New-York tribune., 1921-06-17
Protests i'm Vain When
Hylan Moves to Rescind
Action Releasing City's
Interests in Property
Deeds Delivered
Before Selection
Shallow, Criticized for His
Part, Says Comptroller
Is an ''lnfamosss LIAR

Comptroller Charles L. Craig yester-
day started another serious controversy
with Mayor Hylan and the Board of
Education when he charged collusion
and irregularity in the selection of a
school site on Neptune Avenue, Coney
Island. The matter came before the
Sinking Fund Commission at special
meeting and duel of words followed
between the Comptroller and the May
or, with Commissioner of Accounts
Hirshfeld and Assistant Corporation
Counsel Nicholson supporting the
Mayor.
While the Comptroller mentioned no
names in his charges of collision, he
did accuse Associate Superintendent
Edward B. Shallow, supervisor of build
ing operations on the Board of Educa-
tion, Of "having three sites up his
sleeve and at the same time asking the
Board Of Education to withdraw other
sites from consideration" He pointed
out that the Board of Education pro.
posed to compel the city to purchase a
SITS tor S75,500 which it had owned and
recently sold for about $500, while a
site was available across the avenue
which the city now owns.
Msyor Brings Up Resolution
The outbreak started when the
Mayor brought up the question of re-
sciading resolution of the commits
sion previously adopted releasing the
city's interest in certain lands on Nep-
TINE avenue for 5000 lot and back
taxes. This resolution affected hun
ireds of lots on Gravesend Bay, the
ownership OF which has been in dis
Dute for twenty years. A part of these
lands was included in three alternate
sites selected by the Board of Educa-
tion and, it is alleged, were not select
ed for school sites until after the reso-
lutions releasing them had been passed.
The sites approved were all on the
south side of Neptune Avenue. When
they were submitted to the Board of
Estimate recently the Comptroller cb-
jected and said there was site right
across the street owned by the city
which should be selected. Mr.. Shallow
at the time contended that the proper
ty referred to by the Comptroller was
This proposal of the Mayor to re-
scind the previous resolution is merely
for the purpose of getting Mr.. Shallow
out of hole" said the Comptroller.
1T is nothing but an attempt to re-
lieve Shallow of the onus of with
drawing the only site the Board of Es-
innate could have selected. Shallow
selected this site practically before tie
ink was dry on the release"
F. II. La Guardia, President Of the
Board of Aldermen, addressing the
Comptroller, declared it was serious
matter and if what he said was true it
ought 70 be presented to the grand
jury. The Comptroller replied that he
hoped it would go to the grand jury.
Mayor Hylan ignored the Comptroller's
accusations.
Found Site in Creek, Says HyIan
"The Board of Education made ap-
plication for school sites in the area
covered by this description" said the
Mayor. ut came before the Board of
Estimate and the Comptroller said that
the site between Twenty-ninth and
Thirtieth streets on Neptune Avenue
should be adopted Dr. Shallow said
that this site was in Coney Island
Creek, while the Comptroller stated
ehaC IL was a mile and half fr)m the
creek. | went down there and found
that 1T was in the creek"
Recent maps and photographs in the
Ctjomptroller's office show that while
the city-owned land opposite one of the
sites selected by the Board Of Educa-
ton is partly under the water of
Sravesand Bay-Coney Island Creek
oeing mile or so distant-the CITY
iand opposite the two other sites had
oeen iilled in for thousand feet from
.he ahe water and would be entirely avail
able for school sites.
:, II developed yesterday that the deeds
.he Mayor wanted to stop, by rescind-
ing the resolution of the commission,
We're We're signed by the Mayor and given to
augn z. Skelly, part of whose proper
y Is included in the site selected by
the Board of Education. The Mayor
S@ld that he had asked the Commits
Continued on next pape)