Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-24
OYERBROOK AGAINST
P. R. R. PLANS FOR
FREIGHT YARD THERE
Residents Say Smoke and
Engines Would Ruin NAL
vern Avenue Homes.
Want Road Electrified.

Residents Of Overlook are making
decided stand against the Pennsylvania
Railroad, which purposes the building
of large freight yards in that suburb
and the laying of a new road which
will be used for freight TRANSPORTATION
from Glenloch and Frazer to the Penn
sylvania Railroad wharves at the foot
of Washington avenue, via Overhrook
ana 52d street Thay say the road as
now planned will ruin the handsome
residential district.
The railroad was granted franchise
by the city of Philadelphia for the
carrying out of this plan in 1906 This
expires In 1915. Since the company has
not begun the work II would be i'm
possible to complete 1t before the time
limit expires, and therefore the com
psny has applied for an extension on
the permit. The citizens of Overbrook
represented in the Overbrook Associa-
tion and the Overlook Club. have made
such vigorous protest that the City
Council has informed the railroad that
1t will have to come TO some under
standing with the citizens of that To-
cality before the permit will be eN-
tended.
That part OF the Pennsylvania Rail-
roads project which is most Objectionable
to residents of Overlook is the fact
that the new incoming line will run to
the proposed freight yard along Mai
Nern avenue a handsome residential dis
trict which would be ruined by the
smoke Of the engines that would con-
stantly be passing along the line The
freight yard will not be electrified. ac-
cording to the plans projected by the
company, and so would ruin, the resi-
dents say, the extensive residenta. de-
velopments which are being carried on
between Overbrook and Wynnehed.
NOT TO ELECTRGFY YARDS
In referring to this point. John ].
Coyle, president of the Overhroolt Assoc
ciation, said that the city of Philadel-
phia would lose from 100000 to $i50Op0
annually in taxes alone through the
depreciation in value of real estate in
that neighborhood, which would prob
ably be at least so per cent. He believes
that the company's claim that it would
be impossible to electrify a freight ward
OF such magnitude as theirs is to be is
untrue, for he says that uot only the
members of the overhrook Committee.
but also representatives Of the CITY
Council have visited the electrified yards
OF other cities and are convinced that
the proposition could not only be handled
here, but that II could be pro:itably
managed.
But rather than electrified lines and
freight yards, the people of Overlook
present spur line connecting the Wash
ington street uharves with Newtown
Square, via Fernwood. to Gl-nloch and
Frazer, cutting out the Ovorbrook and
b2d street yards This, they claim, could
be done at vastly smaller expense and
at Il saving Of considerable mileage, and
incidentally leaving the fashionable resi-
Dental sections of Overbrook undisturbed
The railroads plan as it now stands is
10 extend the sd street yards to over
brook, eventually laying 100 tracks for
this purpose These lines would pass
underneath the Main Line passenger
tracks al Malvern avenue. and continue
out that avenuc rs 4 luw-grudc line
toward tha Newtown Square and Fernwo Jd
branch. not joining that road however.
but turning north and running directly
10 Glenloch and Frazer. The only tun-
nelng which would he done would be on
tina. part of Malvern avenue which lies
between the Main Line and the Blind
Asylum. There would he no means Of
crossing the Pennsylvania lines between
SD street and jsth.
CONDEMNS PLAN OF P. R. r.
In commenting on the situation this
morning, John ]. Coyle said We feel
that the Pennsylvania Railroad has been
granted greater concessions by her ma
tive State and city than any other rail-
road in the world, and that in return for
these advantages 1t has not only failed
to show its appreciation but has shower
ed favors on other cities and States 10
the exclusion of Philadelphia and Penn
sylvania II has erected a magnificent
terminal in New York and has electrf-
fed its lines entering that city. but not
only refuses TO dc as much for Ph.ladel-
phia, but wishes. on the other hand, 10
ruin one of the CrN's finest suburbs"
Yesterday a committee Of Overbrook's
citizens visited the scene of the pro-
posed changes They are 10 report at
a meeting to be held IN discuss ways
and means OF bringing the railroad to
terms.