Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-03
TRANSIT FUND BIG
i ENOUGH FOR al" WORK
continued from Page One.

nNOOUh Oh - "
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srive the city excellent transit facilities
THE loan itself does not mean much but
81 is how It is used that will count II
the money is iudiciously and economically
Expended il should bring Philadelphia
well to the front among the munictpali-
tiles OF the United states
LOANS Two-FoLD EFFECT
The 500. 100000 loan which will be put
ttc a vote OF the people on February $, will
have two-fold effect on the city's for
tunes, according to the politicians and
sfinanciers back OF the project
> Primarily, the expenditure of the vast
sum will place Philadelphia IN the
forefront OF first-class cities as rapid
arahsit centre and as great port OF
Gentry for ocean traffic. The second
and almost inevitable effect Of the big
aoan will be an Increase in the city's
tax rate in 1917.
MIR. Norris In discussing the port de-
ivelopment feature said:
aAs for the s. 100 to be devoted to
Improving the port IL would not be ad-
svisable to spend that sum I'm less than
two or three years. Four years ago the
lcity had only one modern pier, today
there are four and contracts have been
1et for the substructure Of ifth, which
sing piers.
"At the present time the shipping ac-
sconmoda tious of the city are little
tahcad of the available bus ness. My
view has always been that such pier ac-
commoda atious should be kept little
sahead Of the demand but not So far in
advance that large investments Will be
flying ide If the SN.0Un.oOl were expended
sin a year and half. this would be the
tcase.
"This money would build several Of the
1Rrger piers and this should be the
ultimate form uf Investment but not at
the present time
Z "Phnadcphin can never rival New York
tas port. but II II encourages shipping
by always being prepared To handle
efficiently such business as We do get
the city should eventually take AN i'm
portant place among the ports of the At
3lantic scaboard.
3 ''The allotment of S2OO0OOo for main and
branch sewers strikes me as small in
Comparison with the other items, and II
10 sewage disposal plant Is to be de-
ffnitely taken up. the item of S20W,OoO for
that purpose will only figure as about 10
sper cent. Of the cost.
I. "1he other items of the loan impress
ime as being reasonable and proper"
MEIGs ANSWERS SEGER
! Director John M"iss. OF the Department
lof Wharvcs. Docks and Ferries replied
today to the statement of Charles ScEer
E in Councils yesterday, that Spending
imoney for this port Is like throwing
money into the sewer" Mr.. Segcr Is
rchairman OF tho suhcunmitto" on aprro-
priatiOns, which is an important factor
In determining how money derived from
loans shall he expended.
"Mr S"=cr" said tho Director. "has not
investigated sufficiently To obtain the
real facts If ho had, hc would not have
made such statement as was quoted IN
1.-THE newspapers
"He asked. what can Philadelphia cN-
.pect to do as a port? Boston and New
gYork are on the sen. Baltimor" has a
natural d,"p-sol hurbor'
! Now. NJ a matter of fact, neither Ros-
ston nor New York are on the sea. The
distance from the lighlshp at sandy
Hook to New York Is 20 miles. while I"
reach the sea from Boston it is nee
essary to traverse 20 miles of improved
schannel. The city of Baltimore is %'P
miles from the Canes,
! "Thcre is no great harbor In Europe
that Is situated directly ON the sea ana
i might remind Mr. Segcr that Cnarleston'
which is on tho sea- has ono of the poor
lest hsrbors on the Atlantic coast. Sn-
vannf,.,. nearby, - miles from the ocean,
has splendid reputation as port.
Mr. Scger has also been quoted as
saving that the Improvement OF IN" mar
Z Dor is not permanent jon. kho" as
we'll as he thaf rrufthEln- Is 'lltl H'''H-
sary The United states Government
spends 100000 year here for the pur-
pose and receives i'm return upward Of
$50. 100000 in customs receipts.
"Philadelphia has spent SloOCO,mo on her
port New York mas spent SGh@oo1o.'
EVIDENCE OF PROSPERITY.
Advocates OF the loan said today that
the great wave of prosperity now
sweeplng over this country was reflected
by the action OF the members Of Coun-
ellis Finance Committee who, after con-
sultation with the political leaders de-
cidcd the time was ripe to double the
funded debt of the city. The resulting
good from the passage of such a loan
as the one proposed il incalculnble in
the eyes OF city hnanciers
The net funded debt of the city on Sep
tember / was Sll9 s3s, ,Oi3 and, with the
500. 900 600, will make the actual debt of the
city total SllOO0O,COo These figures are
offset to a small degree by the moneys
,now in the Sinking Fund To retire old
iIoans Realizing the immensity of the
plan. members of the Finoce Committee
have gone to great lengths 10 explain
that the money in the loan would not bee
borrowed at any one time, but that loans
would only be hoated AT such times as
money would be needed TO enter into con-