitts- ;
burg and Erie approximate an annual Increase !
of nearly $11.000.0u0.
• Many ■families u?e.- .is a cod-drink, Instead o' '
Impure mil?'.. Horlick«: Malted Mtlk. original •r.d
•\nlv *tv.uuiiie. Always reliable, nutritious.—
MRS. W. THAW TESTIFIES
DEFENCE NEAR AN END.
Prisoner's Mother Weeps on Stand—
Judge Avdd* Cow mission.
Counsel for Harry K. Thaw practically com
. their case for his defence yesterday,
remains only the asking of a hypothetical
question covering all the facts leading rip to the
Shooting of Stanford White, of the various alien
ists. This will be done to-morrow, to which day
the trial 'was adjourn- d. and then District At
tor-i*y Jerome will begin the railing of witnesses
ittaL
M:s. William Thaw, the prisoner's mother.
was under examination and mias mmtaalton
yesterday afternoon, and her testimony was
completed. Beyond the effect the m
a mother pleading for her son's Hfe may hnvt
on the jury, little good was effected by calling
:■.• r to the stand. It had been generally expected
that Mrs. Thaw would tell of the clr
surrounding the birth of Harry Thaw, whic'a
were supposed to have left In htn ■ taint at to-
Indeed, when she found
be ask..d questions along this one, Mrs. Thaw
: for an opportunit: I a wrong
:.bout her son haw l Insanity,
but her counsel wined otherwise and •
r was said about it.
Mrs. Thaw's examination was brief and her
cross-examination briefer. The period covered
was from the time Thaw returned from Europe
in the late fall of I! 1"-" to a short time after his.
marriage to Evelyn Nesblt on April 4, 1905.
The mother told how Thaw would remain \}p all
night, unable to sleep, sometimes sobbing, and
when she asked him why he was thus affected
he told her it was because a beautiful girl he
knew bad been ruimd by a scoundrel Some
times, she said, he would town the dining table
and she would find him sitting 111 another room
crying. By degrees Thaw told her Evelyn Nes
blt's story. >
In March of 1005. while she was staying in
the South, her sen sent for her to come to New-
York to meet Evelyn Nesbtt. and then asked
her permission to marry. "I consented, mak
|B. only one stipulation." the Witness said, "and
that was that the girl's past in New York should
be a dosed book."
Although both Mr. Delmas and Mr. Jerome
treated Mrs. Thaw with the greatest considera
tion and gentleness, she broke down once or
twice and wept ellently. She ■ evidently a
woman of much firmness of character, as shown
by the strong lines of her features, and she
quickly regained her composure. Her son
watched her closely most of the time, but when
he saw her weeping he. too. burled his face in
his hands and wept.
It was during Mrs. Thaw's examination that
the possibility of the appointment of a commis
sion in lunacy came up. Mr. Delmas had asked
Mrs. Thaw when she first learned Eveiyn Nes
blt's identity. An objection by the District At
torney started a discussion, during which he
•aid that the expert for the defence had testi
fied that Thaw wa.s Insane in 190(5. in 1905 and
in 100 C and the presumption carried that he
was insane all that time. "If that is so. why
does it not carry right down to the present mo
ment, so that under the statute it becomes your
honor's duty to suspend this trial?" Mr. Jerome
asked.
"That matter is not before me now. Justice
Fitzgerald replied.
The morning session was taken up with the
cross-examination of Dr. Wagner. It brought
no admission from the alienist that harmed the
defence's contention that Thaw was insane up
to August last, but Is sane now. Dr. Wagner
had been under the District Attorney's fire for
about two and a half day*
Til AH r WEPT ALL NIGHT.
Mother Tells of Sort's Despondence
Over Evelyn Nesbit.
Mrs. Thaw was called to the witness stan-i
when court convened after the midday recess.
£he was dwsued in black and wore a black bon
net, which framed her snow white hair. She
was markedly nervous, at first, but grew in com
posure as time passed. She gave her name as
Mary Copley Thaw, and Mr. -Delmas at once
asked her if she recalled the occasion of her
Continued on fourth pas*.
HAAN'S RESTAURANT & RATHSKELLER.
Park Row 8U1.?.. o:>:». Post Office.
A downtown place where Luliea li.';j to go. Music.
— Advt. .
PRICE THREE CENTS.
COPY OF BILL STOLES?
PAGE MAKES CHARGE.
Sensation Over Accusation Concern
ing Utilities Measure.
By Telegraph to The Tribune.]
Albany. March 6.— Charges that cno of the
early copies of the Public Utilities Commission
bill was stolen and was supposed to be in the
possession of financial interests connected with
the street railways of New York, and that In an
interview with him one of the legal agents for
the railroad concerns referred to a provision
contained only in that bill, were voiced to-day
by Senator Pa?e in connection with the formal
introduction of the Governor's bill regulating;
the transit concerns. It is known that George
W. Morgan, formerly Superintendent of Elec
tions, who now 13 the registered lobbyist for the
Belmont railroad Interests, talked with Senator
Page, but Senator Page refused to tell the name
cf the man to whom he referred.
