New-York tribune., 1922-06-10
Small Alibi
Keeps Mayor
Out of Jail
Has to Mind Young Grand
son, So Decides Not TO Get
in Disfavor With Court
and Votes Transit Fund
Hubert Also Backs Up
Hylan Squelches Cahill's
Effort for Compromise
OH Staten Island Tunnel

OH Staten Island Tunnel
Taken altogether. the meeting Of
the Board Of Estimate yesterday was
n lively session. Most Of the excite
ment centered about transit matters.
The hero Of the occasion. however. was
without knowledge Of that fact. lie
was the eleven months old grandson OF
, Mayor Hylan. John F. Sinnott jr. who
saved his granddhddy from a possible
term in Jail for contempt Of court.
After storming about transit matters
generally, the Mayor offered his grand
son as the reason why he voted for
$i,500,OO0 appropriation for the
Transit Commission 10 pay its ex-
penses for the rest Of this year.
The Mayor had said at the meeting
OF the committee OF the whole Of the
Board Of Estimate earlier in the week
that he would rather 20 10 Jail than
vote another penny toward the
Transit Commission expenses. When
the matter came before the Board Of
Estimate yesterday he changed his
mind, as did Murray Hubert, Presi-
dent Of the Board Of Aldermen. and
the appropriation was authorized
unanimously.
Has Small Excuse
81 vote in favor OF the appropria-
tion." finally said the Mayor II am
voting this way 10 keep out Of jail. for
you may have noticed the report in
the papers that / am going to have n
new job next week. / have got TO at
tend to that job"
The new job" the Mayor referred
to is keeping q watchful eye on his
small grandson while his parents are
abroad with Mrs. Hylan. the Mayors
wife. The Mayor and other members
OF the board we're served with a court
order compelling them 10 grant the ap-
preparation for the Transit Commits
sion.
The attempt Of Borough President
CGhill OF Richmond. pursuant 10 his
promise 20 the Transit Commission
Thursday, TO ask for a committee from
the Board Of Estimate to meet the COM
mission amieably and confer IN regard
to the proposed passenger and freight
tunnel 20 Staten Island. ended in a
dismal failure. Mr.. CAhill started 20
explain the proposal when the Mayor
curtly interrupted MIN BY saying
"We don't want 20 get together" and
advised the Richmond Borough Prcsi.
dent not 10 be seen in the company Of
the Transit Commission.
To Ignore Commission
The Borough President subsidized and
the Mayor directed his attack against
James s. Graham. a large property
owner on Staten Island. who urged that
the state and city authorities get to-
gether on transit matters related 10
Staten Island. The Mayor declared
that Graham ought to be ashamed Of
himself TO take such a stand. The
Mayor said with emphasis that the city
would take over the Fourth Avenue
subway two years hence and connect
il up with the proposed Brooklyn
Staten Island tunnel and place the
whole system under municipal opera
tion. He added that it was the inten-
tion Of his administration 70 ignore the
Transit Commission and make no at
tempt to obtain from IL permission 10
link the tunnel with the subway.
The Mayor again took shot at the
Transit Commission when n reply was
read TO a request By the commission
70 speed up in constructing a tunnel
or bridge as a crossing over or under
the Park Lane section OF the Long
Island Railroad tracks in Queens.
Eleven years ago the railroad was
ordered TO provide suitable safeguards
so that school children would not have
20 cross the tracks. The Transit Com
mission replied that the work was
ordered by It's predecessor long ago
and that officially the commission mad
no eognizanee Of the necessity.
They are Whiting until some boy
or girl is killed" said AldermAnie
President Hubert. ..
"No. they are simply playing politics
because there is an election this fall,
aid the Mayor. DUST as they arc
playing politics with Staten Island and
the tunnel. 1t is the cheapest alibi and
just plain fake
II was finally voted by the board 70
again urge haste on the Transit Com
mission TO provide the crossing and the
item il 10 be kept on the board ealen-
dar so that the city itself may ouiid
the crossing II the commission delays
any longer.
Craig and Whalen Clash
The session was also enlivened By q
sharp clash between Comptroller Craig
and Commissioner Grover A. Whalen'
Of the Department Of Plant and strue-
lures. The Comptroller charged that
the Commissioned had violated the city
charter in buying coal and was trying
20 substitute the contract system for
public letting in buying city supplies:
Mayor Hylan rushed TO the defense OF
Commissioner Whalen. He declared
that the city ought to return to the
contract system and that the theory OF
government is "to get everything as
cheap as possible Commissioner
Whalen defended his action by saying
that coal had been bought at price
less than that which could have been
obtained in the open market.
The board authorized the approPria-
tion Of sl,0O0,O 900 for the metropolitan
Museum Of Art for the completion OF
the interior Of the southern Wing
where il is proposed to house the Ait
man collection and other collections
acquired in recent years.