New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-11-18
LETTERS ANNOY MAYOR
Saws He Can Settle Subway
Problem Without Suggestions.
WILCOX AND SH0NTS SPAR
Issue Conflicting Statements on
Interborough's Willingness
to Extend System.

sravo- Gavnor has heen ffueh
nv the scores of letters he has feoelNeu
from all manner Of persons and orSaili%a-
co. r-eing him 20 vote for the tribor-
o,,gf subway contracts He does hot oe-
1,eye that many Of the writers have given
Sc much study 10 the problem as he has,
snd holds that they should not, therefore
.eea 70 determine his action in the
premises
In speakfpe Of his work on the problem
Che 7Favor declared that ne had data on
IRE subject. both in his office in the CITY
Hall and in his library at home. and that
in studying the situation he had frequent
u got down on his hands and knees 10 pore
ever the maps as they were spread out on
The floor. He indicated yesterday that his
mind was still open on the subject.
Borough President Steers, OF Brooklyn
declared YESTERDAY he was absolutely I'M
pledged on the proposition Of voting for or
aeainst the trihoraugh. He is pledged TO
DO al IN his mower 10 get subways for
Brooklyn. but is not tied down to any par
ticular route or set Of plans
7 am going II vote for the hest inter
est Of Brooklyn said President Steers
.sNsvor C4a,-nor is the closest and shrewd-
e. student Of public affairs in the Board
Of Estimate. and he isn't saying how he
trust ne? I an going 20 study all the facts
before vote. would like To see the board
take all Of these matters and Law them ont
On a big table and sit down Tor consulta-
ttor'
II the Tnterborough wants 10 put in a
definite legal proposition To build subway
extensions with its own money. ] won t
even wait 20 put on my hat to meet its
Representatives. and viii 20 down on the
sidewalk to welcome them.
So saia William r. WILCOX, chairman Of
TIE Public Service Commission, yesterday.
NJ wilcox had just been a<ked TO the
prospects q getting bids awarded for the
-riboroGEh subway system The commits
sion is making a careful investigation of
the low bids that were opened on October
. and iuSt as soon a il has come 10
definite conclusions awards viii be made
and sent over to the Board Of Estimate and
-Apyortionrnent- L Is possible that all Of
the bids received for some particular sec
lions may be found unsatisfactory and re
5ected. in which case the commission will
readverrise for bids.
The commissioners are apparently not
pleased with an interview with President
Theodore p Shonts. in which he said that
the marlborough Rapid Transit Company
had made a proposition 10 the Public Ser
VICE Commission for extending its subway
system. on July :. and that this proposal
had never been acted on by the commits
sion. nor even officially acknowledge
The commissioners referred TO an inter-
view with Ar Shonts published on July
- in which he was quoted as saving:
a popular error regarding our recent
correspondence with Mayor Gaynor and the
Public Service Commission is that in these
letters We submitted a proposition 10 the
city authorities. We did 40 such thing
We were requested to give our views on
the subject of the new subways. whether
they would parallel the present system ol
consist of extensions. We gave OR views
in the form Of suggestions, which, we be
lieve if followed, viii be 10 the advan-
Iage 10 the city
1ir. Wilcox said that throughout the
prolonged series Of conferences that We're
held with the marlborough officials last
winter ans spring il was assumed that the
company would itself pay Tor the extern
sfons OF its system, as IL had announced
that II would do IN the series of advertise
roer-s which were published over a year
ago announcing thai We are ready TO
ac-.- The company changed its attitude
tn its July offer. at time when the com
mission was expecting 70 advertise for bids
Tor the t-lbor0EEh-
Wilcox yesterday i'm which he quoted the
following words. which he said he had
written in his letter 4 July ;: If the city
VIII undertake 70 build these lines at its
own cost. upon plan Of construction not
materially exceeding in cost or elaboration
tie plan Of the existing subways. the In
7e-boroGch Rapid Transit Company stands
4~erared 10 equip and operate them as part
q IFS existing subway system
The dr8l paragraph Of yesterdays letter
We as follows:
The proposition contained in this letter
of Iul, > VAS intended as q definite propo-
s7tfo-7 for the consideration Of your com
mission. and correctly represented what the
marlborough vas prepared TO do AT that
tine. and what it Is prepared To do now
Late "a The afternoon Chairman Wilcox
issued q statement i'm which he said that
on July = he received letter from Mr..
Snonts containing the following paragraph
Il LnoH II no proposition which the Inter
borough has ever made to your commls-
sion REGARDING subway extensions except
The proposition OF March 10, 1903, and the
one Of June 80. 1919. both Of which were de
cline5 pv the commission