New-York tribune., 1919-01-25
Acting Chairman Whitney
Writes Governor That City
Officials Neglect Duty
Bad Faith Is Charged
Controller and Estimate
Board Accused of Block
ing Commissions Work

letter has been sent to Governor
Smith asking him to take hand in it
The letter, signed by Acting Chairman
Travis H. Whitney and approved by the
commission, charges that there has
been "such failure and neglect of duty
by the Board of Estimate and Appor.
tionment to recognize the good faith
credit and obligations controlling the
entire situation and to act in response
thereto, or to advise or confer with the
commission in respect thereto, that the
commission considers the present stu
alton so serious as to necessitate the
inviting thereto the attention of the
Governor"
The chief bass of contention is the
action of the Estimate Board on De-
cember 80 last cutting down appropria-
tions for the commission to such an ex-
tent as to necessitate the dropping of
377 men in the engineering department
'The resolutions contained such linn
itations, by line schedules and other
provisions, as to indicate lack of un-
derstanding of the nature of rapid
transit work." the letter adds.
Results of This Action
The immediate results of this action
as seen 6y the commission, are:
a. Work on final estimates has been
stopped.
"2. Adequate supervision and inspec-
ton of work in progress has been diff
cult, if not impossible, with the result
that it may not be possible for the en-
gineers to certify or the commission to
approve estimates for work done by
contractors during the month of Jan
uary.
IS. Employes taken from estimate
work have been placed on field work in
an attempt to provide adequate super
vision, but further prompt considera-
tion Will need to be given to stoppage
of some of the work in order that the
remaining work may continue.
"a. The serious reduction in design
ers and craftsmen has brought to a
standstill preparation of plans for new
work, particularly incidental contracts
essential to lines under construction,
as well as detail and working plans for
work in progress-a result harmful to
the progress OF the work and d possible
basis for additional claims by the con-
tractors.
80. Inspection of material at points
of production has been seriously inter
fered with and interrupted, with re-
sulting serious consequences as to the
quality of the material that may enter
into the work.
Employees Unfairly Treated
"6 Employees have been unfairly
treated in that they have been laid off
without adequate notice and without
consideration to vacation and other
proper allowances.
a. The continued lay-off is result
ing in many of such employees, par
ticularly the more experienced and
valuable ones, securing employment
elsewhere, thus making them unavail-
able for reinstatement, resulting in
permanent loss of efficiency in the en-
gineering force.
"8. The unjust treatment accorded
such employees has affected seriously
the morale of the remaining employees
and Will cause them to seek employ
ment elsewhere.
SO. Radical changes in the organiza-
tion resulting from the schedules of
December 30, including the delayed
certifcations of the resolutions, made
it impossible to pay the remaining en-
ployes for the first half of January on
q
longer to complete the clerical work
inciderta. TO such payrolls, with fur
ther cause for unrest among the re-
naming employees.
40. These circumstances have de-
moralized the progress of essential and
critical public work at a time when
every national and public interest re-
effort to stabilize the industrial situa-
ton"
Defence of Claims Handicapped
Summing up these ten points the let
ter continues:
Had it been intended to demoralize
the force engaged upon a great public
work, 10 stop rapid transit develop
menI, 10 create unsafe street condi-
tions, to make uncertain compliance
with contract specifications for work
and material, to allow the contractors
the OASIS for further claims to handi-
cap the defence against any claims by
contractors, to proiong the present un-
Satisfactory status Of rapid transit IA
eliieies---lt would not have been better
accomplished than by such action. with
ats precedent secrecy, as that OF De-
eempef ~, 1913, with continued failure
10 rectify the ipexcusable and arh;+rarv
reduction in and limitations upon The
appropriation after the seriousness of
clear" wv" niaoe
i Cooperation on the part of the Est;-
mate Board with the Public seryica
commission would have averted the
present situation, Commissioner Whit
ney tod Governor Smith. Recitine in
detaii the action taken before and since
december. 30, he declared that manv
times cooperation of some kind WAS
sought, but without avail
Grossly Inadequate Provision
The commission on September 10
1919, made requisition for 81 ,724 mn
On the Board of Estimate ann Anpor,
tionnent, IN accordance with Section
10 Of the Rapid Transit Act" tho Com.
MISSIONER said. "Both preceding and
subsequent thereto data wag furn;she cd
tc q subordinate Of the Board OF Egti-
mate, VINO prcfessed to be its renre-
tentative IN considering appropriation
Tor the commission for its sxnnnsns
ard ne was afforded an opportunitw IN
hand0 s'on a. afst
Despite this. the Board Of Estimate
made a grossly inadequate provision
Tor Inc neecssary expenses And vet
further data showing the need fnr T.
appropriation asked was gubmit,ed ~
the hcafd from time to time. On ne.
eember ths commission made renuisi.
ton for 81 10000 for expenses in fssa
having estimated at that time thai ~
Ia "A