New-York tribune., 1922-01-10
Transit Board
Charges Hylan
Hampers Work
Tactics of Obstruction and
Failure to Cooperate in
Curing Traffic Evils Set
Forth in Annual Report
lnsistent ON Extensions
s5O,OOO.OOO, Spread Over
Five Years. Necessary 10
Provide New Facilities

Obstructive tactics and lack of CO.
operation on the part of the Hylan
administration have seriously set back
the extension and Improvement of
transit facilities in New York Citv
according to the first annual report Of
the State Transit Commission sub
mit;ed yeste rday to the Legislature
During the year, said the report. the
board OF Estimate and Apportionment.
iaihng to take action on contracts
approved by the commission and its
predecessor, the Transit Construction
Commissioner. blocked the CARVING out
o. proposed subway construction work
amounting to $5,2S7.4S6
Ihc report emphasized the necessity
of an intensive program for new lines.
In the Judgment OF tne commission at
cast S50.0000 900 OF new subway work
should be placed under contract in
the next five years. OF the many CON
tracts held up by the Board Of EST
mate the most important was for the
extension Of the Queensborough sub
way through Forty second Street, Bry
So Park and Forty-tirst Street to
Eighth Avenue.
F1om January to April % 1921.
the Transit Construction Commissioner
awarded contracts to the amount Of
sl5s t7o. He also approved and trans
mittcd 10 the Board of Estimate two
othec contracts amounting to $673,823,
both of which were disapproved by the
board.
Only Five Contracts Approved
The Transit Commissioner awarded
similar contracts to the amount of
4.710.t27. all of which we're transmit
ted 10 the Board of Estimate. Only
i've Of the contracts, amounting to
s955240. had received the approval of
the board at the close of 1921.
Lack Of municipal cooperation in the
effort TO solve the city's traction prob
lem was referred to in the report in
the refusal of Mayor Hylan and Comp
troer Craig to appear at recent hear
ings of the commission.
Concerning developments at the re-
cent hearings before the commission
the report said:
at is sufficient to say that the facts
sbundantly proved the existence of the
emergency in traction affairs declared
to exist in the law creating the Transit
the need Of a thorough reorganization
and read djustment.'
Most Of the witnesses examined in
the course of the hearings commented
i iavorably on tho commissions tenta-
i've plan. said the report .whie hsco on
,nued on this subject:
Managing officials of the principal
companies expressed general approval
Of the plan. but criticized the compost
ton Of the Board of Control. Repre-
sentatives of bondholders' and stock
holders committees were among the
witnesses, and in general expressed ap-
prova of the principle of the plan and
confidence IN its practica biity. The
most pronounced opposition TO the plan
was voiced. by Samuel Untermyer
and Delos F: Wilcox. an expert
for the City Club, both of whom de-
clared themselves in favor of municipal
operation. The commissions plan con-
templates municipal ownership and con-
troll, but private operation.'
Providing for New York
In connection with the proposed $780,
100000 subway cons truction program,
the report said:
The city is too close to the consti-
tutlonal debt limit to permit it to raise
Such large amount by its bond sales,
and the commissions plan, therefore,
ccntemplates the readjustment of the
present contract situation so as to re-
lease large amount of bonds issued in
me past tor subway construction from
the operation of the debt limit restric-
ton. In this way it is hoped to en-
large the credit of the city so that ade-
Nuate funds for needed subway extern
SONS may be provided"
Inc total increase of traffic on the
streets railroads fer the fiscal wear
ended June 80 1921, was given as
l26.32lS09 The traffic upon the Inter
borough and elevated lines Increased
5o,9a5,l2l aud that of the BROOKLYN
Rapid Transit Company, 28.188,o05
Ihe expenses Of the commission from
The time of its organization, April 26
h92l. to December 81, 1921, amounted
to sl,22S091. This amount is estimat-
ed by the report to be less by $3.50. 900
,han the combined total of the Transit
construction Commissioners office and
1f that portion of the office of the
Public Service Commission which was
taken over by the Transit Commission.
The State of New York pays the sal