These charges, made first on the floor of the
Senate and supplemented afterward in an Inter
view, creating a genuine sensation here. The
usual activity of the transit concerns and others
affected by the public utilities bill to obtain
advance information of its provisions, even any
stray crumb of gossip, and to take advantage,
of any bit of probable opposition to the. Gov
ernor's suggestions, has caused considerable talJc
at th's session; but even the rumor of the de
libsratft theft of one of four advance copies of a,
tentative draft of the bill is a little strong 1 even
for Albany's advanced notions. Everybody Is
wondering to what lengths opposition to the.
measure will go now.
Governor Hughes knew that advance infor
mation was in the hands of some interests. Ha
Him ii to discuss the "leak" for publication.
But it was his knowledge of that fact, together
with the discovery last night by Senator Pag»
and Assemblyman Merritt that efforts v.-ere on
foot to spread misleading reports of the naturo
of the bill, which brought about the giving out
of the authoritative statement of its provisions
prior to introduction.
TILT WITH SENATOR CASSIDT.
Introduction of the bill was productive, too.
of another significant fact, since It brought
prominently into the limelight Senator Cassidy
as head and front of the technical battle against
the bill, ably seconded by Senator McCarren.
It was. in fact, in a tilt with Senator Cassidy
that Senator Page made his charges of the theft
of the advance copy of he bill. When he Intro
duced the measure Senator Page asked that.
since it brought up so many questions of law.
It be referred first to the Judiciary Committee,
of which he is a leading member, and then to
the Finar.ee Committee, where it must go be
cause of the appropriations carried. Senator Me
Carres at once suggested that it should go to
the Cities Committee, but was easily convinced
that It affected every part of the state as well
as New York City.
And then Senator Cassidy inquired if the state
ment published in the morning papers was cor
rect as made by the introducer of the bill. Sen
ator Pasn answered that it was.
"Dtd the Senator in the latter part of tho
statement, where he holds out a threat to tha
corporations interested hi the bill, to the effect
that unless they bbIM and tamely submit to
the till certain things might happen, intend tliat
threat to supersede thought and action on tha
part of this* body or on the part of any other
body before the passage of this bill?" demand^i
Senator Cassidy.
"We arc not seeking to control the thought
of any man. Thcso who are able to think we
expect will mii In that power," retorted Sen
ator Page.
"Does UM thteh M is fair to this
mad with this b!ll to pre
• •:' tho hill with a state
ment such as was. gtvsn out by th© introducers
of thai to its introduction?"
queried Senaro:
FELT JUSTIFIED IN GIVING STATEMENT.
"While this question has no relevancy to the
question of the committee to which the bill
shall be referred, which Is the subject before the
Senate, still I have no objection to saying that
early copies of this bill have been stolen, and
thai erroneous statements were being made la
the press for certain purposes, and we found
that an incorrect abstract of the bill was liable
to be published this morning", so under those cir
cumstances we considered ©ur3c!ves» Justified in
giving to the press a correct statement. In order
that the public might not be misled." Senator
Page explained, while the Senators glanced at
one another in amazement.
"I Mksri the question, for this reason," said
Mr. Cassidy, "that if the threat at the end; of
the report has any force whatever, then there Is
no need for any reference of the bill to any
committee. But if it is not intended to super
sede thought and action on the part of this
body and on the part of others interested In too
welfare of this great state, it seems to me tho
bill should be referred to the Committee on Mis
cellaneous Corporations."'
And then Senator Page took a sharp fall out of
hia opponent:
"I supposed the gentleman was leading up to
that request. If I were a member of that com
mittee and had dealt with matters before tfc«
committee as it hns dealt with them I would not
be anxious to project myself into the limelight
by trying to get control of this bill. I think It
would be improper to refer to that committee a
bill which deals with only one subject properly
referable to that committee, while it covers
numerous ether subjects in no way connected
with the work of that committee."
The Committee on Miscellaneous Corporations,
of which Senator Cassldv was an influential
member, was* known for many y.^ars as "th*
morgue" for 80-eent gas bills and similar meas
ures. •
FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORTS BILL.
After considerable more debate, Lieutenant-
Governor Chanler said that he had no option
under the rules, but most refer the bill to the
Finance Committee. A motion to discharge that
committee would ha in order, however. So he
referred the bill, and Senator Pare asked urton
imons consent to have the committee discharged
and the bill re-referred to the Judiciary Commit
tee. Senator Armstrong, chairman of Finance,
was willing., but Senator Cassidy objected. How
ever, immediately after the session the Finance
Committee held a meeting and reported the bill,
so that to-morrow it can be referred to Judi
ciary.
In the Assembly the bill was referred without
debate to the Committee on Railroads, of whlca
Mr. Merritt. the intrnaueer. is chairman.
After the Senate adjourned Senator Page was
asked about the stolen bill. He said:
I heard from two distinct sources that a copy
of the bill was in the possession of a banking
house which is supposed to be allied to tfco
street railway interests in New York City. A
statement was made to me by a representative
of certain transit interests about a provision hi
the proposed Public Utilities bill- I knew thst
the copy of the bill from which he had obtained
hl3 information was one of the early printed
copies, of which only four ever were issued.
Bililjmaa Merlin heard that contents cf
the bill were to be prints in New York in mis
leading fcrr."!. We decided that an authority- "
tive statement was the only way to prevent de
cepUon and misleading of the public about thw
Chanter's "Four Tear 3 Behind the Bars cf
'Bloomingdale' "— «a sale Putnam's.—