New-York tribune., 1921-08-13
Hylan Blocks
Contracts for
Transit Work
Refuses to Allow Estimate
Board to Hear Commits
sion Request Approval of
Proposed improvements

Obstructive methods used by Mayor
Hylan at the meeting of the Board
of Estimate yesterday will result in
holding up thirty-one contracts for
completion of transportation facilities
urgently needed, according to the
Transit Commission.
Authority for finishing the work,
which would include the operation of
the new Livona Avenue subway beyond
Pennsylvania Avenue, In Brooklyn, the
restoration of the surface of Eastern
Parkway at present in the torn condi-
ton left by the contractors, the build
ing of signal towers and making of
storage yards, was sought in a letter
addressed to the board by George Nc
Aneny, chairman OF the commission.
William Fullen, assistant counsel to the
con- mmission, appeared with the letter
He asked permission to read it.
The Mayor brusquely told Mr.. Fullsn
he could not read the document. When
Mr. Fullen urged the Importance OF the
letter, the Mayor said:
you used to be very quiet and
modest, but since you have Joined this
commission you have become bold.
shall have to ask you TO behave in a
gentlemanly manner"
Hylan Criticizes Commission
The Mayor volunteered his opinion
that the commission had not lifted a
finger to improve the city's transit sit
uation."
Ten minutes later the board voted
10 ask the commission for an order di-
recting the New York & Queens
County Railway Company to relocate
its tracks along Jackson Avenue, in
Queens. Comptroller Craig fought the
motion on the ground that it might con-
stitute a recognition of the commits
sion's authority and jeopardize the
city's position in its fight on the con-
stitutionality of the transit law Mr..
whereby the city would obtain the or
der without appearing to recognize the
commissions authority.
After the meeting Mr. McAneny made
public the letter which the Mayor re-
fused to have read before the board.
The document, after referring to a COM
munlcation made to the board on July
% concerning the thirty-one contracts
which waited approval. said:
The attention of your board was d.
rected to the fact that work of the ut
most Importance, much of it of an
emergency character, has been held up
or delayed because of the failure of
action in these matters, and that Sc
rous delay in the completion of facili-
ties urgently needed by the travelling
public is bound to follow.
No Reason Given for Rejection
"The Transit Commission has been
advised by your acting secretary that
at the meeting of your board held on
August resolutions proposing the ap-
proval of the award of contracts and
the authorization of appropriations in
a mum ber of the instances in question
were lost, having received less than a
majority of the whole number of votes
authorized to be cast, and that in GER
tain other instances the requests of
the commission had been definitely dis
approved. The letter of your secretary
gives no intimation of the reasons upon
which this drastic action is based 1t
appears, moreover that there has been
literally no other instance in recent
years in which q contract for necessary
transit construction work failed to re-
ceive the formal approval of your board
that the law requires.
The acquisitions that your board
has disapproved, or that have other
wise failed Of passage, are of various
character, and it is difficult, especially
in view Of the past pra tice of the
BOARD of Estimate in dealing with
transit matters, to conceive of any rule
under which all would be rejected alike,
or, 50 far as precedents apply, under
which any would be rejected'
1t was said at the commissions of
fee that as the Board of Estimate had
adjourned its regular sessions until
September 30, the work for which ap-
proval was sought probably could not
be begun until next Spring.