New-York tribune., 1921-12-30
Hylan to Fight
Bonds Needed
In Port Plan
Mayor, Corporation Counsel
Ready to Oppose Call for
Cash by Authority to Make
Waterfront Improvement
City Project i'm Muddle
Hylan 1925, 900, 900 Idea
Not Expected to Get Out
of Legislative Committee

"iayoF llyian and Corporation COun-
sci O'Brien have made it clear to the
Fort Authority Commissioners II.
Outerbridge, former Governor Alfred
Il. Smith and former Borough President
Pounds of BrookIyn-that they will
oppose the Port Authority when it
tries to raise money for the develop
ment of the port.
The statute empowers the Port Au-
thority to issue its own obligations,
and 1T will not be hindered by any con-
stltutlonal restrictions, as is the Board
OF Estimate. The city's plan for port
development, according to the ideas
submitted to the Board of Estimate on
Wednesday, INVOLVES an outlay of
225,000,000. The Port Authority's
plan contemplates an outlay for tun-
nels of about $4,000 900. julius Henry
Cohen, counsel to the Port Authority,
told bankers, brokers and railway men
this week thai with the railroads CO.
opGTatlng, as they seem disposed to do.
ta@ cost of handling the 1S,5O0 900 tons
of freight that comes to and passes
through this port every year can be
reduced to ST. ton. At present. it costs
about $3.50 a ton. On this showing the
Fort Authority's tunnel would pay for
itself in less than three years The
bonds issued by the Port Authority for
construction account would be exempt
from taxation, and the Port Authority
Comm mssioners are confident that the
bankers would regard them highly
Hylan Silent on Restrictions
On the ether hand, the Mayor and
Comptroller have not explained how
they are going to evade the restrictions
of the constitutional debt limit and dis
pose of the 1926, 100000 of bonds needed
for their plan. The Board of Estimate
is in hot water at present over the fact
that the present city budget exceeds the
debt limit by sum alleged to be $10.-
900, and there is no present pros
pect that the city will be in easy cir
cumstances under the Hearst Hylan
control. With the opening Of the Legis-
lature on Tuesday there Is nothing to
indicate that the Mayors plan, involv-
ing an ultimate expenditure of $225,-
100000, will ever get out OF committee
On the contrary, it is expected that the
Port Authority's plan, supported by
105 commercial and civic organizations,
will have smooth sailing and that the
bill will be a law within sixty days.
The Port Authority and legislators
from Richmond, Kings, Queens, Nassau
and Suffolk counties had a conference
last evening IN the quarters of the
Brooklyn Chamber OF Commerce by
invitation of that body. Commission
ers OuterbrIdge and Pounds and Julius
Henry Cohen. counsel for the Port
Authority, were the speakers.
Immediate Action Sought
All of them emphasized the necessity
of proceeding Immediately with the
plans for the development OF the port
if serious losses and a reversion to
the divided authority over the port
were to be avoided.
"If this plan is not adopted and
made a part Of the bi-state treaty."
said Mr.. Outerbridgc, well 60 back
to the days of the old dividing line be-
tween the two states. We have got to
go on for a scientific organization of
the port We have already lost the
cotton and tobacco business and are
losing the grain business. To lose the
grain business means great loss in
shipping"
L. H La Guardia, President Of the
Board of Aldermen, who has consist
emily supported the Mayor in his tran
sit and port development plans, wrote
to the Mayor yesterday, calling atten-
tion to the printed statement that the
Hylan plan involves an ultimate ex-
penditure of 1925 900, 900, asserting
that tins figure is wrong and that the
cost viii - but Sal 100000.
This Includes says Major La
Guardia, mot only the Staten Island
tunnel but cost of a belt line railroad
proposed classification yard in the Bor-
ough of Richmond; a complete trunk
line; freight and passenger tunnel un-
der the Narrows; q complete industrial
railroad along the Brooklyn waterfront
from Bay Ridge to Newtown Greek and
complete link between the New York
Central and the New York, New Haven
K Hartford"
Public Hearing Called
The Tribune's story yesterday said
that the cost of the Hylan plans sub
mitted by Corporation Counsel O"Brien
and the proposed added development is
estimated at $225,00O,OO0. The varia-
tion in the two sums is on account of
the proposed added development" in
the Hylan plan, to be built solely by
the city.
Secretary Haag of the Board of Esti-
mate yesterday sent out notices for a
public hearing at the City Hall on
January 13, at 10:30 o'clock, for the
purpose of giving consideration to the
question of the adoption of policy by
the Board of Estimate and Apportion-
ment determining in favor of subways
as against elevated railroad structures
IN connection with all future construc-
ton of rapid transit railroads in the
City of New York
While this seems. on its face, to per-
tain only to transit matters, it is ex-
pected that it will afford an opportu-
nifty to the Mayor to once more raise his
opposition not only to the Transit Com
missions plans but also to those of the
Port Authority, the Mayor contending
that both commissions and their plans
are iniquitcus, detrimental to the city
and in violation of the spirit of home
rule.
Funeral for Mrs. Schwerin