The New York herald., 1922-04-22
Craig, Defiant, Is Ready to
Turn Down Request to
Supply Funds.
SITUATION is IMPROVING
Chairman McAneny Asserts
That Contracts Are Made and
Cannot Be Vetoed.

Mayor Hylan. Comptroller Craig and
other members OF the Board of Esti-
mate, which met yesterday, made
statements defying Gov. Miller but
they did not definitely reject any OF
the bids for the Fourteenth street sub
way unnels by following their usual
course of referring the Bids back TO
the Transit Commission.
Ono of the contracts carrying a low
bid OF $1,149,1s6.1o from the Joslin
CONSTRUCTION Company was marked on
the calendar as refer back to the
Transit Commission" which would
have meant a rejection. But the board,
said to have been>acting on the advice
of the Corporation Counsel. decided to
reko1 that contract, together with forty
smaller ones, to the committee Of the
whole.
That committee will meet next Mon
day, at which time some action Of I'M
mediate Importance viii be taken The
view generally taken is that Mayor
Hylan will not risk removal by the Gov
ernor for continued delay" IN the OPEN
ing OF the Fourteenth street line. Sew
eral Of the individual members of the
board, however, are expected to con-
tinue attacking the Governor. Comp
trollcr Craig at the meeting started the
attack OH the Governor py saying
II am ready to vote on these matters
right now and again refuse the re-
quest of the Transit Commission
Mayor 1lylan was much miIder, how
ever and seemed much pleased to adj
vocatc the suggestion OF. borough Pres
ident Riege;mann OF Brooklyn that the
contracts go to the Committee of the
Whole, where proper consideration
might be given TO them.
The Comptroller finds fault bcca use
somebody wants to pay little cheap
politics. was the Mayors comment.
hoard Approves One Contract.
The board approved without debate
contract entered into by the Transit
Commission with Frederick l.. Gran
ford. Inc, for the completion of the
Lawrence street station and other i'm
provements in the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit Fourth avenue subway. 1t also
appropriated s342. 1850 for the work.
The Fourteenth street contracts. Comp
troller Craig said:
IN August, 1921, the board refused to
appr,ve these contracts Now, after
eight months. the Transit Commission
engineers have discovered some work of
an emergency character. The Transit
Commission has been dead to the world
in everything except the readjustment
ard the increased fare proposition.
The Transit Commission complained
TO the Governor and the Governor has
mace public their complaint. putting the
blame on this board and there Is not a
word OF truth In it,
THESE contracts ought TO be readvcr-
tiSei.' ventured the Mayor Some of
them have boon and tho result has been
tha. much lower bids have been re-
ceived."
II don't think We should trifre with
t.is situation" broke In the Comptroller
This in effect is an effort OF the Transit
Commission TO have an alibi for its own
neglect"
William G. Tulan. associate counsel
or the Transit Commission. said that
body had not been TO blame for the delay
in the work. Some or tho contracts had
been submitted in August, but others
had been sent 10 the Board Of Estimate
in February. and eight months had not
elapsed since then.
III we don't approve these contracts
to-day somebody else viii be asking for
our removal laughed the Mayor as
they went over until Monday
McAncry Secs Action.
Mr.. McAneny hailed the action
OF the Board OF Estimate as indi-
eating a probable change OF attitude
on the part OF that body under the Wig
orous projding to which II had been
aubjected by Gov. Miller.
Mr.. McAneny WAS pleased when it
formed that the board had referred to
Committee OF the Whole for action
noxt Monday certain matters which had
been scheduled previously for reference
back 10 tho Transit Commission" FER
haps the most important of these was
the sl,i49.1ae contract with the Joslin
Construction Company for tho building
eastward from Mescrole street, Brook
lyn, OF an important section of the
Fourteenth street. Eastern district sub
way.
This section. under the terms OF the
contract signed nine years ago. Ia 10 be
of elevated construction. the r.. n. +.
having refused more recently 10 incur
tho added expense involved In substi
tuiing subway const rvction. The Board
OF Estimate on April ordered this
contract referred back to. The Transit
Commission with memorandum stat.
ing the boards refusal TO extend the
line rs an elevated link.
a Like course was taken with tho ten
comparatively small but vitality i'm
portant contracts affecting the progress
Of the Fourteenth street. Eastern dis
trict line. which Mr.. McAneny In his
letter TO the board on April had listed
as key" contracts.
Mr.. McAncny's statement concerning