New-York tribune., 1919-09-24
Orders Corporation Counsel
to Move Against Compa-
mics That Abandoned East
Side Storage Battery Lines
Nixon Also Takes a Hand
Asks Hylan Who Is Respon-
sible for Damages in Case
His Buses Cause Accidents

With seventy seven buses in opera
tion all day yesterday over the lines
abandoned by the New York Railways
Company, according to Grover A.
Whalen, Commissioner of Plant and
Structures. Mayor Hylan in letter
to Corporation Counsel William P.
Burr ordered that official to take steps
to revoke the charters granted to the
railway company for the operation of
the lines in question The Mayors
letter follows:
"You will please take such i'm
mediate action as you may deem
necessary in order to protect the
rights OF the city and of the trav-
cling pub..c in the cases OF all
street face railway companies
who i.av. ceased to operate their re-
spectivs ines in this borough, to the
end and purpose that appropriate
STEPS may be taken by the city to
secure cancellation of the respec-
tive charters granted to said railway
companies"
Public Service Commissioner Nixon
also took a hand in the situation by
sending a letter to the Mayor asking
for information as to who was backing
men responsible for the service and
the city's plans concerning it.
Supplied Everything But Buses
The letter sent by Commissioner
Nixon was provoked by the disappear
ance from the situation of Louis Riedl,
who originally was granted the permit
by the Board Of Estimate for the ope-
ration of the bus lines. but who failed
to supply the requisite number of vehi-
cles. AS far as the city is concerned,
Riedl is no longer connected with the
enterprise. According to Commission
er Whalen. "Riedl supplied everything
but buses" and the city itself will
temporarily run the new service "un-
Til arrangements can be made for its
permanent opcration.'
1t was stated at the office of Com
missioner Whalen that no court action
against Kiedl. should he return, was
contemplated by the city.
Commissioner NiXon's letter to the
Mayor, however, followed intimation
from the commissioners office that he
might take court action in the matter,
since the new bus service appears to
have no responbile head Comm issioner
Nixon explained that he did not intend
to place any obstructions "in the way
Of trying out the possibilities of q
jltney service but added that the way
things have turned out the 'bus service
is without q responsible head. He
wants to know whc her the bus lines
are being run under a license and
whether a bond has heen put up to
cover cases of accident.
Nixon's Letter to Hylan
Mn NixOn's letter O the N1avnr roads
"Will you kindly instruct such Of
ticai of the City C New York as has
been des sgnatcd by you to take
charge Of the subs itute service by
jitnoy buses OIL ,Ae lines OF the sus-
pended storage battery cars to in
form this commission Of the person
or persons by whom such service is
now operated, and to keep it in
formed OF changes Of methods or
plans Of operation?
"Actlng upon an emergency. this
commission recently approved the
right to exercise permit granted
to Louis Kicdl by the Board of Esti-
mate and Apportionment. That per
init provided for responsible ser
vice. and contained provisions calcu-
lated to insure the safety Of the
public
"No other such application has