New-York tribune., 1922-10-19
transit Boards Engineers
Find Mayors Paper
scheme Would BE Near
IvDouble 5000, 900, 600
Deceiving People,
McAneny Charges
Commission Head Says
Civ Could Not Finance
Quarter Of That Sum

transit Commission, III statement
issued last night said that the en-
a,fssfs of the Transit Commission had
.asigzed Mayor Hylan's proposed
500 coo 900 subway construction plan
md that instead of costing 5000 900 900
would cost sl,o53,9o0,ooo. He said
lat the city, With its limited borrow
IL capacity, could not finance one
barter of this sum. He concluded by
sing that it Is conceivable that the
xople will brock no further delays In
,srsit construction when the situation
i setter understood.
Vi. MeAneny briefly sketehed the
ss!sys In transit construction charge
iii to the Hylan administration--re-
ssring to the Fourteenth Street East
n. District line anG the Livonia Ave-
ID. extension and the completion Of
usssssary yards for the proper opera
sss Of subway trains.
Charges Blockade
aWhst amounts to an actual policy
4 bloesading relief has continued ever
dee the commission took office he
aId. aThe hold-up Of the routes for
il, new subway lines is merely the
lstest expression Of that policy"
Of the most recen. clash between
i, commission and the Board OF Esti-
.sts, on the plan cnmprehending re-
,.uturs of local lines. Mr. McAneny
ssks;
aHoa does he fHylanl know that
lis city will do anything Of the sort,
Il that his successor In Office will think
Ia wise thing TO tear the existing
system into separate parts and double
ssrss tos any such purpose? The re-
.antuye csuse cannot even be invoked
Until 1855 III the case of the Inter
haraash Ines, and 1926 In the caye Gf
MART lines. Even then yaarss
shts sis provided before the railways
xg BE- required to sell the city. their
interests in the lines to. be recaptured.
20 oas can tell what the situatiun Of
sov o. the present Board of Estimate
fgsun Transit Commissions may do
about the lines laid down from five to
fttsen years hence. Promises the
gsyor has been making to communities
III over tha city that such lines will
b butt merely because he now puts
rem on d paper map are not only
emrsy promises but part of plan Of
asctption that the people themsslves
should resent.
Figures Are Away OE
Not only are che Mayors plans i'm
possible because he predicates them
upon promise of municipal operation
mat cannot be given for years and
upon the action OF his successors In
office. They are impossible, too, from
the financial point of view. He has
talked of a $500, 100000 program. In
ether words, he means to recapture
existing lines, build and equip new
ones for fifteen years ahead and take
care Of number of other things for
Sooo,oo0,00 The Transit Commission
mas had careful engineering and ac-
counting estimates prepared, showing
exactly what it would cost to carry
ous tae Mayors plan, with the follow
ing results;
iS buy out the interests Of the
.MsslIDorough and e. r. T. companies
H.. il laose parts OF the existing lines
.'ss se proposes should be taken would
COS. Sl64, 4,00e,o00.
re pay for the exchange OF the
MuaaWay- WA Bronx extension-that is, the
msss oide line OF the Interborouph
slnpsny-for the Lexington Avenue, or
ss,., ssss Slae Tine, which he proposes the
pMpany shall retain, would cost on
1900, 900. '"iues
70 build and equip the new subways
4 @alcn sa1. ms scheme provides would
The total of these three Items a,ona
~ ,063, 100000. - = 01io
With the addition OF tbe huiIa;ne
his tri-borough bridge connect;n !,
ahattan. Queens and the: BronY af
expenditure of $4,000 GOO and YIN
Fd, bus equipment and SO ON. The
sn the Mayor has put forward wonIfI
M pretty nearly double tho sum he
Aims for it. -
Half Billion First Five Years
What is of even greater interest is
ae TACT that the costs that would fall
atnin the first five years alone woi,ld
gss $500, 900 600. The city could not
nance one-auarter of this sun within
IS limited borrowing power IL now
sssesses or that it will possess for
sss Years ahead. The margin of to-
- me Mayor says, is Sl50, 900 900.
ssss s ls already nortgaged by charges
souu0,uO0 still required to complete
ss.suai =. sauai subways, and S61 900 600. ac-
lung TO the estimates Of the MAYORS
sxsaeers. for the cost Of the proposed
ssxn Island freight and passenger
~ saasi. Against what is left. or what
~ ns realized from year to year in
near future, there will be innumer-
otner charges for schools, dock
! agreements ~, and what not vet to be
s;isne. ~ ~ % an imp9s ssible
aee Transit Commission. ax Il has
sen announced. is prepared Ia
aef any plan sensibly put forward
Il. sasaspody. It has gone to exfrefne . Z
f.ss. e enorts to secure even se,n-
oi Cooperation from the Hnara
ysS, Innate. II those who sneak os &.
$3.50 ~ between the two bodies .ua,Id
sssss. any act of the cornm;ss;nr -
IS Ky - taken that will aid the situa-
sn ~. sae commission will be- GLAD ~ L.
In the meanwhile fi,Ars
sss IN Whatever for concern abont
ssbs;sang OF new subway work. Il IL
sS;alsaple ss;a, g. that the people Of fhs
Ssay.a Sssai snemsslves brook any furtbsr
ds,.t mnen the situation il better
sars WsSo Wa end ! have perfect cons
sgssss as through their insistenca Z
sr,s snas meets their needs and
usaas uSassss pc carried out, win be
- sssss go way before many months