Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-24
CABINET STRIKES
BLOW FOR TRANSIT

I
delphia can have adequate transit facili.
ties. The necessary legislation to permit
| the establishment OF these facilities has
| been passed at Harrisburg.
I'VE are now hearing all kinds OF fake
rumors against the plan, chief among
these being that II will Increase taxes
The tax argument is a bugaboo. II the
recommended facilities produce no in
crease In the assessed valuation OF prop
erty. X they would not save the citizens
valuable time, n they do not. save more
than ssO0,OoO annually on the elimination
OF exchange tickets, the loss would still
be less than that made UP by a i5-cent
Increase In the tax rate. Such a l5-cent
increase In the tax rate would pay both
the Interest and sinking fund charges on
the cost and the fixed charges of the
system.
However the fixed charges will be
Offset by the net earnings, and the sys-
tenn will save the business people time
which, II turned into dollars and cents.
would mean more than S1,0o00oO annually.
Besde7 this the new plan will save the
people $4,000 annually in the abolition
or exchange tickets
We are now already far behind many
smaller municipalities. Boston partic-
ularly We do not want to follow the
example of New York city in crowding
our citizens into tenements. We want to
keep Philadelphia n city of individual
homes. AT the present time the people
must look forward to tenement homes or
submit to unreasonable rates and made
auate transit accommodations.
THE Philadelphia Rapid Transit Com
pany now has to resort to overlapping
routes and to running its cars round
about ways to make the necessity for
the present Scent exchange tickets.
PROGRESS IS THwARTED.
I'VE have entered into fair agreement
with the p. r. T. subject to the approval
of the Union Traction Company. This ap-
proval has been withheld and efforts are
now being made on several sides TO
thwart our progress. The ordinances pre-
pared by the Department of City Transit
and reported in Councils early in January
were reported out by the Finance Com
mite last week in such a form that John
c. johnson has said that they are Illegal.
'I now advise you that II this ordinance
passes City Councils the increased in
debtedness will not be made for any def
mite purpose.
I'VE must defeat that ordinance. If
Councils pass that ordinance / am going
forth into every ward in Philadelphia and
defeat 1t at the polls, II such power lies
in my hands.
Let us have some workable plan or
let us have nothing. The Finance Com
mttee plan is only a humbug The odds
against me are so strong that / now have
to appeal to the people of Philadelphia
to help fight for themselves and demand
that Councils pass a valid ordinance.
IF you are citizens, use your power
You can enforce the passage of such an
ordinance as will provide for real rapid
transit In Philadelphia.
There is no need at this time to spe-
city the lines upon which the money APP
propriated must be expended. Should the
Public Service Commission not approve
any item of the proposed lines. then the
entire loan falls useless Should the Pub
lie Service Commission rule that the
three-mile extension from Bridge to
Rhawn streets is unnecessary, then the
loan is useless as the ordinance stands.
"If that section needs higin-speed lines, |
it certainly should be surface high-speed |
lines.
"All ask of you is that you require
your representatives in Councils to pro- |
ceed along businesslike lines. The FL |
nance Committee ordinance has the APP
pearance of a base subterfuge to thwart |
cal rapid transit, through legal com !
plicatlons tying up the loan and making |
the money useless"
BOARD QUESTIONS TAYLOR.
, Director Taylor was then cross
questioned by the attorney and members
1f the Board of Directors of the Chamber.
James Collins Jones' attorney for the
Chamber, opened the ross-questioning by
asking the Director:
Where do you propose to spend the
{, 100000 this year,"
"On the subway delivery loop" an
Iwered the Director. 1T is essential to
he xybnla iG anRiDaerinR |
to run four tracks in North
8road street into two tracks in South
5road street. and a physical impossi-
'llity to discharge at two stations pas
engers collected at 26 stations. ! would
ust as soon have a house without a
oundation as a Broad street tube with
ut delivery loop"
What construction would be taken UP,
hen?" continued Mr.. Jones.
THE Frankford line and the Broad
treet subway would proceed slmultane-
usly." answered Director Taylor.
Would the delivery loop cost 5000, 0OO?'
Yes, and more" said Director Taylor.
1t would take 100000. but only 5000, COO
eed be put into construction this year"
Mr.. Jones then asked the Director what
Q knew OF the realty developments that
'llowed the building of the Market street
ubway.
~ have seen fields which were selling
$1,000 an acre jump TO $4,000 and $4,000
n acre" answered Director Taylor.
DENIES EARLE STATEMENT.
According to the newspapers. George
!. Earle, Jr., has said that the Market
rect subway does not pay" Mr. Jones
THAT statement is not true" said
lrector Taylor 'I did not near Mr.,
arle make that statement. but can
~ that the Market street subway is
lying reasonable return on the invest
ent"
Walter Wood. chairman of the Trans
'rtation Committee of the Chamber OF
then asked the Director about
Q feasibility OF extending the delivery
op from Sth street down to 9Th street.
1t would further the development OF 100
res of realty In this section OF the city J
d would provide a parking place for I
e cars during the rush hours under a
20 | "a