April 25, 1974

NYC Fire Comr John T O'Hagan and Bldgs Comr Jeremiah T Walsh say that ruptured water tank, believed responsible for Apr 22 gas explosion at 305 East 45th St, was installed and renovated by unlicensed plumbers working without required permits; say tank lacked safety valve that is required by city and would have prevented rupture; Brause Realty Inc, bldg's landlord, Authenticolor Inc, which maintained tank for film processing, and Fed Pump Corp, which installed tank last yr, decline comment; Mayor Beame orders Bldgs Dept to check similar water tanks in city's commercial bldgs and urges landlords to make own checks; most residents of Envoy Towers, which was damaged in blast, are permitted to return to apts; illus (M)

Patricia Hearst, in tape-recorded message, describes herself as willing participant in bank robbery; says her weapon was loaded and she was prepared to use it; identifies herself as Tania; says that if robbery does not clear up any question as to whether she was acting voluntarily, future actions will; tape is delivered to San Francisco police hq; also contains messages from Gen Field Marshal Cinque and man identified as Teko; FBI repts discovery of 2 rented cars used in escape from bank robbery; cars were rented under name of Janet Cooper, who reptd that her identification cards had been stolen (M)

NYS Gov Wilson nominates David L Yunich, former vice chmn of Macy's dept stores, to be chmn of MTA; confirms expected resignation of Chmn William J Ronan, who was elected to be chmn of Port Auth of NY and NJ; some observers speculate that former Gov Rockefeller played strong hand in choice; NYC Mayor Beame, Theodore W Kheel and Sen John J Marchi laud nomination; Inst for Public Transportation dir Robert N Rickles says group of business and civic execs felt that there should have been screening process; Yunich career detailed; por (L)

Standard & Poor's on Apr 24 lowers Con Ed's credit rating from BBB to BB, removing, in effect, many insts from mkt for Con Ed bonds; Standard & Poor's pres Brenton W Harries links move to Con Ed's Apr 23 announcment of suspension of quarterly dividends; notes proposed NYS takeover of 2 Con Ed plants but says over-all situation is deteriorating too rapidly to permit keep BBB rating (S)

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