The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-27
MAYOR NAMES
COMMITTEE ON
PUBLICSAFETY
Ordered to Begin Snoring
Inspection at Once and Re-
port on Weak Spots.
Subway INQUIRY Is
To BE EXHAUSTIVE

The likelihood Of another subway
,,,e,p was admitted frankly yesterday
~ certain officials. While they did no;
desire 10 he quoted. Il was pointed out
ina, statements coming from the Public
Service commission at different times
m the last year had indicated the pos
ability Of accidents because OF the very
nature " the "cut and cover" construc-
Ton " the new subways.
Travis H. Whitney. secretary OF the
Public Service Commission. asserted
mat N. construction of the new sub
va,s was a greater task than that of
Building the Panama Canal. He pointed
OIL, that because of the treacherous rock
formations on Manhattan and because
Of many other intricate engineering
problems the digging and the steel con-
siruc;iou work involved grave risks.
Because OF the repetition OF caveins.
onr due 10 an explosion and the other
60 thu dropping of hundreds OF tons of
rock. bo.h the city administration and
The Public service Commission evinced
a spirit Of cooperation with TIE aim Of
getting at the exact cause Of the acci-
dents and 81 taking measures to pre-
vent them Eut in spite OF that coopera-
t,cn there was manifest In a faint way
differences between the municipal offi-
Gals and the Public Service Commits
souers
Mr. Whitney said empha tically that
the Public Service Commissioners had
sppeal-d months x to Mayor Mitchell
end other members OF the Board of
E..imate for an appropriation TO build
a heavy concrete flooring TO the PRO
posed broadway subway at Thirty
fourth street that would serve as a roof
ror the Hudson tube when that tunnel
Is extended up sixth avenue. He said
tha; such a flooring would eliminate
the danger Of a cavein at that point.
i was only after months, he said. that
,hs Big Three of the Board OF Esti-
nate had promised that $4,000 would
b. given for that project and thus save
the expenditure of probably 100000
later on.
Mayor Announces Position.
vhila the Mayor and his officials and
n Public Service Commissioners an
nounced their aim OF cooperating they
promptly began work along independ-
en-, lines which In a friendly spirit
crossed at various times In the course
Of the day.
The Mayor made il clear hat he felt
=, gesponsibility for wha. happened un-
De- the surface. but he admitted n keen
co.er-u for the people In the streets.
a, appointed a committee. including
chiefly Engineers. but also other mem
hrs os mis- official family. TO conserve
the safety OF the people. Their duty
Was g. investigate the engineering con-
dtous. chiefly respecting the Snoring OF
A. - A.N- ~ che ann
'.D work being done by the United
sates Ray and Improvement Com
=. g. Tr~se contracts are Tor the
Roadway subway from Twenty-siSth
sect 10 a point between Thirty-eighth
an Thlriy-ninth streets and the sections
q the seventh avenue line from Com
r.re, street north to Sixteenth street
s0d from sixteenth street north 10
1I'y-tirst street.
That being done. the Mayor Is not con-
uu. He has told the committee that
h. desires them to go through all the
U,wty w,rk now being done. study the
Wco.-. snoring, ascertain its strength
sri report 10 him. Upon the report or
ihs committee AS to any weak spots ne
W. 'tku immediate action in directing
tHMc regulations through Police Com-
Ts-uleg Woods. -.
While the engineering inspection viii
% under the dlrecVioh OF >eIsou
NV me entire "orh Vi u n".ass
10 under the superNlsion VI ~
u N'is'e'h, commissions. -
a. phase Or the conditions that may
i'1v, ( value either to the Mayor or
VI, pubic.
Wade sc.rch for Facts.
Tho o,,i,,d. Of tn. Msyor was made
e.,, IN s,atanent which he issued
a, the Iar Association last evening af-
o. IN, Conferences with the members
o. MS committee and after he a gone
into parts Of the work under construc-
ton tie said
Immediately on hearing Of the acci-
tcut last night | went AT once to Broad
WAY aud Thirty-eighth street and
learned all that | could from the Police
Commissioner. the Representatives of the
IGbl., service Commission and others
srrseat. Later after "A conference with
.c Police Commissioner ! directed that
'ulcutar traffic be temporarily sus-
sended over all streets in which the
'nitrd States Realty and Improvement
.uWptuy'- construction contracts are
b.Ger way and where the steel con-
strucJou mas not We; been completed,
i also arranged last night for a CON
ference II engineers to he held this
morning al the Bar Association. Al the
conference | appointed the engineers an
advisory board with Nelson +. Lewis as
Chairman to advise me and assist and
Cooperate with the Commissioner OF
Accounts.
The engineers were directed to pro-
reed Il, once 10 all cross-town traffic
points and make a careful examination
Of the safety OF the snoring and support
ing structure. in order that IL may be