Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-23

'front.' property Tor harDOr ueVelOpihSHt p"i
poses. In view Of the acute shortage of free
pier accommodations-free, in the sense OF
being municipality controlled-Mr Norris has
put three new ones along the Delaware River.
One at the foot of Dock street, was COM
pleted and opened late in 1918, and the others
in the old Southwark district, between Queen
and Christian streets are now under con-
struction. They will be opened next year.
South Philadelphia is the citadel of the
Wares Congressman william S. commanding
in the 26th Ward and State Senator Edwin
II. in the seth Ward. The S6th Ward is
neutral ground, for Jim McNichol has half
interest in the present ward leader, F. J.
Ryan. For years the contractor overlords
have let the taxpayers of this populous sec
tion bounded by oregon avenue and the two
rivers suffer the dangers Of grade crossings
without securing any relief for them. Ore
gon avenue, filled with tracks. was Chinese
wall that abruptly halted the growth Of the
city further to the southwark.
Then came the Blankenburg adminstra-
tion, which took up long series of negotia-
tions with the railroads. These conferences
eliminated in an agreement that assures the
complete removal of grade crossings in South
Philadelphia. Again find the placeholders
busy, this time assuring citizens that the
real brains of the plan were Jim McNchol
and the Wares.
OF course, everybody knows that Jim Nc
Nichol and the Wares never did anything for
anybody but themselves. Assurance is a
necessary quality in politics-business poll
tics.
But returning to the South Philadelphia
plan; it is one of the big accomplishments Of
the Blankenburg administration, for, aside
from benefits to the three local wards, 1t
means great things for the commerce of the
whole city. The telt line system 1t provides
will connect every important pier with every
important railway entering the city, leaving
open the privilege to any new road that may
come to Philadelphia to utilize the connect
ing railroad.
Further, under the terms of the plan, some
two miles more of South Philadelphia
waterfront is released to the city, where II is
arranged to erect big piers for the accommo-
dation of large ocean-going steamships thus
Philadelphia is put in the centre Of the high
road on the way back to the citys former
glory as one Of the leading scaports of the
world. The city's part in the South Phila-
delphia Improvement is $9OOO,OOO of which
$3OOO.OOO Immediately comes back through the
acquisition of the big slice of water front
There are to be ten new city owned piers
built. and the project whole will be
known the Moyamensing Improvement
The first pier will he located on the Delaware
River at Mexican street, the group extending
from that point down to Hoyt street, includ-
ing the site of the present coal terminals of
a railroad company at Greenwich Point. The
new piers to vary in length from 900 to
1900 feet and in width from $50 to 300 feet
Some steamers now calling at this port are
forced to use two or three wharves before
they have discharged and loaded their car
goes. This added expense operates to the de-
cided disadvantage of Philadelphia. But
when the Moyamcnsing Improvement in
Guiding the connecting railway, is operating,
Philadelphia will be able to offer advantages
superior even to New York. where most of
the wharves are located upon the wrong side
of waterways from freight handling stand
point, and necessitates costly loading and
operations.
Superior even to New York. Does it not
listen large? All that the Blankenburg ad-
minstration has asked for is the chance to
make Philadelphia again pre-emnent in COM
merce. Along the water front the Mayor
speaks through Director Norris. They are
pulling for Philadelphia. Send them their
flowers now.