The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-03
Public Service Commissioner
Says Mayor Delayed Pur-
chase of Steel Cars.
TELLS OF JOB BEGGING
Asks What Part City Execu-
tive. as Ex-MotOrman,
Played in Strike.

ever made Of Mayor of New York city
by State officer. when he replied to
the criticisms Of the commission by
Mayor Hyian in connection with the
F1atbush elevated railway tragedy.
without the least indication Of re-
straint. Mr. whitney accused Mr. Hylan
u having solicited 'jobs" from the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company for
the Mayors friends when Mr.. Hylan
was a County Judge OF Kings, using
the stationery Of the County Court and
calling attention to the fact that the re-
quests for Jobs were made at n time
when Mr.. Hylan might sit In civil or
criminal cases against the company"
The Whitney statement accused the
Mayor also of taking Immediate per-
sonai and political advantage of dis
aster that means death and lifelong sad
ness to others" It said the Mayor fixes
responsibility without waiting to hear
evidence and accuses Mr.. Hylan of hav-
ing himself failed to act upon an agree
nlent for the so-cahed Ashland place sub
way connection in Brooklyn, although
when he mayor Hylan) acts the COM
mission can then require the B. r. T. to
buy steel cars for the Fulton street and
the Brighton Beach line to replace the
hfmsy' wooden cars that mean death"
Question for EX-M otorman Hylan.
Mr.. Whitney goes so far even as to
ask whether Mayor Hylan knew In ad-
vance that the strike was coming and
whether the Mayor had encouraged II,
since the Mayor himself. having once
been motorman. was a member Of the
union organization that called the strike
Mayor Hylan takes immediate per-
sonal and political advantage of a dis
aster that means death and lifelong sad
ness to Others" said Commissioner
Whitney in his Official statement. HE
fixes responsibility before he hears the
evidence as a Magistrate. He boasts OF
q bin that he asked the Legislature Of
1918 to pass. The Public Service Com
mission. then composed entirely OF DEM
ocrats. four of whom were appointed by
Democratic Governors, opposed Mayor
Hyian's bill. which was then (l913) be-
fore a Legislature overwhelmingly DEM
ocrauc. with a Democratic Governor.
with Robert F. Wagner Us majority
leader Of the Senate and Alfred e.
Smith Speaker Of the Assembly. but
Mayor Hylan says that the bill did not
pass because II was strongly opposed by
public utility corporations.
mayor Hylan had a violent quarrel
over his bills that year with Speaker
Smith. and his Ill feeling has persisted
until now. The bill would not have pre-
vented accidents. 1t was merely a bill
that might have been entitled An act
70 insure the success of strikes by the
Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers,
or which John F. Hylan Is a member,
and who desires public ONCE as a re.
suit thereof
Wooden Car Responsibility.
''Since 1912 the commission has Sc
cured for Brooklyn surface lines and ele-
waited and subways modern cars costing
over s10.000.o00. and It has tried to do
more. The dual contracts required steel
cars In the new subways, but they did
not provide for steel cars on the Broad
way tBrooklyn) elevated systems into
the Centre street loop. on the Fulton
street elevated or on the Fifth avenue
elevated. Yet the commission two years
ago forced the Il. r. T. to agree to steel
cars for the Broadway elevated into the
Centre street subway, and most OF them
are now in operation there. This means
at least 100000 additional in steel
cara
las for the Fulton street system, in
Guiding the Brighton Beach. for over
three years 1 have advocated the Ash
land place connection with the Fourth
avenue subway, which would have re-
quired steel cars on this SYSTEM The
agreement for the Ashland place connec-
ton was on the calendar OF the first
meeting of tho Board OF Estimate and
Apportionment when John F. Hylan be-
came Mayor. He did not act on II then
and he has not thought OF 1t since. He
prefers to talk rather than act. When
he acts the commission can then require
the 3. y. T. to buy steel cars for Fulton
street and the Brighton Beach line to
replace the fiimsy wooden cars that mean
death.
steel cars because OF their weight
would require strengthening the Fulton
Areet elevated. Mayor Hylan for years
has helped to prevent settlement OF the
Fulton street matter.
Accused as Job Hunter.
"In the face Of a record like this. OF
persistent effort to compel steel equip
ment and improvements for Brooklyn
partly blocked by the Board of Estimate
and Apportionment, even to the extent
OF demanding a change of company on
cials, what has been Mayor Hylan's real
interest
"He has been loud mouthed about
CORPORATIONS. but has he been interested
in actual real convictions OF company
officials or verdicts against corpora
tons? He has been Magistrate and
County Judge and is now Mayor. All
the time he has had criminal jurisdic-
ton. Did he ever initiate criminal pro-
ceedings even to enforce the existing
law requiring competent motormen or
as TO any other subject? He rallied
nightly and publicly at the B. r. T..
hut what was the official record before
him az County Judge OF civil suits
against the q. r. t.?
according to the record that have
OF fifty-four civil suits before Hylan. j.,
against the r. r. IT. the plaintiffs OBJ
tanned verdicts In only three cases with
total damages of $500. At the same
time what was his private relation with
the b. II. T.? Did he ever on the letter.
head Of the County Court ask the Il.
II. T. for jobs?
~ have seen dozen or more letters
End am Informed that there are dozens
Of others, In which he wrote that the
bearer was friend of his and he would
appreciate highly the favor OF placing
The man in a Job. Did the man get a
job when the request came from Judge
who might sit In civil or criminal cases
against the company?
The Mayor and the strike.
Tie Is a member of the Brotherhood
81 Locomotive Engineers. That organi-
zntion called the strike for Friday
morning. Did he know of the strike
personally? Had he encouraged Il?
president Wilson. in return for the
Pledge OF union labor that strikes would
not take place during the war; appointed
War Labor Board. That board had
,ulrd that twenty nne motormen should
be restored by the b. r, 7. The COM
pany dubbed over the verdict and no
= 10 n n