The New York herald., 1922-08-29
Mayor Hylan's Transit Plan.

HTSL LOOK OluC6 anu Uldlly ulOnIlb
after the Transit Commission issued
its clear and practical plan for a
united transportation system.
Unfortunately for itself the plan
is dressed up with political argu-
ment. Mayor HyLAN's bitterness
against the Transit Commission and,
indeed, against everybody who does
not agree with him breaks out in
phrases relative to "grasping monop-
olies," "malign efforts of corpora
tions" and other remarks reminiscent
Of the last city campaign. The doc
ument contains loud and undigni-
fed appeal to New York to defeat the
present State Administration.
The same state of mind is reflected
in the peculiar form of the Mayors
message, which reads as IL the Board
of Estimate had the power to proceed
with the Hylan plan regardless of
the law. OF course the Board of Es-
innate has yet to pass on the plan.
1t may decide to submit 1t to the
Transit Commission, as it has per-
feet right to do. In that event the
Board Of Estimate may be sure that
the Transit Commission, which has
done it's best to obtain the coopera-
tion of the city government, will give
heed to any useful suggestions which
the document may contain.
AS the Hylan plan stands In It's en-
tirety it is an extravagant impossi-
bility. 1t calls for 126 miles Of new
subways in thirty-five new routes;
seven new tunnels; bridge; the re-
capture OF ninety-seven miles of ex-
listing subways; the municipal oper-
alton OF all the subways the city can
lay it's hands on; the establishment
of $25,000,000 bus line; the disap-
pearance of the surface and elevated
railroads; and, not least, universal
five cent fare. All this, according to
Mayor HYLAN, is to be accomplished
in fifteen years, beginning at once,
at a cost of s6OO,000,o00.
The manner Of paying for such a
program Is not satisfactorily ex-
planned. The city's borrowing limit is
set at $3.50, 100000, according to the
Hylau statement, but the Mayor ex-
poets that the revenue from the re-
captured portions of the subway will
carry and release about $500,000,000
of new city bonds from the debt
margin; and this half billion will be
the credit for the great scheme. Two
obstacles confront this sort of reck-
oning. For one thing, the borrowing
limit is probably nearer $50,000,00
than $3.50, 100000. For another thing.
if the lines that are to be recaptured
can't make money now, how is the
city going to turn them into half
billion Of credit?
The most astounding side OF the
proposed attempt to recapture part
OF the existing subways Is the con-
temptation Of what would happen af-
terward. The city might recapture
the lower part of the West Side sub
way or the upper part of the East
Side subway. But It cannot recap
ture the old subway-the Fourth ave-
nue., Forty-second street and Broad
way line. So the process Of recap
ture would mean nothing better than
the tearing apart of the present sys-
tenn and it's five cent subway fare.
Sweeping condemnation Of the new
lines which the Hylan plan proposes
would be unfair. There is provision,
for instance, for a West Side line
from Washington Heights to the
Battery through Amsterdam and
Tenth avenues and Hudson street.
This line, however, does not COM
pare in size or travelling convenience
with the great double deck trunk
line which the Transit Commission
proposes to build in Eighth avenue.
Most of the Hylan extravaganza in
subways, though, is devoted to Brook
lyn and Queens. 1t would be ideal,
we suppose, to have a subway in
every street and station at every
house-a condition which the Hylan
plan tries to approximate. But this
is,a practical city and loose talk of
spending $500. 900, ,000--it would be
billion before the finish--makes the
citizens sit up and wonder.
No New Yorker would object to
having the elevated railroads disap-
pear when their place was taken by
subways. The thought which the
Hylan plan conveys in this respect
Is ideal. But, so far as Manhattan IS
concerned, the Transit Commissions
plan for new subways on the West
Side aimed at the eventual passing of
the Sixth and Ninth avenue elevated
structures. 1t has to be remembered.
however, that an elevated railroad
does not disappear through mere
nod to the junk man. The franchise
has to be respected and must be paid