New-York tribune., 1922-08-07
Pyrene Maker.
Dares Mayor
To Face Test
Offers to Duplicate Condi-
tions in Subway Fire TO
Prove Condemnation Of
Chemical Was Malicious
Hedley Asked to Set Date
Political Motives Seen in
Hylan's Criticism of Tet-
rachloride Extinguisher

The controversy over the use OF
tetrachloride fire extinguishers to fight
subway fires which has ragged since the
Lexington Avenue fire Of July c takes q
new turn to-day.
Walter Bauer, president of the Py-
rene Manufacturing Company, OF New
ark which makes the extinguishcrs con-
demned by the Mayor, has written
three letters--one to the Mayor, one to
Frank Hedley, president of the Inter
borough, and one to Corporation Coun-
| sci O'Brien. Mr.. Bauer intimates that
the people who have condemned the Py-
rene extinguisher have been talking
through their hats, and he offers a pub
lie test under conditions approximating
as nearly as possible those of the Lex
ington Avenue fire to prove his con-
| tent:ons.
Charges Defamation to Mayor
The Mayors campaign is one Of
"malicious defamation" Mr.. Bauer says
| in the letter which he has addressed to
Mayor Hylan. He earnestly requests
the Mayors presence at the proposed
demonstration and adds:
II assure you that there will be no
personal danger in witnessing such n
demonstration. Five minutes after you
reached the scene Of the Lexington
Avenue fire you condemned the Pyrene
eXtinguisher, thus throwing the public
into a state OF alarm and panic. Here
Is an opportunity to prove your state
ments about Pyrene, or failing that, TO
help right great wrong that you have
done this company"
Mr.. Bauer quotes Corporation Coun-
sci O'Brien's letter to the Transit Com
mission urging public hearing on the
Pyrene question in his own letter to
Mr.. O'Brien.. The latter wrote: "The
question involved in the threatened use
of Pyrene is too important to be set
tied in private meetings or conferences
in your Office
"All right saiys Mr.. Bauer, in eff
feet, "come on into the subway and
WE'LL settle it there. If it can be
proved by actual demonstration that
the use Of pyrene in extinguishing fires
in the subway is dangerous its use
there should be discontinued
MI. Bauer's letter concludes: of a
am entirely confident it will, the anti
quated sandbox theory will be repudi
ated and the use of pyrene justified
beyond any question"
Invites Conclusive Test
o IuI. 11Suley Mt. DdueI WilteS'
"In view Of the many libellous as
sertions about pyrcne by Mayor Hylan
and members Of his official family, the
Pyrene Manufacturing Company in the
interest of fairness to your company
the Transit Commission, the numerous
users of pyrene throughout the coun-
try, as we'll as to the Pyrene company
itself, formally requests you to set an
early date for public test of this ex-
tinguisher in the subway. The Pyrene
company is eager to meet the most ex-
acting tests which can be devised and
will supply from its own laboratory all
persons necessary to carry out this
test. The company will also defray
all expenses incurred in making such a
public demonstration"
The anti-pyrene campaign is political
'priming for the fall election, Mr. Bauer
asserts in a statement to the news
papers. The real cause Of the suffering
IN the Lexington Avenue subway blaze,
he adds, was burning insulation.
The latter statement apparently was
borne out by reports Of Transit Com
mission investigators. the board of un-
derwriters and the United States Bu-
reau of Mines, all of which favored the
continued use Of tetrachloride extin-
guishers