Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-24
OVERLOOK 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 e
decided stand against the Pennsylvania
Railroad, which purposes the building
of large freight yards in that suburb
and the laying of n new road which
Will be used for freight transportation
from Glcnloch and Frazer to the Penn
sylrania Railroad wharves at the foot
Of Washington avenue, via Overbrook
ana sd street. Th"y say the road as
row planned will ruin the handsome
residential district.
The railroad was granted n franchise
by the city of Philadelphia for the
carrying out of this plan in 1905. This
expires in 1915. Since the company has
not begun the work it would be i'm
possible to complete it before the time
limit expires, and therefore the com.
pany has applied for an extension on
the permit. The citizens of Overbrook.
represented in the Overbrook Associa-
tion and the Overbrook Club, have mad,
such n vigorous protest that the City
Council has informed the railroad that
II will have to come to some under
standing with the citizens of that To-
calltE before the permit will be ex-
tended
That part of the Pennsylvania Rail-
roads project which is most objectionabl
to residents of Overbrook is the fact
that the new incoming line will run to
the proposed freight yard along NAL
Vern avenue, handsome residential dis
trict, which would be ruined by the
smoke of the engines that would con-
stantly be passing along the line The
lfelSht yard Will not be electrified ac-
cording to the plans projected by the
company, and so would ruin the resi-
dents say, the extensive residential de-
SeIopnehts winch are being carried on
a. anlr
NOT TO ELECTRIFY YARDS
In referring to this point, John ].
Coy!e, president of the OverbroolI Assoc
citation, said that the city of Philadel-
phia would lose from 100000 10 S15O ON
annually in taxes alone through the
| depreciation in value of real estate in
| tnat nelghborhood, which would prob
ably be at least - per cent lie believes
that the cOmpany's claim that il would
be impossible TO e!cctrlfy a freight ward
, OF such magnitude as theirs is to be is
uhtl ne, Tor he says that not only the
| members Of the Overbrook Committee,
| but also representatives of the civ
! council, have visited the electrified wards
! OF other cities and are convinced that
| the proposition could not only be handled
here but that 1t could be proftably
managed.
But rather than electrified lines and
freight yards, the people of Oyerbrook
/ would have the railroad extend their
present spur line connecting the WASH
lington street Wharves with Newtown
| square, via FernwOod to Glenloch and
Frazer cutting out the Overlook and
SD street yards. This, they claim could
be done at vastly smaller expense and
AZ = saving Of considerable mileage. and
incidentally leaving the fashionable resi-
dental sections of Overbrook undisturbed
The railroads plan as it now stands is
TO extend the sd street yards TO over
brook, eventually laying 100 tracks for
this purpose These lines would pas
underneath the Main Line passenger
tracks ~ Malvern avenue, and continue
: out tn't @"I'TfH rr 'r'E-rrIdp line
toward tn Newtown Square and Fernwo I'd
{ bran-h. not joining that road. however
. but tuuiU- north and rGrHin- directly
to Glenloch and Frazer The only tun-
nelng which would he done would be on
. that part of Malvern avenue which lies
between the Main Line and the Blind
/ Asylum Thore would be no means of
/ Guessing the Pennsylvania lines between
52d street and 59th.
CoNDEMNs PLAN or p. r. r..
/ In commenting on the situation this
/ morning. John J. 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 II has not only failed
| TO show It's appreciation, but has shower
[ ed fayors ON other cities ana States TO
/ the exclusion OF Philadelphia and Penn
| sylyania II has erected a magnificent
terminal i'm New York and has electri-
/ fed its lines entering that city: but not
| only refuses TO do as much for Philadel-
/ phia, but wishes, on the other hand. 10
/ ruin one Of the citys finest suburbs"
Yesterday a committee OF Oyerbrook's
. NFsHWH WHnHH uHtaHH.
posed changes They are to report al
a meeting TO be held 10 discuss ways
| and means Of bringing the railroad TO
! terms.