The New York herald., 1922-01-12
FLXSUbWAY DELAYS
ON ESTIMATE BOARD
Transit Commission Is De-
MED Funds to Meet Con-
tract Obligations.
no REASONS ARE GIVEN
Work Involving Millions
Held Up While Conges-
tion Increases.
FIRE HAZARDS GROW
MeAneny and Ridgway Cite
Obstructive Tactics of
City Administration.
FIRE HAZARDS GROW


lays in the completion OF vitally i'm
portant subway work which is a part
OF the old dual contract obligations
entered into by the city in 1918.
According TO the testimony of Rob-
ert Ridgway, chief engineer to the
commission. refusal or failure OF the
Board of Estimate to honor reauisi-
tons OF the commission for funds to
meet contract obligations has resulted
not only in gravely impeding the
whole subway program and in i'm
posing hardships upon the travelling
public. 1t has resulted also in tolera-
ton of conditions which in several in
stances have increased subway fire
voied the protest Of the Board of
Health. Work that should have been
pushed toward completion months
ago is at a standstill while subway
congestion daily grows more intoler-
able.
Refuses to Vote Money.
Mr.. Ridgway testified that a contract
was sent to, the Board of Estimate last
March for the construction of an isle of
safety at the Borough Hall station,
Fulton and Court streets, Brooklyn, to
take the place of the temporary wooden
enclosure and wooden stairway, built
of infiammable material, that are now
there. The board refused to vote the
money.
Another contract held up by the board
was for 100000 last May, to repair the
stations and mezzanines on the Jerome
evenue-White Plains lines, concerning
the condition of which there had been
complaint by the Board of Health and
the public The repairs, in part. finally
were ordered by the Board of Health,
but the work stands untouched.
Ono of the dishonored reuuisitiors OF
last March was for 100000 for COM
lletirg the car inspection shed inclosure
st the 1s0th street yard. serving the
Lexington avenue line. Mr. Ridgway
said the yard had been graded and was
in partial use. This contract. he said,
was for inclosing 1t In the permanent
steel structure, thereby eliminating
the fire hazard due 10 the present tenn
pnrary she'd"
The Jerome avenue yard, which was
city property. is hampered hy two use
less old frame buildings belonging to
the Department of Water Supply, Gas
and Electricity. An appropria ton OF
$500 for their removal was hisapproved
last May by the Board OF Estimate, and
Tie grading and development of the
yard. an essential part OF .5e system.
las been halted.
xG2J Request Denied.
The commission last May asked in
vain for S625 TO cover the .ity's share
for iengthening the platforms of the
Grand Central station, one OF the busiest
traffic points in the city. what is the
erect Of the denial Of that surG o. asked
mir. McAneny.
Such a change as is contemplated
would have facilitated the handling of
'iafflc there" replied the engineer. 'It
would have helped in the handling of
the Grand Central crowds by giving
riore platform margin in the stopping
OF long trains
Concerning the rejection of an item
OF s20,500 for the alteration and re-
construction OF emergency exits at the
Sixtieth street tunnel. Manhattan. the
witness said: This is a matter OF pro
lection. More than forty-flvS days hav-
ing elapsed. the contractor mas aban-
doned his contract under his ,egal right
and has gone to Europe"
Requisition Ignored.
nequslNiotl lor 9So,VOO Tor ties and |
timber for rapid transit lines also has
been ignored. Mr.. Ridgway said this |
had prevented the awarding Of contracts
by the commission for track installation
ana had postponed indefinitely the com |
pletion OF important facilities On the
Fourteenth street eastern subway route. |
he said. which is otherwise compJete
and which Is TO be one Of the principal 1
arteries of the Brooklyn system. this
al <s.t.
any early benefit from its investment I
OF S13.000,000, and curtails prospective !
services to hundreds OF thousands OF /
passengers. II also retards development |
OF the Jerome avenue, Livonia avenue 1
and 239th street yards
Misfortunes Listed.
These are some OF the other nisfor-
tunes enumerated by the engineer re-
suiting from the attitude of the city
administration
Congestion at the Canal street station
In the Center street loop has gone I'm
relieved because OF failure to provide I.
100000 for lengthenng station plat
lorn1s which at present accommodate
only six car trains.
Nt the Union sausre subwav e,,,,on
lack OF $4,000 prevents completion of n
much needed connecting paasasoway for
the convenience OF passengers frame J.
ierrin& between the Fourteenth street .
eastern crosstown line and the D. r., II.
Broadway line north and south.
Correspondence was read showing
Chairman McAneny had protested I
against these failures TO provide for the
,ity's needs and had vainly invited con-
ference between tho city officials and the
ec-nmission's engineers
II Is estimated that S42, 500. 600 viii
be required for the finishing Of abo,i, zen
miles OF traciaee and OF the uncorr.
plcted sections Of tie subways nutbor- |
ized under the old dual contract nine
years ago. Included in that aum Is ,ho
esHrcsate Of s5,62S.2S2. requisi,ion fo
which IN varying sums has been made
vainly 10 the Board OF Estimate.
Contracts 3 end originally called for
s166.00O,o00 Of new construction. NJ
Cidgway said In SO fer as the citv's
obligation vas concerned, IN proioe
70 increase the rapid transit mileaae Of
TIE city from los TO 21o. II Is TO .hs I
f<2,500,0o0 worth OF work yet remain |
Inc unfinished that the obstructive |
tactics OK the Board OF Estimate apply |
with, embarrassing force
il y