New-York tribune., 1922-07-12
.Hedley Forbids
Use of Pyrene
In Subway Fires
Acts as Hylan Demands
City Center Its Inquiry
Into Lexington Ave. Blaze
on These Extinguishers
McAneny Rebukes Mayor
Calls Him Ignorant Of
Safety Devices and Says
He Is Breeding a Panic

In the Interborough subways with
In the next few weeks something be-
sides Pyrens will have 70 be used 20
cxtinguish thom. That was the order
Yesterday Of Frank Hedley, president
Of the system. when he heard that
Mayor Hylan proposed basing the eity's
investigation Of tho recent subway
FIRE on the Lexington Avenue line
largely on the use Of these ex-
tinguishers.
The Mayor and the Transit Commits
sion disagreed again yesterday when
Chairman McAneny took exception 70
some Of Mayor Hylan's observations on
the mishap.
In his statement the Mayor demand
ed an independent lighting system'
one that would function when the cur
rent in the third rail is shut on
"sueh a system was installed hve
years ago and is now in use" Mr.. hc-
Aneny's statement countered.
people have 70 take TO the tracks
20 reach the stations or emergency
exits" the Mayor said.
"As a matter Of fact" replied Mr:
McAneny, "the exits are reached
through side paths even IN
height with the car floors" and added
suggestively that n the Mayor had
gone into the tunnel instead or max
ing his conclusions from the outside ne
would have known more about the con
ditlons which actually exist unaer-
ground.
borough management and the Transit
Commission are agreed at least on one
point. which is that the use under
ground OF tetrachloride extinguishers
is a proceeding which needs further
investigation. The Mayor said yester-
dny that the use Of these extinguish-
ers is dangerous" Mr. McAneny an
nounced that the Bureau OF Mines was
investigating the matter on behalf OF
the Transit Commission, and, Gaping
the climax, came the notice from the
Office Of the Intcrborough, reading'
pending the Investigations concerning
fire extincuishers and until further
notice. all employees are hereby d.
rccted not 20 use Dyrene in the tunnels
10 extinguish electric ares
CORPORATION Counsel O'Brien, Grover
A. Whalen. Commissioner Of Plant ana
Structures; Thomas J. brennan, FIRE
Commissioner; Nicholas j. Hayes,
Commissioner OF Water Supply, Gas
and Electricity, and Frank j. Monaghan.
Deputy Commissioner Of Health, met IN
Mr.. O'Brien's Office yesterday and DIS
cussed the FIRE. This was by way OF
consolidating the various investiga-
tions ordered by the Mayor. As a re-
suit, il was unoficially announced,
series Of recommendation will be sent
TO the Transit Commission asking for
the removal Of the Pyrene extinguish-
ers, the installation Of independent
lighting systems, the completion OF
emergency exits, on which work has
been delayed because OF war labor
conditions, and an all round increase
in train crew personnel.
The Mayor said that the investiga-
tion had proved that the lntorborough's
cars were not properly constructed.
This ought 70 be remedied," he added.
at has also been brought out that
the use OF Pyrene in the subways IS
absolutely dangerous, and as some
have expressed IL, criminal. Something
must be done 10 put an end 10 the use
Of this type OF extinguishcr' He ex-
pressed the wish for the improvements
embodied in the foregoing recommen-
dations and added:
"1f the Transit Commission doesn't
act, / will ask the Board Of Health 20
convene in order that action may be
taken on these conditions. some Of
which border on imminent peril 20 the
public"
The recommendations indicate that
there was "a lack Of either care OF
understanding in the manner In which
the Mayors investigation was con-
Quoted, was Mr.. McAneny's reioinder
70 the Mayors broadside. The chair
man Of the Transit Commission points
TO the recommendation for a separate
| lighting system. which, he says, al
ready exists, and the suggestion that
people had TO walk along the tracks.
"The tunnel lights were on throughout
the whole period Of the trouble
there was not tho slightest difficulty
/ in the accident Of last week either In
reaching the walk or in finding the
exits, and none Of the passengers went
anywhere near the third rail-" says
the McAneny statement, which con-
cludes:
Statements Of the character the
Mayor and his advisers have been max
/ ing are calculated 70 increase unnec-
essarily public alarm. Repeated with
sufficient frequency they are bound 20
have a most hurtful IL not disastrous
effect. They are direct ineitement
I 20 panic."