Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-20

old surface roads TO the new high-speei
ines and proved that ultimately the latter
would be the gamer, for with more travel
ana more people for the long haul there
would be corresponding Increase in the
travel and people for the short haul.
Having developed accurately tho
amount OF trafnc which the new lines
would get, then, with knowledge OF the
characteristics OF travel between the diff
ierent trahic sections, train schedules we're
leid out TO serve that travel The number
OF car miles and car hours to be operated
was calculated, and the unit cost OF the
various Items entering into the operation.
including power and rolling stock, was es-
timated The construction costs and fixed
charges also were calculated; In fact, our
study OF the whole problem was complete,
ana included location, character, cost,
traffic, gross earnings, cost of operation,
nxed charges and net result"
Before filing his report Mr. TAYLOR had
TO obtain changes In the laws OF Penn
sylvania. This legislation included: Cd
An act empowering cities OF the first
class TO purchase, lease, locate, construct
and equip, or otherwise acquire transit
facilities, and TO own, maintain and use
and operate the same; (2) a supplement
70 the Bullitt BILL creating a department
OF city transit to have control charge
ana management of the transit facilities
OF city of the first class; and C3) an
act to provide revenue for city and county
purposes, imposing taxes upon certain
classes OF personal property. ..
UNDAUNTED BY ILLNESS.
Mr.. Taylor did not relate how he had
left sickbed, journeyed to Harrisburg.
while suffering from typhoid fever, and
pleaded personally with the then Gov
ernor Tener to sign the bills passed by
the Legislature. He succeeded in getting
the executive signature to the bills so
necessary for the larger development of
the high-speed transit plans.
Funds for the preliminary work and the
initial contracts were obtained from
Councils only through the display of mas
terly tact by Mr.. Taylor. He quite out
maneuvered the ring In control of the
local legislative body.
ION March s, 1915. Councils. at our re-
quest, approved the holding of a special
election to obtain the assent of the cleo
tors to an increase in the citys indebted
ness of s6,0OO.OOo for the starting of ac-
tual subway construction. 1t was In the
work of getting information of the need
OF the new high-speed lines before the
public that the Department of City Transit
owes its debt Of gratitude to patriotic
newspapers of Philadelphia. The special
election was held on April %, 1915, and
rapid transit won out by a vote of S,5i5
as against 9l10.
1.-TWO ordinances subsequently were
passed by Councils. One appropriated
$S.OOO0OO for the construction work on the
Broad street subway. and one appropri-
ated an equal amount for the Frankford
line. Both ordinances were approved on
July 2. 1915, and the Department of City
Transit Immediately advertised for bids"
Before Mr.. Taylor let the contracts
there came across his path that familiar
obstruction, the taxpayers suit" Here
the niraCt0r NJ (ItU Tranait rriad his
portmanteau to City Solicitor Michael ].
Ryan. He begged the City Solicitor to
help him clear away this last barricRde.
Mr.. Taylor, commenting upon his recep-
tion and subsequent developments. said:
II want to say that, when Il came to the
pinch, found Mr. Ryan true blue in the
city's interests. No sooner did Mr.. Ryan
defeat this final obstruction in the courts
than / let the first contracts, and on Sep
tember IL, 1915, saw the actual start OF
digging the new subways. Hats off to
Mr. Ryan. He was at his post when he
was most needed"
PRAISE FOR HELPING.
Concerning the support he had received
along the way in his great three-year
| fight Mr.. Taylor said: "Only a small man
would give niggardly praise to such sup
| port as have received. Men have risen
above partisan feeling in the successive
| steps taken to this public benefit. Let
me put IT this way: have had the most
hearty and generous support of Mayor
Blankenburg and all his department
heads, which is understood; of the best
| elements in Councils; of Mr. Ryan, the
| City Solicitor; of Governor Tener, and of
members of the Legislature. All were
needed; and, without the help of any one
| of these men at the time / sought their
aid, nothing would have been accom-
| plished. 1 make full acknowledgements"
The future of the comprehensive plan
! for rapid transit, which includes the de-
livery loop, the construction of lines to
Darby and Roxborough. Mr.. Taylor de-
| clares, largely hinges on thei passing of
the constitutional amendment this fail.
He says a favorable vote will unshackle
Philadelphia financially, and provide the
necessary funds for all the new high
speed lines, and the delivery loop as well.
TRUSTS IN VOTERS.
II venture the average citizen will see
the vital Importance of having the right
sort of man in City Hall to administer
the future" he concluded. Il do not
! favor an independent operator for the
new lines, unless the management of
the existing lines refuses to deal fairly
by the city. But there should be no tom
foolery; nothing short of a joint use of
the old surface system and the new high
speed lines for one -cent fare strikes me
as equitable. And the city should be
safe-guarded SO as to share in the
certain profits of the new lines. provided
they all are built. and none eliminated.
for to clip Off here. and add on there. is
going to paralyze the city's chances OF
driving good bargain with the man
agement of the existing transit lines"
Eight Philadelphians Wed at Elkton
ELKTON, Nd. Oct. 20.-Philadelphia
furnished four of the eight couples mar
| ried in Elkton today. They include John
]. Foley, Jr. and Minerva Silbert, Frank
Erne and Dorothy Ransome, William Te-
cosky and Rose Tollin. Carl Nogle and
Charlotte b. Heilings: George W. Porter
and Margaret l.. Grow. Amber. Pa;
Samuel G. Fisher, Lancaster, and Han
nah /. McGrane, York. Pa; William B.
Berkeihiser. and Henrietta +. Guest.