New-York tribune., 1905-06-14
MORE MONEY-OAKLEY.
Says Mains May Burst at Any Time
-Subzcay Traffic Resumed.

Commissioner Oakley of the Department of Water
| Supply Gas and Electricity says that break in
one of the city's big water mains like the one
41st-st. and Park-ave. on Sunday is likely to
happen at any time. He has several thousand men
in his department. two Tammany district leaders.
besides himself in his office in the Park Row Build
ing. three emergency gangs In Brooklyn, where
there are no subways running, but none in Manhat-
tan where the danger of breaks is imminent. and
his only remedy for the situation is-more money.
When the Darlington Hotel smash took place,
Superintendent Hopper asked for more money.
When the frost went out of the mortar and six
or buildings collapsed last March. Mr.. Hop
per's remedy demand for $4,000 for more
inspectors When fire killed dozen people in an
AIlen-st tenement and l. was found that the law
had not beer enforced by Commissioner Grain that
officials remedy was a demand on the Board OF
Estimate for $250,0oO for more inspectors
Commissioner Oakley says he could do better IN
shutting off gates when the mains burst II he mad
about $4,000 for the remainder OF this year and
double that for next year 1t has not occurreu
to him. apparently that the Board of Estimate ana
Apportionment has power to transfer one OF the
emergency gangs from Brooklyn to Manhattan.
He denied yesterday that Mayor Mcclellan had
asked him to resign and he said:
The whole fault rests with the subway builders.
They weakened the MAINS and before we had ON,
Transit Commissions contractors it burst. The men
t Wn9 snnv morning at oclock assumed that if the
main was going to break at all it would break soon
davits Of the me-, that the work patroed for
more than four hours after the water was turned
emergency corps scattered, around they have in
Brooklyn the water could have been shut on
PROMPTLY The damage was caused by not getting
the water shut OF promptly, II is case OF @ naro
luck Tor this department. We have had more than
share OF IT,
In letter to the Mayor yesterday Commissioner
Oakley said:
have already ordered the preparation of COM
plete set of the plans Of our distribution system
etc which 1 shall furnish to the Fire Commits
sioner Tie break of last Sunday is the third large
the subway. the two previous ones having been at
S6th-st and 91st-st., and there is reason TO fear
that similar breaks may be experienced hereafter
In view of this danger the imperative necessity
Of providing without further delay the emergency
gangs, for which appropriations were asked by me
In my communication to the Board of Estimate Of
it is true that the aid of the Fire Department
may be Of value in certain cases, If we have
own watch it is not likely that such aid
will be needed, and the delay of last Sunday IN
getting men shut off the gates would not again
be experienced.
Accompanying Mr.. Oakey's letter report
from Chief Engineer l. NJ. De Varona, deftly
planning why the department took nearly hve
hours to shut off the water Sunday.
After break in the express service OF thirty-six
hours the Subway was restored to complete at
s:25 o'clock yesterday morning. Yesterday the sub
way trains carrying their usual number of
passengers
One result of the accident. the presence OF water
over the floor of the tunnel for blocks north and
south of the point at which the food entered, has
been the emphasizing to a great degree OF the bad
odor which has been prevalent in the subway since
warm weather began.