New-York tribune., 1922-06-13
Estimate Board
Has Banner Dav
With Interests
Mayor Assails the B. II. T..
I. r. T., Port Auihorit,
and Transit Board ai
"Anti" Forum Hearings
Denies Increase 10 Coney
Expert Saws Power Plants
of Two Subways Waste
SI.500.000 Each Il Year

. or Estimate yetteluhF ANl"lHiN" "
forum for those opposed 20 the Transit
Commission. the Port Authority. the
railroads and "the interests" With
the Interborough Rapid Transit Com
pany. the B. r. T. and the Pennsylva-
MIA Railroad as targets for the city au-
thoritics 20 shoot at Mayor Hylan
ended a perfect day b. making a state
mcnt taking issue with George Nc
Aneny. chairman Of the Transit Com
mission, on the possibility Of lo-eent
fare 70 Coney Island. The Mayor also
took a shot al Governor Miller.
At the request Of Corporation Coun-
sci O'Brien, a public hearing was held
20 inquire into the costs Of power
plant operation Of the lnterborough
and the Brooklyn Rapid Transit COM
psnies Mr.. OBrien contended that
there was wastage Of sl,5OO,ooo an
nuallv in the plants Of each Of these
companies. He said he had tried on
various occasions 20 bring the matter
- the attention Of the Transit Com
mission al open hearings. but each
time had been rcpulsed He thought
h was GOOD thing TO let the publlc
know about it through hearing before
- board. The Mayor evidently
agreed with him.
see y. J. Corner on Potatoes
representatives Of civic and trade
associations and individual produce
dealers appeared at the other hearing
10 protest against the proposed en-
bargo on potatoes by the Pennsylvania
Pa,lroad. which was lifted for an IN
defnite period a few days ago by the
Interstate Commerce Commission. The
Navor and other members Of the board
again saw in this "a scheme 10 graD
the produce business from New lork
and take IL 70 New Jersey The fort
Authority and the railroads were IN
cahorts to do this, according TO 'le
The Mayor caustically denied
statement credited 90 Mr.. McAneny
that the city's transit plan would
result in doubling the fare to Coney
Island. The Mayor characterized tne
McAneny statement as false ana
ridiculousr and "only serves TO empha-
size the ignorance Of the Transit Com-
missions chairman with respect 70
transit in this city, and particularly
with respect 20 Contract No. a. ING
Mavor declared that the city's proposed
subway plans would not only retain
the five-ceni fare 20 Conoy Island. out
would provide additional transit ilhes
connecting the city with Coney Island
He said u was senseless 20 oppose the
citv's plans in advance OF their puDh-
cation.
There was a sparse audience at the
hearing on the traction company
mower plans. DR.. Walter y. foiaSoV
qualified as an expert witness lot the
city on plant management, ana uhaeI
the questioning Of Corporation Counsei
O'Brion described conditions as ne had
found them at the lnterborough ana
3. r. It. power plants, which. IN ms
opinion. based on the reports OF the
companies 70 the Transit Commlsslon'
showed a waste Of approximately
81 1900 900 by each company due TO eH, &
cessive prices paid for coal antlquateo
equipment and poor plant mahhge-
ment. Dr. Polakov's calculations We're
based on comparative estimates ue.
Quoted from the cost Of generating
electric current as he saw " ahu ~, e9
the companies had reported H. MS
testimony was technical.
All Affects City's Profits Says Mayor
Finally the Mayor said; ..
a. understand IL, this $l,oUOJUV
waste in the InterbOrouGh and TINS
81 Zoo 0oo waste n .he 3. i. T. under
I .bo duai subway contracts and TINS IN
boi,- wedlock that the city entered INTO
. with the Interborough and the b. H.
through McAneny few years ago !,
mas to be G. arged up and made sood
before the city can get any pioiil Oh
its investment
Assured by Mr. O'Brien and the wit
ness that his understanding was COT
rect. the Mayor continued:
Just think Of III Think OF q con
tract entered into Of that KIND wnere
thev buy the coal without public let
ting or anything that IS charged up
and the city must eventually pay
y,berc n we buy a ton Of coal, practi-
cally. for any city department we nave
10 40 IL bv public letting. II IS a
criminal shame that the people are
Aoeced every hour under the dual sub
way contracts
Overlooks Craig's Criticism
The Mayor apparently overlooked the
criticism directed at Commissioner
Grover A. Whalen, head Of tho Boa-d OF
Purchase. by Comptroilcr Craig at the
meeting OF the Board OF Estimate last
Friday for buying coal for the city
without pubic letting. The Comptrol-
Ter declared that Commissioner Whalen
had violated the city charter IN this
respect. He declared that the Com
missioner was attempting 20 return 20
the old contract system instead OF buy
inc bv public letting, as the charter
required. Mayor Hylan rushed TO the
defense n Commissioner Whalcr' who
explained that he got the coal cheaper
lv not going into the public market.
and declared that it might be o good
thing for the city 70 return 20 the con
tract system.
Mr. O'Br-n said that he could find
no record that the Transit Commission
OF its predecessors ever had investi-
gated costs OF generating electricity.
"No." said Mayor Hylan. "Aad tsere
never viii be an investigation Until we
get Governor at Albany who VIII ap-
point a Public Service Commission .hat
will regulate the companies instead o.
regulating the people
Dr. Polakov testified that the 3. r.
r had wasted p the last tvc gears ap-