Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-15
COUNCILLEADEUS
HEED PUBLIC CALL
FOR BETTER TRANSIT
Decide to Reapportion Loan
and Permit Early Start On
New System and Aboli-
ton of Exchange Tickets.

Councilmanic leaders, meeting thi,
afternoon in City Hall, virtually agreed
to grant the united demand of citizens
OF Philadelphia and include In the new
Ml,WoOOO loan bill the item of $500, O0C
insisted upon by Director of City Transit
Iaylor as being necessary for the re-
construction of sewers downtown, pre-.
paratory to the actual building of subway
and elevated street car lines
The meeting was held in the room of
the subcommittee on Finance 1t was
attended by John p. Connolly, chair.
man Of Councils Finance Committee
Harry c. Ransley, president of Select
Council; Charles seger. chairman of the
subcommittee on Finance. and Common
Councilman Peter e. Costello.
1t was decided meeting of the Sub
committee on Finance should be called
at 1:9O o'clock on Thursday afternoon.
Immediately following this and before
the special meeting of Common Council
| on Thursday afternoon there will be a
meeting of the general Finance Com
mittee of Councils.
| AT these meetings the transit item of
| the new loan will be carefully considered
1t was said by Councilman Connolly
| after the meeting today that other items
which the present Administration tle-
sired included in the new loan bill would
also have careful consideration.
The conference this afternoon was called
FOLLOWING the statement OF Director Tay-
Tor yesterday In which the Director
showed how every citizen in Philadelphia
would suffer through a years delay in
the transit program IL Councils stood by
raft 90 i,,at H.
for transit in the loan.
1t was not a meeting of the finance
subcommittee, members of that commit
tee explained, but a conference of some
or Its members to determine the advisa-
bility of calling a meeting of the sub-com-
lnittee to reapportion the loan.
WILL REAPPORTIoN LOAN.
The fact that Councilmanic leaders have
virtually agreed to include the $4,000
transit item not by offering an amend
ment In Common Council on Thursday
but by reapportioning the entire loan, in
dicates that the amount will be raised by
cutting down several of the items In the
apportionment made last week. The items
which will probably be cut are those for
paving, which total $780, in the present
apportionment. the 81 900, 900 for the Park
way, the $4,000 for the purchase of site
for Free Library on the Parkway, and
the appropriation of $500. 900 for the con-
struction OF sewers. The men who control
the financierng in Councils have indicated
that they do not favor cutting down the
sl.0o0.00O for the Art Museum.
increasing the amount of the loan has
also been discussed. 1t could be in
creased to $12000.0OO. and more, II neces-
sary. 1t has been pointed out. The bor-
rowing capacity of the city has been
placed at $l2.26o000 by Controller Wal
ton. The subcommittee before 1t had
determined to leave the transit item out
Of the apportionment made last week,
discussed making the loan slightly more
than $12,000.000.
CHAIRMAN CONNELLY EXPLAINS.
The change in the attitude of Council
manic leaders, following the strong de- |
mand that has been made upon them |
was reflected by Chairman John P. Con- |
nelly of the Finance Committee, today.
There Is no desire in the Finance Com |
mittee to deprive the Transit Department |
of any funds which 1t needs" he said
I'm apportioning the loan we cut our
cloth according to conditions.
The Finance Committee received no
detailed request from the Transit Depart
ment. so 1t did not pay much attention to
II. In the absence of an agreement be-
tween the city and traction company.
however, do not see how the work could
start"
"a meeting of the Subcommittee on
Appropriations will be held Thursday next
at 1880 o'clock. A meeting of the Finance
committee will be held Immediately after
ward before the session of Common Coun-
I'll for the purpose of considering chang
ng certain items In the proposed loan |
Dill. Director Norris, of the Department
u Wharves, Docks and Ferries. has re-
luested modification OF his first state
nent which was taken care OF in the
original allotment.
He now desires the article changed
rom his first request. which I deem of
'uch Importance as to require consdera-
lon by the general committee. At the
ame time II Is expected that careful
consideration will be given to the ques-
ion OF relocating the sewers In the CEN
raj part OF the city as preliminary work
o the construction OF the Broad street
ubway construction, for which $4,000
las been asked.
'Since the original allotment was made
additional requests have been filed by the
department. of Health and Charity for
ertain extensions on improvements to
he institutions at Byberry, Holmesburg
nd the Contagious Disease Hospital at |
econd and LuZerne streets. These were
Ot provided for in the loan bill because
he committee was under the opinion
hat immediate demands could be better
rovided for by transfer OF idle funds,
'hich would enable the department to |
tart work at a much earlier date than
the loan bill money We're waited for"
BUSINESS MEN MEET TONIGHT.
Business men from all parts OF the
tty will attend the meeting In the BinG-
am Hotel tonight. called by William
hancock. President OF the United Bust
ess Mems Association, and unless IL
as been definitely determined that Coun-
lis will include the transit approprla-
on in the loan, they will make an
pen demand upon Councils for It,
)irector Taylor will speak at this meet
ng. and will tell the business men the
ecessity for an immediate start in the
apid transit program.
The meeting has been called at the
equest OF the Transit Committee OF the
nited Business Mems Association. The
tuation will be handled without gloves,
lembeTs Of the committee said today.
hey will institute a movement TO com
ell the subcommittee to include in the
IAN the 10000 needed to start work on