Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-15
MOTORISTS TOLLS
ON WILLOW GROVE
TURNPIKE FOUGHT
Petition Is Circulated in
Suburbs to Have Plank
Road" Condemned by
Montgomery Co. Courts.

A movement to condemn and free the
Germantown and Willow Grove plank
road-popuarly known as the Willow
Grove turnpike-through the methods OF
petitions to the Montgomery County
courts, has struck a popular chord with
automobilsts In Philadelphia and south
eastern Pennsylvania, and with subur-
banites who live In the three important
townships traversed by the turnpike
Many sgners have been obtained for the
petitions which are being circulated.
The toll road. relic OF past days, tra-
verses a territory from Germantown, at
point near Germantown avenue,
through the townships of Cheltenham,
Arlington and Moreland, and has its tor
minus where II makes a junction with
The Old York road, at the entrance to
Willow Grove Park, in that suburb. II
is a highly favored roadway with motor
lists, and the tolls collected in recent
years total thousands of dollars. Road
ways which bisect the turnpike and serve
as feeders are numerous Suburban
towns through which the turnpike passes
include Willow Grove, Weldon, Ardsley
Edge Hill and Glenside
Tolls are collected at number of gates.
In recent years controversies have fire.
quently arisen, particularly at the gate
in Glenside, located near the Reading
station, and so placed, by reason of near
by intersecting roads, that motorists
could dodge" the toll gate by merely
driving a short distance of a square or
two. Quite few automobilists TOOK ad-
vantage of the condition until proceed
ings were instituted before a magistrate
and fines imposed.
The petitions for condemnation had
their inception, II is understood, in ABB
ington township, district which Is
crossed by the turnpike. The citation
outlines the course of the turnpike, as
serts that collection of tolls is eNacting
and burdensome and asks relief from
the courts. The declaration is further
made that should the collection of tolls
be permitted 10 continue, 1t Will develop
a condition which will be burdensome and
affect the development OF the township.
The courts are asked to appoint jury
Of view and n master, whose duties VIII
include tho viewing of the entire turn
pike, the condemnation of the pike, It's
dedication as a roadway free from col
lection OF any tolls and the assessment
OF damages due the turnpike or plank
road corporation.
One petition is being kept in the Town
ship Building at Abingdon and has al
ready been signed by these well-known
residents of the township: Harry s. AM
bier, Jr., Daniel Webster, John NJ. Book
ius, Joseph M BocSius, Captain Nicholas
Baggs, James Heger Edward Chester
man, Chief of Police H. s. Lever, Magis-
strate II. Calvin Williams, Howard Nice.
William Ferguson. j. T. Wimder, William
x. Jones, John II. Ferguson, G. Henry
Messer, Allen Boucher. T. r, Altman,
George Palmer, Edward A. Richardson,
Harry ]. Streeper, James Kenney, Will
liam j. Kenney, IL, II. Jones and others.
When the men ;ftrtherlng the move
nent feel that a large enough number OF
signatures has been obtained for the pc
tition and the others which are being
circulated in Moreland and Cheltenham
townships, the documents will be for
warded to Norristown and presented to
Judges Swartz and Miller.