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
ven Avenue Homes.
Want Road Electrified.

Residents Of Overlook are making a
decided stand against the PENNSYLVANIA
Railroad, which purposes the building
OF large freight yards in that suburb
and the. laying of 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 Overlook
ana SD street. They say the road as
now planned will ruin the handsome
residential district.
The railroad was granted a 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. This citizens of Overbrook
represented in the Overlook Associa-
ton and the Overbrook Club, have made
such 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-
cality before the permit will be ex-
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
Vern 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-
cordng to the plans projected bv the
company and so would ruin the resi-
dents say, the extensive residential de-
velopments which are being carried on
between Overhrook and Wynnefeld
NOT TO F,IECTRTEv yAPDs
In referring to this point John J.
Coyle, president of the Overbrook Asso-
citation. said that the city of Philadel-
phia would lose from 100000 to Sl50OnO
annually in taxes alone through the
depreciation in value Of real estate in
that neighborhood which would prob-
ably be at least 80 per cent. He believes
that the companys 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 not only the
members of the Overlook Committee.
but also representatives of the City
Council, have visited the electrified wards
of other cities and are convinced that
the proposition could not only be handled
here, but that it could be proftablv
managed.
But rather than electrified lines and
freight yards, the people of Overlook
would have the railroad extend their
plSStIl SPul IIIlt connecting tle w ASH
lington street wharves with Newtown
Square, via Fernwood, to Glenloch aud
Frazer, cutting out the Overlook and
SD street yards. This. they claim. could
be done al vastly smaller expense and
at q saving OF considerable mileage, and
incidentally leaving the fashionable resi-
Dental sections of Overlook undisturbed
The railroads plan as it now stands is
to extend the SOD street yards to over
brook, eventually laying 100 tracks for
this purpose. These lines would pass
underneath the Main Line passenger
tracks ar Malvern avenue. and continue
out that avenue as lOw-Erade line
toward the Newtown Square and Fernwo I'd
branch. not Joining that road, however,
but turning north and running directly
10 Glenloch and Frazer. The only tuu-
neling which would be done would be on
that part of Malvern avenue which lies
between the Main Line and the Blind
Asylun There would be no means of
crossing the Pennsylvania lines between
sd street and 59th.
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
five State and city than any other rail-
road In tine world and that in return for
these advantages Il has not only failed
to show its appreciation, but has shower
ed favors on other cities and States tg
the exclusion of Philadelphia and Penn
sylvania. II has erected a magnificent
terminal in New York and has electri-
fed its lines entering that city; but not
only refuses to do as much for PhlladeI-
pha, but wishes, on the other hand. 10
ruin one of the city's finest suburbs"
Yesterday a committee Of Overbrook's
citizens visited the scene Of the pro-
posed changes They are 20 report az
a meeting 10 be held 10 discuss ways
and means of bringing the railroad to
terms.