Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-20

held on November 3, 1914 rms Hii-
portant event marks real progress ~
the establishment OF adequate rapiu
transit lines In Philadelphia
Tbcse facilities have been designed
10 meet and to properly serve the
| nresent and prospective needs OF lhe
| peoplc The program outlined lot
this development, If carefully followed,
will result In every section OF the CITY
beinR connected up with every other
section of the city by highspeed lines
operated in conjunction with the exist
ing surface lines as gatherers and dis
tributors of hgh-speed passengers,
| for one scent fare.
The new high-speed system, so oper-
ated will bring material benefits TO
every citizen and will enable the city
to spread out and to grow in a health
| fuI way Their establishment will
| thus force Philadelphia forward In her
contest for supremacy as great
! metropolitan centre and as the ideal
city Of the twentieth century.
II is with great pleasure that hand
| you this shovel with which you are
about to begin the establishment OF
real rapid transit In Philadelphia.
CITY COMMITTED TO LOOP
| While the construction work for which
the ground was broken is actually the
relocation and construction of the sewers
preliminary to the proposed subway de-
livery loop, the supporters of Director
Taylor declare that with this step taken
the city stands committed to complete the
project IL has undertaken and that the
subway delivery loop, omitted from the
Councilmanic ordinance, will be included
in the program within a short time.
Preceded by the Police Band, the
Mayor. with his Directors and guests,
left the City Hall in automobiles promptly
at l2:lO o'clock. The band arrived some
minutes before the Mayors party, and
lining the walk on both sides they played
"All Hail the Chief as the Mayor
walked through Independence Square.
The Mayor stepped on the grandstand
just as the hands of the clock in In
dependence Square pointed to 1880. =
little more than 20 minutes later the
ceremonies had ended, rapid transit work
had been begun and the Mayor, smiling,
had returned to the waiting automobiles
in front of independence Hall.
WORKNIEN START AT ONCE.
Every member of the contracting firm
of Peoples Brothers was present to be-
gin work Immediately after the Mayors
party left. Faye W. Peoples, l3 years old,
and a member of the firm. who Is prob
ably the youngest contractor in the world,
was present. ready to take his part in
the work
Immediately after the formal ceremon-
les were ended, a cable hoist was raised,
tho pavement was torn w and actual
work on Phladelphia's real rapid tram
sit program was under way.
The ceremonies at 9TH and Walnut
streets, where ground was broken. came
az n fitting climax to two years of
planning by the Department of City
Transit, months of fighting by inde-
pendent. citizens to force Councils to
terminate its policy of delay and OBJ
struction, and finally the strategic vic
tory won by the Mayor in signing the
trick ordinance.
Although Councils transit ordina nee
makes no provision for the construction
OF the subway delivery loop at this time.
the supporters of real rapid transit are
confident that ultimately Councils will
be forced to follow the advice of the
engineering experts who have shown
that the delivery loop is the key to the
entire transit system.
grandstand had been erected from
which state and city officials viewed
the ceremonies. Delegations from the
various business organizations which
have taken part i'm the transit fight at
tended, and the Employees Association
of the navy yard was represented by
Tho part of the work which the Mayor
officially began is Peoples Brothers
contract for sewer reconstruction on
Walnut street from Sd to 9Th streets
Simultaneously work will start on the four
other sewer relocation contracts. They
are:
Robert Lombardi-Sixth and Walnut
streets across Washington Square to Sth
and Locust streets.
Joseph Perna-SXth and Willow streets
to Sth and Arch streets across Franklin
Square.
Joseph Perna-New sewer on 9th street
from Market to Arch
Frederick r. Bockius-Ranstead street
from Sth to 9th.
700 MEN START WORK TODAY
Derricks have been set up, materials
and working equipment assembled by the
contracting firms during the last week,
and today 700 laborers and skilled con-
struction engineers will give the first
tangible evidence of Philadelphia's de-
termination to have real rapid transit
Thirty-tive weeks is the time allotted
IN the contract awards for the compile
tion of the five contracts
Before this time has passed work on
the Broad street subway will have been
begun, provided the S6,OOOOOO transit loan
is authorized by the voters on April 20.
Hampton S. Thomas, recorder of the
Board OF Registration Commissioners. de-
olared yesterday that 10000 voters might
hnd themselves disqualified to vote on
April 2s on account of having moved to
new divisions since the last election. The
personal registration law makes no pro-
vision for registration of voters prior to
a special election and to give those who
have moved an opportunity TO register
would cost approximately 900 In sal
aries.
EOpuEp COTDIE C,-,