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

the ultimate carrying capacity of the sub
way, reducing its possibility OF service tc
the people and curtailing its earning
power
1T is manifestly impracticable to de-
liver this traffic at only two stations. Al
the commencement of operation, the
Broad street subway would thus be throt-
tied and absolutely prevented from de-
velopment to its ultimate capacity
1T would be futile to plan to transfer
passengers who wish to go east of Broad
street to the Market street subway or to
the proposed Chestnut street subway due
to space conditions of the underground
stations. When trains eastbound in these
subways reach Broad street, they Will not
have discharged sufficient passengers to
make room for transfer passengers from
the Broad street line, even were this
transfer otherwise feasible, and thus the
track capacity of the east and west sub
ways would be used for this short-haul
traffic rather than for the ong-distance
high-speed service to West Philadelphia.
LOOP AS TERMINUS.
zone important purpose of the recon-
mcnded loop is to provide terminal
facilities for the four tracks which will
be necessary in North Broad street. BY
way OF the loop a part of the North
Broad street trains can be turned hack
after discharging their passengers. Mani
festly, the four tracks in North Broad
street cannot be run into tracks in South
Broad street. and. in view OF experience
and prcsent-day understanding of stub
end terminals, IL would be the utmost
folly to contemplate any similar plan for
any part Of the North Broad street serv-
ice. The city of New York has spent
millions of dollars on the Centre street
loop to relieve the stub-end terminal at
the Manhattan end Of the Brooklyn
Bridge
while from traffic and financial
standpoint II would be unwlse to build a
line which would not take people where
they wish to go, it would Mt the same
time, be manfestly unfair for the city
to ignore established business as now
located and distributed"
"Subways cannot be built to reach every
traffic point, but any system undertaken
by the city should certainly be designed
10 reach or serve as many traffic centers
as possible.
Furthermore, two-track delivery
loop, with four tracks on the west side
thereof in Broad street, will furnish
terminal facilities for the recommended
subway, which will extend northwestward-
ly from the City Hall beneath the Park
way TO 18th street, there connecting with |
an elevated structure over Goth street and |
Henry avenue to Roxborough.
ITO cut out the delivery loop would be |
to cut out proper delivery facilities not |
only for the Broad street subway, but |
also for the high-speed line to the |
northwest district, and the people should |
understand this fact.
Thus If the Broad Street subway were
LIilt without providing for the delivery
loop, 1t could not be operated CONNER
clally, and the increase in the borrowing |
capacity authorized at the special cleo
tion would be so tied up, under the terms
OF the ordinance upon which the election
Is based, that no future connections for
a delivery loop without grade crossings
could be arranged for, and no portion OF
the delivery loop could be built under the
terms thereof. Furthermore it would be
essential to build not only Broad street
subway, but also northeasterly and north.
westerly spurs, thus making six tracks
In North Philadelphia feed into a four
track subway.
"Mr' Johnson's opinion with relation to
this subject, based on information which
have given him, Is as follows:
The ordinance would be legally defec-
tive in that it specifically limits the
place OF construction and does not in
clude such loop.
If the increase OF the Indebtedness
was authorized by a popular vote for the
purposes defined in the ordinance, no por-
ton of the proceeds could be appro-
priated to the construction of such loop
Or in and about the payment of any
extra cost which would be entailed in
the Broad street subway to
furnish the connection with such loop.
The ordinance, taken as a whole,
liscloses purpose to borrow money for
| specific construction. The use of the
money borrowed must be confined to that
purpose.
IF the general purpose cannot be ac-
omplished, l would greatly fear that the
Whole nTntpNt fat Of II |
osed construction Is the necessary
ranch lines northeast and northwest
rom Broad street"
" 1T may be that upon the theory that
o branch lines northeast or northwest |
'ill be necessary, the rest of the project |
mbodied in the ordinance can be carried
ut. There Is considerable doubt about
, however.
OPINION ON FRANKFORT IT,"
with relation to the route OF the
'rankford elevated, which is designated,
ir. Johnson's opinion is as follows: l
The elevated railroad that, according
0 the ordinance. is to be built. is from
ront and Arch streets to Rhawn street,
ia Front street, etc. You advise me that
will be necessary to stop the cOnstruc-
on at Bridge street. Frankford, and that {
he extension of three miles in the coun- 7
y, from that point to Rhawn street {
ould not be made. I
" There would be a lack of good faith
obtaining the popular consent to the !
'eation of a loan to build a railway c
hich the city authorities know cannot
. constructed and is not intended, at
lie present time to be constructed G
"Mr Johnson further states:
" The ordinance would be free from !
'rous legal objections, which would so
etne the proposed construction as to I
AXE it impossible to do anything other
IAN construct upon the precise lines in "
Gated. unless these lines can certainly be a
llowed and unless it is intended, in good II
,ith to complete in accordance there B
ith, upon obtaining, in addition to the "
'st appropriation. requisite additional Il
oneys,' II
The people should be informed that the el
Hiding of the Frankford elevated, as
opposed in the ordinance, ignores the m
aims of the southwestern section of al
Il
Under the recommended program the m