The evening world., 1920-07-21
MANY HEAR HYLAN
PLAN FOR RUNNING
BUSES DISCUSSED
Corporation Counsel Says
Franchise May Have Lapsed
Because of Non-USe.

CARNATIONS to consider the PROPOSE
ton whether the city has the power
to own and operate municipal buses
under the present law or the Leg. sla-
ture pass statute making certain
and definite the city's right to own
and operate buses or contract with
some operator, which was proposed
by Mayor Hylan.
The hearing room was jammed to
the doors,
In the audience were many motor
men and conductors Of the New York
Railways Company.
In the light OF the revelations re-
garding the perpetual franchise ot the
Manhattan Transit Company covering
just such a situation, published in The
Evening World, the hearing took on
extra significance.
At the opening Of the hearing
Mayor Hylan read a letter addressed
/ to the Board in which the Mayor said
he was aware that when he set forth
the need of an adequate transporta-
ton service "the traction interests
malicious attacks in an attempt to
nlisload the people and thwart his
plan to relieve 6Ae travelling public
| The Mayor described as "mslead-
ing" two articles in the New York
| Morning World with reference to the
Manhattan transit franchise. He
! said he had not conferred with any
one connected with that company
! and knew nothing about the fran
chise except from an opinion by the
Corporation Counsel.
The New York Morning World"
| continued the Mayor, with its mis-
leading articles and the traction
crowd which fears the invasion Of
ruses in New York will not frighten
public officials with the CRY of Tam
many This cry of Tammany has
been raised as a smoke screen on
many occasions when deals have been
put over by the traction crowd, Wall
Street cliques and their agents and
corporation controlled newspapers"
The Mayor said the motive of this
sort of propaganda" was to fleece the
investing public by stock jugglery
and TO take millions more from the
pockets of the travelling public. He
declared he had no doubt that in
quiries about the Manhattan Transit
Company would disclose that "the
same old crowd or their agents are IN
control of the franchise"
THE object of these latest menda-
cious articles in The New York
World" concluded the Mayor, SIS evil
IDENTIFY TO dtscredit those who are
honestly trying to give the city the
service to which it is entitled"
Appended to the Mayors letter was
the copy of a voluminous correspond
ence. The first letter was to the
Mayor from Joseph II. Hoadley,
President of the Manhattan Transit
Company. This was dated Aug. 49,
1919, and stated that the company
was prepared to commence bus op-
|
the cooperation Of the Mayor in the
| interests OF the public. There were
'lso letters to show that the Mayor
had taken up the matter with the
Chief Engineer Of the Department Of
Plant and Structures, who wrote Mr.
Hoadley asking for a copy OF the
Transit Company's franchise.
A letter from William Dewey
Louks, counsel for the company, TO
! Grover Whalen, Commissioner OF
Plant and Structures, calling atten-
tion to the company's ownership of a
franchise granted under special act
| OF the Legislature and adding that
the company might be Interested in
some arrangement for leasing rights
under this franchise" was rad.
Twelve days later, on April 10 last,
Mr. Loucks wrote the Mayor that he
! had received no reply from Commits
sioner Whalen and called the matter
to the Mayors personal attention.
On May s Commissioner Whalen
wrote to the Mayor that Mr.. Loucks
had been asked to call on the Com
missioner but had failed 10 appear
Mr. Whalen also wrote To Mr. IIouclSs,
saying he had been informed. that Mr..
Ioucks had telephoned he was too
busy 20 call. on May IL Mr.. Loucks
wrote MIR. Whalen that he the writer
was "too busy TO sit around waiting
sor appointments with city officials
and II the matter is not sufficiently
I interesting to you for You 10 ass .gu
some one from your Office to call on
me there is no reason for going fur
ther in the matter"
Mr., Whalen replied on May II ask
ing Mr. Loucks TO give him a refer
ence to the legislative act which
granted the franchise referred 70. Mr..
Loucks gave It on May 2O-ChApter
No. 47O fthe Laws OF 1899.
Further correspondence showed
tiIat an gffort iiysd been made 10 in
terest Henry Ford automobile manu-
fSefnrer. in the transit company's