New-York tribune., 1922-04-25
| Eylan Again
Blocks Work
On Subway
Continued from page one

Continued from page one
Hylan was in the chair. Asscmblyman
John J, Wackerman. Of the Eastern
District OF Brooklyn, headed a large
delegation from that section. He asked
tho committee TO take favorable action
on the finishing OF the Fourteenth
street Eastern District subway. which
nc declared, was the most important
subject the board had had before it in
years Before he could get any further
Mayor Hylan asked him if he knew
why this particular subway route had
not been Completed, and declared it
was not the fault Of the present ad-
mjnistraton that it had been delayed
The people you represent want to
know tho cause of the delay and we
want to tell them, because of the many
msstatcments in the PAPERS" said the
Mayor 'lt has not bcen the fault of
this administration that the route has
not been completed. 1t has been the
old Public Service Commission"
Assemblvman Wackermar ATTEMPTED
to continue his remarks when the
Mayor and tho Comptroller both inter
rupted him. They said that the people
Of the Eastern District wanted a sub
way through their district, white The
Transit Commission wanted on Gle
waited extension. The Mayor decla ted
there was somc question as to owner
ship Of the Long Island Railroad right
of-way over which the elevated por-
tion was to be constructed, and that the
Transit Commission wanted to take
this right of-way and then pay the Long
Island Railroad Company q large
amount Of money. He told the Assem-
blvman that il the people IN that dis
trict would get the Long Island Rail
road Company and the Z. X. T., who
operate this part Of the route. TO favor
the subway plan, the board would pro
vide the money.
Mayor Sees Propaganda
Assembyman Wackerman said that
that matter could be taken up laser,
but what the people OF the Eastern
Division wanted right away was the
con, pletion of the portion OF the Four
teenth Street subway tnat ended at
Mesorole Street.
The question then came up as to how
the cars could be placed in the sub
way even if it were ready for them,
unless the elevated contract was ap
proved W. G. Fullen, associate coun-
sci for the Transit Comm .ssion, said
that would be an easy matter. One Of
the contractors present told the Mayor
that Chairman McAneny, Of the Tran
sit Commission had told him that the
commission could not vary or change
the contract.
"Ah. that's the scheme." declared
the Mayor, flushing with anger. "That's
part of the propaganda. You can't get
anything out of that crowd. They
want to run things their own way. In
order to please favored contractors
they start this backlire, this political
propaganda. But we are going to put
it squarely up to them and give you
a chance to put these ears in there.
They ought to have them in ninety
days.
Comptroller Craig wanted to know Of
Mr.. Fullen why the Transit Commission
had readvertised some of the contracts
previously rejected by the Board of
Estimate, but had not readvertsed any
of the Fourteenth Street subway con-
tracts. Mr.. Fullen replied that the
Fourteenth Street contract was of such
great importance that the commission
desired to get the approval Of the
board on it.
Mayor Hyan rising from the chair and
addressing the audience. "They did it
simply to work out their political ends
political propaganda and nothing
else. You gentlemen won't have any
trouble with this board. you can see
that, and we are going to put the bur-
den right whore it belongs"
Warns of Traction Crowd
Borough President Regelmann of
Brook IN wanted to know if the Tran
sit Commission had any plan to sub
NIT now by which the cars could be
gotten in the subway without reference
to the elevated structure plans. Mr..
Fullen said it had not. but that he
would submit such plan at the meet
ing of the Board of Estimate Friday.
Mr.. Fullen, in reply to questions from
the Mayor and the Comptroller. at
tempted TO explain the action of the
Transit Commission in regard to the
contracts it had readvertised. Rising
again, the Mayor interrupted Mr.. Full
len.
''You arc doing pretty we'll in shift
ing around to cover the tracks of the
traction crowd he said. "It's the same
old gang. Why, if we approved these
contracts as they stand they would be
out to have us indicted in twenty-four
hours. You men here don't know how
far this crew -gang-will &C. I'm glad
we have an honest District Attorney.
He may some day get some Of these
iellowS.'
The Governor may remove us all
before the District Attorney can do
anything" remarked Comptroller Craig
with 3 laugh, in which every one
Joined.
Some one suggested that the Mayor
take a chance and approve the con-
tracts, so as to get the work going.
You don't know this crowd" said
the Mayor. again on his feet. Il would
trust you, but III take no chances with
them
DonneIIv Demands Action
At this point Morgan I. Donnelly,
former Deputy Public Service Commits
sioner under Commissioner Lewis
Nixon, started to discuss the fve-cent
fare with the Mayor. Mr.. Donnely
headed q delegation from Greenpoint.
eve have no fve-cent fare In our
district" he said bluntly; eve have a
ten-cent fare and even have to pay ff-
teen cents. You are always talking
about fve-cent fare. We are tired
Of paying ten cents to ride two miles.
It's a game of shuttlecock politics be-
tween the Board Of Estimate and the
Transit Commission. We want action
and we are going to get it."
Shaking his finger at Donnelly the
Mayor said:
"Ycu were former Public Service
Commissioner. You can't come over
here and try to bluff the people and
make them think you are for five