New-York tribune., 1909-02-03
WTLICOX TO METZ AGAIN.
p S. c. Chairman Calls Controller s
Ittention to His Ozcm Speeches.

William, r Wilcox chairman OF the Public Ser
vice Commission, took issue again yesterday with
Controller Metz on the appropriation of $230OooOo
by the city for the construction of the Fourth
avenue subway. Mr. Wilcox suggested recently
that one of the ''posers' which Mr.. Metz might
explain was what nad become of this money. Since
then Mr.. Metz has said several things about MI
Wilcox.
Chairman WILCOX who refers to Mr.. Metz as
many sided. exception to an alleged state
ment of the Controller Monday that Ss5VVUVo
was never set aside for the Fourth avenue suo-
way and that those who said that such was the
case did not tell the truth He quotes from
speeches made by Mr.. Metz, in which the latter
was reported as saying that the money had been
appropriated
..xben the commission had under consideration the
mans for the Fourth avenue subway which had
come down from the Board OF Rapid Transit Com
.nissioners several meetings were held protesting
against any change in policy and demanding that
the Fourth avenue subway De built AT one OIL
these meetings held n Prospect Hall BROOKLYN on
September IL 1901 Mr.. Metzs speech. which he has
never denied, was reported IN the newspapers aS
follows:
Every one here anbatfan tbey thought other
wise We got six votes from the Rapid Transit
@ HsFIe9 was e Elected sot mem meber Of
mission, realize that the section In 4besn0T mn3eS
has appropriated In it's &c SdTs IL We Nc
ought to get it.
.,Nr Metz followed this with elaborate figures
showing the necessity for building the Fourth
avenue subway. At meeting held the next
night in Cooper Union Mr. Metz Is reported In
the papers Of September 13, 1907, and which ne
has never disputed as follows:
Mr. Metz said that the sum Of $4,000. 600 had
been set aside for the building OF the subway by
the Board of Estimate and APpoTtionment, and
that II was the duty Of the Public service IoIn-
mission 10 begin work at once
''At the same meeting at Cooper Union Acting
Mayor MCGOWAN. in the presence of Controller
Metz said:
THE appropriation for the subway was TaiseI
from 81 s. 900 GOO S23. 100000 there can be no
double fares or drawbacks The money Is ready
Tatr 70 the CITY to have that money laid aside
and not used for the sans purpose.
AT about the same time Controller Metz called
nj the office Of this commission and. in urging the
members 10 stand by the Fourth avenue subway.
made statements similar 10 those quoted above II
in his statements made at public meetings and in
his statements to members Of the commission he
failed 70 tell the truth or the facts then
so be It; or II President MCGOWAN did not know
what he was talking about, then so be II; but Il Is
q little unfair that this late date should be
accused Of not telling the truth when quotation Is
made from the lips OF the many sided Controller"
When the attention OF Controller Metz was called
to Chairman Wiiicox's statements he said:
~ never said what was quoted saying. How
could 1 say It? The money never was appropriated
The record does not show that It ever was appro-
priated. The money available then, and If the
Public Service Commission had not wasted a year
in talking about what II was going 10 do. or what
il wanted 20 do. an appropriation might have been
made for the Fourth avenue subway. Mr. Nc
Cowan may have said what he was quoted as say
ing Even if the money was available then. 1t
isn't now. They know that there just
well as I do. Wilcox knows 1t"