New-York tribune., 1922-03-03
End jam or City
Will Act, Hylan
Notifies [. X. T.
Continued from page on,,

that you have trimmed to the utmost
degree tho services furnished by your
company. This 'trimming.' according
to your own admission, has been car
rird to the last degree in reducing
service You have pursued studied
policy Of using tho smallest portion Of
your available equipment in operating
the subways, thus artificialiy creating
the greatest amount OF congestion. Ths
conduct on your part cons stitutes a will
full breach Of the provision in the op-
Grating contract, which guarantees safe
md adequate transportation.
Involves Transit Commission
"Thc congestion thus created is un-
justiGablc in law. as we'll as indefens-
iblc in fact, and mocks the very law
under which the city transpor rtation
lines are regulated. Such mockery
sh hould not be tolerated by the law
enforcing body in this city which at
present is the State Transit Commits
sion.
"You admit that the service that your
company furnishes during 'non-rush
hours on the city subways is but 67
per cent Of The service furnished dur
ing 1915. This does not include the
increase in the number Of passengers
since 1915, which would make the per
centage of comparison still greater
against you.
"You also admit that your rush hour
service on the Lexington Avenue line,
between Grand Central Station and
City Hall. is but 81 per cent of what
1t was tive years ago, and that on the
West Side subway the proportion of
service is far below what it was five
years ago, not including passenger In
crease.
"This policy of deliberately with
holding from use the available inter
borough equipment in order to trim
operation is utterly unWarrantcd ard
must cease. This policy Of coldly
whiting down service so as to main
tam rush hour conditions through out
the entire day, including 'non-rush
hour periods. must stop. This trim
ming of service, to use your own words
is another form Of trimming the pub
lie, and it not only violates your CON
tract with the city, but produces a
trafflc condition which is a menace to
The life. the health and the morals Of
the travelling public and the community
"if you persist in profting by and
capltalizing the dilly- -dallying official
action, or rather inaction, of the State
raHslt COMMISSION, am cOnStrai n ed
to advise you that resort will be had
to drastic means to end your policy of
artlhcially creating abomnaole condi-
tlons OF congestion and to cause the
putting to full use all the subway
equipment available and possible Of
operation.'
Commission Ready to Act
When this letter was shown to
Chairman McAneny of the Transit
Commission he said
"Thc Transit Commission has. Of
course, been kept completely informed
With relation not only to existing traf-
'lc conditions. but to the financia,
ability Of the transit companies. 1t
will, at its next session, receive COM
prehensive and up to-date reports upon
both subjects and it proposes to re-
quire of the railways the fullest meas
ure of relief that their improving sit
uation will permit
When Health Commis issioner Cone
land was asked about possible "dras
tic means" to improve the subway
service he said:
II am in hearty accord with the
Mayor. and will back him up to the
limit"
At the lnterborough Offices it was