The sun., 1919-09-18
HYLAN BLAMED FOR
CUTTING OF SERVICE
Judge Mayer Says Mayor Re-
fused to Meet Trolley
Situation.
DENIES RENTS ARE PAID
Jurist Tells Delegation Why
Storage Battery Cars
Were Taken Off.

an order disseminating four surface lines
that serve lower Manhattan Federal
Judge Julius M. Mayer asserted yester-
day that Mayor Hylan is responsible for
the discontinuance of service.
The court explained that he and Job
e. Hedges. receiver Of the New York
Railways Company. had done all that
they could to avert the hardship which
the discontinuance will impose upon
thousands. but that they had met with
nothing but opposition from the Mayor
and his administration. He described
the green car system as 'sick unto
death"
II think the time has come for per-
fectly plain speaking" said Judge Mayer.
The reason these lines have been or
dered stopped Is because OF the course
OF the Mayor. Under the law the Board
Of Estimate and Apportionment can con-
sent to temporary relief which will en-
able lines to run. The Public Service
Commissioner, the court and its receiver
have been engaged in an earnest effort
to bring this problem clearly to the at
tention OF citizens and officials. That
situation has been met by misrepresenta-
ton, repeated misstatements Of fact and
an EFFORT to becloud the real issue which
Is very simple.
PrOhts Not an Issue.
'1t Is no longer a question of bond
holders 1t is no longer question Of
paying interest upon the investments of
thousands of people and Of estates that
hold funds. That time, unfortunately.
has passed.
1.-THE sole question now is: How shall
the income of these roads be made such
as to enable the receiver to run them?"
80 far as can be estimated at this
Time by the end Of the year the receiver
will have, after paying operating ex-
penses and taxes whose payment can no
longer be deferred, only $4,000.
Operating expenses mean nothing
more nor less than the money neces-
sary actually to run the cars. To ex-
preston has nothing whatever to do
with the payment of interest, of rentals
or fixed charges. The problem has been
befogged by constant talk about ren-
tails. The great arteries of travel COW
cred by the Fourth and Madison ave-
nue. line, the Sixth avenue line, the
Eighth and Ninth avenue lines, have
been operated without paying a single
dollar Of rental for nearly a year.
Regarding the downtown storage bat
terry lines, IL the question were one Of
loss Of 100000 or 100000 q year
that could be made up in other ways
there might be different solution.
These lines have not been selected as
the one means of cutting down a deficit
Every part of the system has been in
vestigated with view of cutting down
losses How long the Fourth and Mad
ison avenue line will be permitted to be
left in my hands in the absence of rent
payments 1 do not know.
What is rapidly becoming certain is
| that there will be left in this system
only comparatively small nucleus. For
months this court has made It as clear
as words could make 1t that there is
an absolute necessity for temporary re-
lief. I have known for a long time that
the storage battery lines have been run
at loss, but over the continued pro-
test OF the bondholders Of the New York
Railways Company I have required the
receiver to continue running them be-
cause Of their Importance to the people
of the East Side.'
Crosstown Service Cut.
The storage battery lines of the green
car system are those of Avenue c.
Spring and Delaney streets. Madison
street and the Sixth avenue extension
| All but the last named run crosstown
! from river to river through densely pop
ulated districts.
The delegation which asked the court
to reconsider his order was composed
of former Magistrate William Blau,
Judge Gustave Hartman, Judge Ben
jamin Hoffman. ex-Assemblyman Abra-
ham Goodman, Tax Appraiser Harry
| sistant Corporation Counsel Adolph
Stern. Harry p. Schlacht. Daniel J.
Weiss, Henry Stern and Nathan d. PERL
man.
Receiver Hedges accompanied the DEL
egation to court He explained the err
rand and pointed out the Inconvenience
that will be caused by suspension OF
service on these lines. He said that
while the Board of Estimate has power
to solve the problem by granting per-
mission to charge a higher rate of fare
nothing had been done by the city.
THE Mayor is in a constant daily
TRADE against a public official because
some one did something In the past
which his Honor did not like" said the
receiver. 81 am tired of malicious mis-
statements of facts. An effort Is being
| made to deceive the people of New
York"
Former Magistrate Blau said that he
had come back from a vacation because
VI inc BerlOubncSS Oh Ino SITUATION pre-
| scented by the impending shutdown. He
asked that the order be vacated tenn
porarily 30 that further consideration
OF the matter might be had.
Tax Appraiser Kopp questioned the
wisdom Of the order. He said cross
town lines at the best do not make
money. He argued that there were
| other lines of the system which could
be cut Off without working as much
hardship. He suggested that three
lines be abandoned and that the Ave-
nue. G line be keut running.
Men to Get More Pay.
After a hearing. Judge Mayer yes
terday directed Lindley NJ Garrison,
receiver of the BROOKLYN Rapid Transit
Company, to pay IS pes cent wage
increase to employees This is the in
crease that was part Of the settlement
OF the recent strike.
The court set September 20 as the
day for a hearing on plans for financing
the surface lines 81 tho d, r T. sys-
tenn. II IL calculated that these lines
during the coming year will incur u
deficit of $1,2l8.000 on operation.
Notices were posted in b. r. T. cars
yesterday that transfer points between
subway or elevated lines and surface
lines will be abolished beginning Octo-
Der 10. charge of two cents for
| transfers at these points has been
made since August 1 under a ruling of
| Commissioner Nixon.
~ U.I.u. % anaaL On nuaoLIu