Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-17
WILL ASK COUNCILS
FOR AUTO BUS LINE
FRANCHISE TODAY
New Company Plans to
Operate l20 Heavy Cars.
Damage to Pavements
Feared Director Taylor
Won't Comment.

An effort to obtain a city franchise for
an omnibus line on the principal streets
will be made today at the meeting of
Common Council. For days a story has
been current that part of the program
of opposition to the subway proposition
was to be a petition for an omnibus line,
on the plea that 1t would relieve the
need for improved traffic facilities. This.
the story ran, would be seized upon as an
excuse to delay action on the subway.
Walter c. McIntire, an electrical con-
tractor at 10 North Fifth street, is the
man in charge of the omnibus project.
He is related to George c. Pierte of the
Board of Registration Commissioners. The
belief that the scheme may be urged as
substitute for other transit plans is
supported by statement issued by Nc
Int!re for the United Traction Improve
ment Company, which will operate the
line.
Mclnt.re says: "The petition for the
franchise puts the question of immediate
relief Of passenger traffic conditions in
the residential sections squarely up to
the city government"
In the days when the omnibus line was
said the plan might he used to divert
attention from the transit proposition be-
fore Councils
. "Of course bus line never would take
the place Of subway" said one man
prominently concerned in the subway
plans but, at the same time. those op-
posed TO the subway might use II as
preteXt for delaying action"
TAYLOR WON'T COMMENT.
Director Taylor, of the City Transit De-
partment declined to discuss the plan
for an omnibus line He had not heard
a petition for a franchise was to be in
troduced.
Electricity generated by gasoline motors
carried on the cars Will be the motive
power for the new bus line. The United
Traction Improvement Company" IS the
name Of the organization which seeks the
franchise, McIntire is the president.
According to MClntirc the organizing
officials have visited England, Germany
and France to study modern omnibus
construction. The United Traction Inn
provement Company will have 100 cars,
McIntire says. Each can carry 2s pas
sengers at speed of IA miles an hour
The ears will weigh 1880 pounds. but
that is not too great a weight for the
pavement. MCIntire asserts.
Three routes are designated in the
petition to Common Council.
Route number one will start at Front
and Market streets, and viii traverse
Market, Broad, Diamond, 25th streets.
Allegheny avenue, 27th. Diamond, 33d
and Dauphin streets.
Route number two will start at Front
and Market streets, and will traverse
Market, Broad, Porter 2lst, Wolf 22d.
Nnlin, path and Christian streets
Route number three will start at Front
and Market streets, and will traverse
Market, 32d, Chestnut, 33d, Walnut and
6Sd streets.
PAVING DAMAGE FEARED.
William D. Uhler assistant engineer in
the Highway Bureau, was asked today
whether he thought an omnibus weighing
1850 pounds would damage paving The
bus line project was news to Mr.. Uhler
Il had not heard that anyone planned
to operate a bus line" he said, land
until / have some details as to the way
the trucks will be built II would be i'm
possible 10 tell what effect they would
nave on the pavement Some of the Bald
win Locomotive Works trucks are heavier
than those proposed for the bus route
and Chief Connel is investigating now to
see how much damage heavy trucks in
fiCt on the city streets"
When the Hughes bus line was running
or Broad street the damage to paving
vas severe.
Blueprints showing the construction of
! the proposed cars were issued today by
the traction company. The cars will re-
semble those used by the Fifth avenue
/ line IN New York city, but their motive
/ power will be electricity instead of gaso-
I line. This. according TO McIntTe, will
/ eliminate the shock OF starting and stop
( ping noticeable on the New York stages.
/ There will be double rows OF cross
seats inside the stages and on a top deck
/ winding stairs Will lead up from the rear
I entrance platform to the open air deck
! on the left side are six cross seats.
/ Divided by an aisle running the length
OF the car are four more and one aisle
seat. Arrangements will be the same for
1 both decks.
Safety First and the Public be Pleased"
/ will be the slogan OF the new company,
according to an announcement sent today
/ to newspaper offices. There will be a
night service specially designed to ae-
commodate theatre crowds. it says. Sched-
| ules will be based on the patronage
| though It Is said the buses will run on a
| three-minute headway west on AaFkel