New-York tribune., 1922-05-18
Transit Board
Lets BROOKLYN
"L'' Contract
Accepts Sl,14o,l96 Bid for
l4th Street Link Which
Hylan Rejected After the
City Approved II in 1920
Informs Estimate Board
Tells 1t TO Seek Consent of
Company if 1t Wishes to
Have a Subway Instead

| contract for an elevated structure
! to form link connecting the Four
| teenth Street subway with the elevated
railroad in old Bushwick, BROOKLYN
was let yesterday by the Transit Com
mission to the Joslin Construction
Company. The bid was S1,14al96.l0
| This is the Fourteenth Street Eastern
district connection over which CON
troversy has ragged for several years
and upon which the Board Of Estimate
made complete reversal by with
! drawing approval of an elevated line
given IN 1920 and demanding Of the
present Transit Commission a subway
instead.
1t was the rejection of this same
contract by the Board of Estimate that
was made something of civic func-
tion week and n half ago, when
Mayor Hylan, having present at the
board meeting his distinguished guest,
Mayor William Hale Thompson. of
Chicago, hurled the contract back at
nc Transit Commission with the
declaration that the "traction inter
osts' could not impose an elevated
structure upon his demesne Of Bush
WICK II Bushwick wanted a subway.
Commission Through With Matter.
In letting the elevated contract and
forwarding it to the Board of Estimate
The commission has finished with the
matter. In letter sent to the Board
yesterday afternoon the commission
points out that there is but one wav
70 insure the desired change to a sub
way INK, and that is to obtain the con-
sent OF the railroad company, as the
clty is under contract with the COM
pany for the construction of an ele
vated link. The contract is dated
March 10. 1913. The commission saws:
Both the commission and your hon
ofaoic body. must be governed in their
present action not only by the terms
ot the contract referred to, but bv the
terms of the m notification of route re-
iorred to.
LAS your board is aware, no chance
can be made in the existing contract
without the consent of the New York
Mun1clpal Railway Corporation, which
IS party to it. As the commits
SION has informed your board upon
previous occasions the receiver of the
properties of the New York Municipal
hallway Corporation, in response to
letter addressed to him in July last. de-
ci!ned to accept any modification of the
contract designed to change the form
OF construction of Sub division II. of
the accepted route from elevated rail
road to subway The position of the
company IN this respect has been re-
affrmcd by the receiver in public state
mepts made by him during the mast
several days"
The commission declines to make any
further efforts, as suggested by the
board, to induce the company to make
the change, but says that if the board
Itself wishes to try it, the commission
Is quite willing. Sections of the con-
tract with the city are quoted, showing
tnat 1T calls for "a two-track elevated
railroad"
The commission, in giving out the
letter, said that it had not changed it's
attitude of general opposition to any
more elevated structures. 1t also gave
out list OF seven awards for the
trackage work on the link, amounting
to $79,s89.37.
The commission began yesterday an
inquiry into conditions on the elevated
liEes, operated under lease by the In
terborough. Charles A. Standfast, su-
pervising inspector of the comm ssion,
testified that scarcely half of the
standing room capacity of the lines
was used during rush hours. This was
IN sharp contrast with the crushing
conditions in the subways and brought
forth the statement from Arthur G.
Peacock. who appeared for the com
pany, that at is notorious fact that
the elevated is running behind four or
tive million dollars a year. He de-
ciarcd that the elevated roads were
carrying 2,500,000 less passengers
month this year than last.
Can Run More Trains at Noon
George Keegan, assistant to Frank
Hedley, president Of the Interborough,
said that under present rush-hour work
schedules men were paid for full days
work II they worked Ave hours, and
more trains could be run, therefore,
during midday, without increasing the
cost.
Commissioner O'Ryan said it was i'm
peratlve to provide seat for every one
Tor short distances. if seats for slong
riderso were available. Chairman Nc
Ancny said later this was merely
casual remark Of Commissioner
Organs, and indicated no change in
the commissions policy.
Inc commission yesterday refused to
suspend the extra fare schedules filed
by Receivers Slaughter W. Huff and
Robert G. Lee of the Steinway lines in
Queens. In q letter to District Attor-
ney Dana Wallace the commission SAYS
that it will take no action until de-
cislon has been handed down by the
court.
Regarding the relocating of certain
tracks. upon which the commission held
hearing, it was agreed that the com
pauies and the Queens officials would
work out some plan. AS the lines are
in receiverships, there is some diff
Guilty about raising the necessary s27O,-
900.