New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-29


common with all Queens realty interests.
was petitioner before the Board of Esti
mate for the adoption of this report.
II believed the terms proposed to be
inadequate TO protect the city. | voted
! against the acceptance OF the offer In
| doing so | cast a vote against the inter-
| ests OF the Greensboro Corporation.
Opposed Operating Contracts
I 80 AS to operating contracts.
The operating contracts with the Inter-
| borough Company and the Brooklyn
Rapid Transit Company were finally pre-
pared and presented for debate In Feb
ruary. 1918 Every Queens interest was
! i'm favor Of them | opposed and voted
against them when finally up for action
In the Board Of Estimate on March IS,
| 1918 for the same reasons that led me to
oppose the McAneny report in the preced-
ing May But the contracts were adopted
that day against my vote.
| %. AS to construction contracts.
| AT the meeting of July q, 1911, the
! Board of Estimate. by a vote of Y to T.,
adopted the construction contracts for
several sections of the Lexington avenue
| subway, despite the fact that operating
! contracts were far from being ready for
| adoption. | voted for those construction
! contracts.
! ION October Il. 1872 the construction
| contract for the Bronx Borough, South
ern Boulevard extension. came before the
Board OF Estimate Queens, through its
Borough President opposed its adoption.
The operating contracts recommended by
| Mr.. McAneny's committee were far from
ready.
81 had opposed these operating con-
tracts. and II was generally known That
| proposed to vote against them. But
voted for the Bronx construction contract.
! i'm accordance with my general declared
policy OF construction first and negotia-
ton during construction thus following
the precedent established by the vote of
the Board of Estimate in July, 1911. In
the case of the Lexington avenue exten-
sion.
I'm February. 1913. while debate was
proceeding concerning the dual operating
contracts. the Public Service Commission
| approved and sent To the Board of Estt'
| mate the construction contracts for the
Queens extensions 10 Corona and Astoria
| Mr. NcAneny, for his committee, con-
tended that, pending action on the operat'
ing contracts. these construction contracts
should be held up. This was contrary &c
the precedent established in the case OF
the Lexington avenue and the Bronx con-
struction contracts. II was contrary tc
my declared and known rapid transit
| policy. | proposed to vote for them, ulti-
| mately. just as ] proposed TO vote. and
did vote, against the operating contracts
when submitted.
! Therefore, as in the case of the Lex
ington avenue and The Bronx construc
ton contracts, voted, as did the Presi'
dent of Queens for the Queens consuuc
ton contracts They were laid over
however, a couple of weeks until al
questions relating TO the operating con
! tracts had been settled to Mr.. McAneny 5
satisfaction, and they were then adopted
by unanimous vote.
From this il must be plain that NJ
vote by me on operating contracts was
in aid OF the interest of the greensboro
CORPORATION as II then saw its interest
II must be equally plain that no desire
70 assist the Greensboro Corporation IN
nuenced my vote for the Queens con
struction contracts, as that vote not only
went hand in hand with my adverse
votes on the operating contracts. but II
was in accord with my known and con
sistent rapid transit policy, repeatedly
and publicly declared. before the Queens
boro Corporation ever retained my firm
=. 4 hal an. nl
votes. including that for the Bronx South
ern Boulevard extension, was strongly
against my own personal interests. Prac
tically the only property of which | an
possessed consists of some vacant lot'
and three small private houses aione
Webster avenue. in The Bronx. between
Fordham and Gun Hill Road. OF value
of approximately $4,000. acquired through
Inheritance.
Each marlborough offer. against whicf
7 voted. contained provision for the ex
tension of elevated rapid transit to tins
district by line along Webster avenue
TO Gun Hill Road. The real estate men
toned has been dead for years. Nothing
could give 1t lie or value but this line
Every vote against an marlborough offe
was q vote against doubling the value o.
my own property.
THE votes for the Queens construction
contracts and for The Bronx Southern
Boulevard subway were also adverse e
my own personal interests as each woui'
have extended rapid transit to a compel
ing district while denying 1t to my owl
property.
MY personal interests have not affected
nv Judgment or acts in respect to transi
matters.
MY official action is matter Of publ
record II cannot he altered nor can /
be misconstrued. My votes are open II
respect Of every proposition. Every on
of them was clearly in the public interes
| and obviously uninfiuenced by any privat