Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-11

! development of our new subway system
appeals to me as one Of the most Inn
portant acts of my official life. For this
| great engineering work. which we to-
| day inaugurate. marks the beginning OF
a new era in the life of Philadelphia.
"1n the deepest sense Of the words we
| can apply to our action today that
memorable phrase from the preamble 10
| the Constitution, namely, TO form a
| more perfect union When all is said
and done, the great need of our dearly
! loved city is that the many sections into
| which the population is divided shall
be brought Into n more perfect union
through the possibility OF rapid and in
expensive means OF communication.
when you remember that. you can
travel nearly 25 miles in direct line
| from southwest to northeast without
going outside of city limits; that the cir
cumference Of the city is distance al
most as great as that separating Phila-
| delphia and New York; then a realiza-
tion comes home of the greatness OF our
intracity transportation problem.
I'VE have already more than 600 miles
of street railways serving the city, better
than It has ever been served before and
vet communication between extreme
points is slow and virtually renders close
association impossible.
VISTA FULL OF HOPE.
This mighty work. whether having
regard to that which shall be under
! ground or that overhead. opens out vista
! full OF hope, fun of encouragement, to
! those who love Philadelphia and believe
that she is at the opening OF new
| age in which her development shall out
| strip any record made in times past
For the object always before the eyes
OF those who have projected this great
addition to our transit facilities has been
the accomplishment OF conditions under
which any citizen could ride from any
part OF Philadelphia to any other part of
the city for five cents and within 30
minutes time.
when such a condition becomes an
accomplished fact, then our great body
of skilled labor. 100000 strong, can choose
its residence in any part of the city ire
spective of the location of the factory or
office in which they fnd employment.
BENEFITS FOR ALL.
1.-The benefits thus secured will accrue
to all our citizens, whether they live in
close proximity to subway and elevated
lines or in the remotest part of the mu-
nicipality. When completed, even those
who have hitherto objected will laud the
work and the men who have made II
possible.
Let me express the hope that the work
on this great Improvement may proceed
rapidly and without interruption; that
the men who shall be engaged In its
prosecution may be protected, as am
sure they will be, by all modern devices
for safety to life and limb. and that when
1t shall be finished. there will be a rec
ord free from accident. loss OF life and
manned bodies. This Is my ardent wish
and hope for all. from the contractor
and engineer to the lowllest iaborer.
I'VE stand here In the heart OF the old
I .rI.w 81 atN H. IA
miles In area, while the PHILADELPHIA of
today covers 1924 square miles. We are
holding this ceremony on the very spot
which william Penn determined, more
than two and a quarter centuries ago.
would be the real centre of the city OF
Philadelphia.
"And although his statue stands more
than 800 feet above us. feel that his out
stretched hand Is giving a blessing upon
our work today; his benign Quaker coun-
tenance smiles upon us, and / almost hear
him repeat from his prayer, uttered 23i
years ago, the words, My soul prays TO
| God for thee, oh, Philadelphia To nre-
serve thee from such as would abuse ana
defle thee
Let these words be our everyday
prayer and let us ever give the best there
Is In us for the honor greatness and fame
Of the City OF William Penn
"Of the great number OF citizens who
mony In our ambitious transit plan OF
improvements. few, perhaps, realize how
much Important work has been necessary
before today's work became a possibility
Constitutional amendment had 10 be
adopted by the people, new financial and
executive powers secured from the Legis-
lature, eouncilmanlc approval given to
eNeeutiVe plans which represent years or
patient Investigation and constructive
thinking on the part Of men reeoEnized
line
The whole problem OF transportation
has been viewed from every point. the
experience OF American and continental
cities studied; the future needs OF this
sfeat CRY, when lts population shall havo
multiplied many fold all these have been
studied, weighed, considered by men who
know Philadelphia. who know transpor-
lation problems, who value their reputa:
tions and who feel for this CITY ana its
people a strong affection and an abiding
faith In its future.
NY part then, In the ceremony today
IL 70 express TO those who have labored
SO long and 20 faithfully that this dav
nisn' oeeome possibility, the heartfelt
thanks OF the people OF Philadelphla. ana
10 bid them godspeed in their ereat ,n-
asrtakins Tor the upbuilding OF . greater
fnnadelphia. the making OF a happier
ana more contented people,
PLAZA DECORATED.
Business places around City Han had
put On festive array for the OCCASION.
Nearly all the builolngs IN the vlcinity
were decorated with rags fesfoonn ana
bunting IN honor OF the event. on fhe
speaktrs' stand we're hung American
haas aud the city colofs
4 'snsshy band eeAssFs - tie ilunlcl.