New-York tribune., 1921-03-19
ity's Plan to
Fight Traction
Bill Not Ready
rohnson and O'Brien Are
Ont of Town and Pro-
posed Court Action Is
Still Held in Abeyance
Pressure on Assembly
livingston arms Foes
il Is Party NJ easure;
Leaders Held Responsible

w;th the assurance that Governor
u;,I.r's traction bill will pass the
.s,,mbly next week and quickly be-
,ane law the municipal authorities
~, still unprepared yesterday to an
rounce any definite course Of action
xhich they have threatened to pursue
/, the courts in an attempt to OBJ
x.ract the proposed plan. Senator
pIrsm ". Johnson and Corporation
rounsel O'Brien we're both out of town
.sa had left the matter in abeyance.
Meanwhile, some of the Republican
,sasers who are backing the Gov
.,uor's program were putting the
crews on recalcitrant Republican AS
semblymen and endeavoring to whip
them into line to vote for the bill when
j. comes before the Assembly on Tues
ssv There was little hope of chang
;rs the attitude of the New York
County Assemhlymen, practically all of
whom are opposed to the measure, but
I,cob A. Livingston, Republican leader
d; Brooklyn, worked long and hard
9TH the several members of the AS
senbly from that borough who have
;aus far held out against supporting
tie Miller bill.
Livingston Puts on Screws
Mr.. Livingston held a conference
With these members, including James
r. Caulfeld ir, John Z. Crews, James
T. Carroll. Francis \. Giacocone and
Johr O. Gempler, and told them that
thsy we're committing political suicide
10 hold out further against the meas
srs. The Brooklyn leader emphasized
that the measure was party bill.
IN addition to putting the screws on
The opposing members, it was said that
Mr. Livingston conferred with the dis
.riet leaders from the section repre-
ssated by them and told the leaders
that he would hold them responsible
os the actions of the representatives
IN the matter. Mr.. Livingston, it is
understood, also has had several con-
fsrences with other Assemblymen who
are known to be lukewarm in support
d the Governors bill. They contend
that great pressure is being brought
10 bear upon them by their constitu-
snts to vote against the bill.
Reports from the Interborough Rapid
Transit Company for the last six
months of 1920, fled with the Public
Service Commission and made public
yesterday, show deficit after all fixed
charges of S2,682.760. The deficit was
due entirely to the elevated lines (the
Manhattan Railway Company, which
amounted to s2,S04749, while the sub
way and other operations showed a
profit Of slS1,969.
s5O6,3ol Elevated Deficit
For the month of January, 1921, the
deficit from the elevated lines was
s5o6301, while the net income from the
subways and other operation was $780,
45a.
Abstracts from reports of the sur
face line companies showed loss for
the half year tlast six months of 1920
Of Sl,3175S0 for the New York Rail-
ways Company, deficit of $373,927 for
the Third Avenue Railroad system, in
tluding the Westchester lines; deficit
Of sllS,492 for the Eighth Avenue Rail
Iead Company, deficit of s77,221 for
the Ninth Avenue Railroad Company, a
loss OF sl15,052 for the Second Avenue
Railroad Company and deficit of $780,
U.s. for the Fourth and Madison Avenue
line
Comptroller Charles L. Craig an
nouneed yesterday that suit had been
brought against him in the Supreme
ldurt by the Rapid Transit Construc-
ton Company, all of the stock of which
y owned by the Interborough, asking
nat mandamus be issued requiring
ne payment by the city of S2,260, ,534,
vaieh the Comptroller has refused to
Fay, The Comptroller explained that
ias action was the result of an old
santroversy surrounding the construc-
ton Of the original subway under the
s'ntract made between the city and
s,an B, Mcdonald in 1900, part of
saich was assigned to the Interborough
snd q part to the Subway Construction
company, over which claims were made
oy spe contractor for extra work and
counter claims made by the city for
work not done.
Craig Explains Controversy
IN December, 1911, the Public serv-
% commission submitted to the board
u estimate a proposed agreement to