New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-16
Lewis Scored
By Craig for
Probe Refusal
District Attorneys Advice
TO Stop Fight and Build
School Brings Charge of
Suppression of the Facts
Called fragrant Defiance
Comptroller Writes of Sewer
at the Door of Site
Selected i'm Brooklyn

Comptroller Charles l.. Craig, in a
letter to District Attorney Harry E.
Lewis, of Brooklyn, last night took the
prosecutor severely to task in connec-
ton with the District Attorneys an
nouncement yesterday that he had
failed to find sufficient evidence in the
data submitted to him by the Comp
troller to warrant grand jury inves-
tigation of the controversy over the
selection of the Neptune Avenue.
Coney Island, school site by the Board
of Education.
The District Attorney, in writing
the Comptroller, declared that the
met result of my inve stigation has
been profound feeling Of disap-
pointment that two high public officials
(the Comptroller and DR.. Edward B.
Shallow, associate superintendent Of
schools, who recommended the Coney
Island site) should become involved
in differences that prevent the children
of the city from having the need Ell
school accommodation" The District
Attorney advised them to stop the
ASIip anu DuIlu CNe SCHOOL.
Comptroller Craig was incensed
over the remarks of the Brooklyn Dis
trict Attorney, and in his reply
charged him with suppressing the
facts for political reasons. The Comp
troller's letter in part follows:
Comptroller's Letter
"Your solicitude over the fact that
two high public officials should be-
come involved in differences would be
touching, indeed, did ] not know that
you are fully informed as to the
fragrant defiance of public decency that
was attempted in connection with the
proposed site.
"The facts about this location arc as
follows:
Sat the intersection of Neptune Ave
hue and West Twcnty-ninth Street is
located sewage pumping station for
the sanitary sewers serving the dis
trict between West Twenty fourth
Street and Sea Gate, from the Atlantic
Ocean to Gravesend Bay This is a
large area fairly we'll built upon. There
are two main lines Of sanitary sewers
that run into large sewage pit at the
corner This sewage pit is about as
large as your Office on Court Street,
and practically at the door of the pro-
posed school. The sewage flows into
this pit from two trunk sewers. The
liquid sewage is raised by electrically
operated pumps to height which per
mits it to flow to another station about
mile away The laborers employed
are clothed in rubber and wash them
selves off in the open after each clean
ing of the sewage pit.
perhaps it is in accordance with
the law and the prophets that public
schools for children should be located
over public cesspools, but the people
o. that section. or of any other sec
ton. would not tolerate any such in
depreciation of the statutes, written or
u1written.
"In the face of this and other in
formation which you. have received,
which certainly would seem to warrant
the most rigid and ruthless investiga-
ton, without regard to political affili-
atoms or interests, you attempt to
dismiss the whole subject with a few
words as AN unhappy controversy
Charge Is Denied
The Comptroller declared that it was
not true, as District Attorney Lewis
sad in his letter. that he and DR.
Shallow had reached an agreement to
accept the site recommended by the
Comptroller on the opposite side of
Neptune Avenue, on city-owned prop
orty. He said that the fact was the
Beard of Education had been com
PEELED to abandon the sites which DR.
Shallow proposed and were about te
"select the one suggested by me-" he
declared that Lewis had given the
facts violent twist in your effort te
exculpate Shallow and those who spon.
sor his efforts"
/ DR.. Shallow recently announced his
intention of bringing libel suit fol
100000 damages against the Comp
insinuations in regard to the selection
of the Neptune Avenue site. No such
action has yet been begun, but DR.
Shadows friends believe his cas-.
would be greatly strengthened in view
of District Attorney Lewis's decision