The New York herald., 1922-05-08
Mayor Declares Purpose Is
to Make City Buy Obsolete
Surface Lines.
REVIEWS PLEA FOR BUSES
Wants Taxpayers to Own and
Operate Any Additional
Transit Systems.

Mayor Hylan in statement yes
terday attacked the Transit Commits
sion's plans for future subway ex
$3.50, ,O00, 900, the details of which were
published in THE New YORK HERALD
yesterday The Mayor takes the
ground that certain important details
of the plan have not been given to the
public and that in addition to Tic
$3.50, ,000, 900 mentioned as the probable
cost Of the extensions there must be
taken into consideration a figure
somewhere between $3.50 100000 and
500, 200, 900 for the acquisition OF the
worn out, dilapidate6. broken down
surface lines" according to whether
the valuations by the companies or
the Transit Commission are accepted.
The s46o,o00,o00 referred to by the
Mayor is the Transit Commissions
valuation and includes not only surface
lines. but subway and elevated lines as
we'll. In the commissions scheme OF
valuation, s140,o0o,0oo only is SCI as
the valuation OF the surface lines.
Apart from that fact. the plan contem-
plated by the city does not involve any
cash outlay.
In his statement Mayor Hylan also
raises the question asked by Aldermanic
President Murray Hubert at Town Hall
on Friday night and answered by
George McAneny. chairman of the Tran
sit Commission. The Mayor inferentially
charges Mr.. McAneny with responsible
ty for the fact that approximately $1o,-
coo, 900 must be provided in the budget
every year for carrying charges for
the city's interest In the dual subway
contracts. He ignores Mr.. McAnenys
explanation that when the contracts
were made the city had reached the
limit of its credit and had to borrow
private funds for which it had to pay
interest.
Leaked OCT Inadvertently.
The Mayors statement follows In
part:
MANY Of the Sunday papers carry
the announcement that a new transit
plan to cost s250.O0o.o0 is to be put
forth soon by the State Transit Commits
sion. Certain information about this
plan has supposedly leaked out mad
vertentiy. The details which have been
given apparently premature publicity
are such as are expected to impress the
trftt, tl,o
ing to get something out OF the wonder
rul program soon TO be launched by the
State Transit Commission. But some
vital things have not leaked cut and
think the tax aud rent payers might
as well be supplied with some OF the
missing information.
"The State Transit Commission pro-
poses a reorganization as r part OF their
plan. Under this reorganization the
people are to take over the old worn out
dilapidated, broken down surface lines
1T a cost of about half billion dollars.
II McAneny and his State Transit Com
missions valuations OF these obsolete
surface lines arc accepted 1t means n
$3.50. 100000 obligation upon the city.
II the traction companies figures as to
the valuations Of such lines are accepted
IL will mean burden upon the city OF
between S600.000.000 and 100000. 900.
In other words, these decrcpit surface
lines which the people would not accept
as a gift are to be saddled on the backs
OF the tax and rent payers nt a cost OF
over half billion dollars. That is ono
sinister feature of the wonderful plan
Of the State Transit Commission which
did not succeed In leaking out
Wants City to own subwnys.
"The people OF the city of New York
and their officials should not permit
McAneny and the State Transit Com
mission to tie the city to any extension
Of the transit scheme or permit the city
TO be joined In eternal wedlock with the
traction companies. And new subway
lines that are constructed should be OPP
Grated by the city itself.
"The Board of Estimate and Appo--
tionment is prepared to appropriate $685.
100000 for the purchase and operation
of automobile buses Of On UP to date
type, well ventilated. we'll lighted, well
heated, commodious and sanitary. And
this operation will he at a cent fare.
II favorable decision In rendered to
the city In the case now pending In the
court a fleet OF municipal buses will be
instantly supplied and the people viii
be given the transportation facilities
they require.
1T is well to remembe- that McAneny
was party to the execution Of the dual
subway contracts which infllct an an
nual burden of about s10,000,000 In the
budget on the taxpayers. McAneny re-
signed his public office to take posi-
tion on a newspaper in this city at a
reported salary of $4,000 year. Now
he IS back again on traction work as a
mcmber of the State Transit Commis-
sion. II was he who favored a lease Of
the subways. owned by the city. to the
marlborough and b. u. r.. fought this
plan as did many other citizens when II
was proposed some years ago. ] shall
oppose just as vigorously the plan which
McAneny now favors OF dumping the
dilapidated surface lines on the city
with the plan OF giving the operation OF
these surface lines back to the traction
compa MES"