Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-30
VICTORIES FOR CITY
SCORED INTHE YEAR
BY ADMINISTRATION
Review of Successful Efforts
Shows Record Of Consist
ent Efficiency and Progress
During 1914.

a'hs third year Of the Blankenburg ad
nninistration has been one OF consisten
efiiciency. economy and progress
Mayor Biankenburgs persistent an,
fnally successful effort to obtain the pas
sage OF the siiSoo,OcO municipal loan fol
the beginning Of work on high-speed tran.
cit lines. elimination of railroad grade
crossings and for other civic betterments
g one OF the chief accomplishments OF
his administration in 1914
Leaders OF the Organization in Councils
abandoned their attitude OF obstruction to
the loan only after an aroused public
opinion backed the Mayor in his demands
for better transit facilities and other inn
provements that the measure would in
stltuts.
Economies have been effected in the
principal operations Of the city during the
year by the Mayors insistence on the
strict adherence to the law that money
shall be actually borrowed for loans au-
thorlzed only after contracts under those
loans have been begun Interest and
sinking fund charges have thereby been
saved until the principal has served a
useful purpose
The Mayor has named a committee OF
city onicials to draft an amendment to
be introduced at the next session of the
Legislature for the merging of more than
ss.OoooOO OF loan funds now idle in the
City Treasury. Restrictions now hamper
inEsthe expenditure of that money on
civic improvements would be removed by
legislation.
BOND SALES PROVE INTEGRITY
The financial integrity OF the city was
reflected during the year in the sales of
municipal bonds. Early in the fall an
offering OF ;S2b,o0O of bonds brought in
dividual buyers. exclusively, to the "coun- |
ter at the City Treasury and before the |
sale was terminated approximately $l125, |
900 of the bonds had been sold
At the last meeting of Councils the
measure was passed that will increase the
interest rate on city funds on deposit in
banks from ? to slh per cent Mayor
Biankenburg had insisted upon the pass
age OF that all through the year In re-
peated messages
The project of sewage disposal for the
entire city has been given definite form
during 1914 by virtual completion OF
plans in the Survey Bureau for a COM
prehensIve system to cost approximately
s40.O0OOOO Plans for the system have
been submitted to the State Department
of Health,
At the suggestion of Mayor Blanken-
burg a conference of American Mayors
was held In Philadelphia and there was
established definite policy for mutually |
helpful relations between municipalities
and the public utilities corporations that
furnish light, power and transportation.
An outgrowth of that first conference ,
is the National Utilities Bureau that will
be at the service of any cooperating
engaged in a contest with a :
public service corporation.
GRADE CROSSINGS TO GO.
Negotiations were completed during the
year by city officials and officers OF the
Reading Railway and Pennsylvania Rail- ]
road for elimination OF railroad grade .
In the northeastern section of I
the city.
Tulip and Emerald streets will be opened {
under "a tracks of the Reading Railway. :
These streets are ilow blocked and their /
opening will provide new avenues for I
traffic in an Industrial locality.
The rnenacing grade crossing at Lehlgh 1
avenue and Memphis street. near ST. t
AIMS Church. which Is crossed by school Y
children several times daily. will be re- r
moved as a result OF the negotiations
Progress has been made in the widening A
Of Delaware avenue between Vine street z
and Fairmount avenue and between South v
and Christian streets.
Director Cooke, of the Department of c
Public Works. has lodged complaint b
against the rates, organization and service o
OF the Philadelphia Electric Company be- v
fore the State Public Service Commission n
and. unaided by Councils, IS endeavoring ii
10 obtain lower rates for the city as well k
~ for private consumers
A revenue was obtained by the city this n
year for the arst time by the sale of d
waste collected by the street cleaning D
The contract for the sale OF /!
wasta IN 1915 will net the city 5000. II
Two contracts for construction work In o
the Highway Bureau were for completion
Of the west side OF League Island Park, O.
sie0. 900, and for construction OF the CEN Is
trail driveway OF the Northeast Boule- b
yard from Broad street to Second street Il
and the side driveways from Broad street Ia
70 Rhawn street. s3s5.0oO %
In the Department OF Health and Char Is
ties the. year has seen the partial COM y
pletioD OF the Home for the INDECENT at b,