Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-25
RED TAPE THROTTLED
EARLY TRANSIT PLAN,
TAYLOR CLERKS FIND
August Belmont Tried to Give
City High Speed "a Years
Ago, But Quit in
Disgust
BEGAN FRANKFORT LINE
Tired of Fighting Obstructionists and
Sold Structure for Scrap-Tay-
lor Won Struggle

Clerks in the Department of City Tran
sit today discovered that when ground
is broken for the construction of the
Frankford elevated on September 1S Phil
adelphia for the second time will witness
the beginning of high-speed line to the
northeastern section of the city.
Perhaps not one out of hundred Phil
adelphians remembers 1t, but an elevated
passenger railroad to Kensington and
Frenkford once before was planned and
authorized by Councils and construction
was begun This happened just "a years
ago. The old records were found today.
The promoter was August Belmont, of
New York, and the company he organ
ized to finance the project was called the
Northeastern Elevated Railway Com
pany. Almost half a block of the super
structure had been placed in position on
the proposed line when the then-existing
surface lines obtained an injunction to
stop the work,
QUIT IN DISGUST.
After fighting the court injunction Mr..
Belmont became disgusted with the legal
red tape and abandoned the project. The
steel framework was allowed to stand, FOR
tho time as a monument, some said, ito
Philadelphia's unprogressiveness." Three
years later 1t was sold for scrap.
The foundations and supports for the
steel framework of the elevated road had
been completed from Front and Market
streets as far north as Berks street when
the injunction became effective. The steel
framework, however. had been completed
only between Market and Arch streets on
Front street.
Mr. Belmont's company was organized
in 1890. Early in 1891 the necessary ordi-
nances were introduced in Councils to
fnnfa nd tf hN n q
of the agreement between the city and
the Northeastern Elevated Railway Com
pany. The enabling ordinance was signed
on June "a, 1891, by Mayor Edwin s..
Stuart.
According to the ordinance, the ele-
waited structure was to start at Pollock
street go blocks south of Market street,.
run north on Front street to Amber
street, on Amber to Lehigh avenue, on
Lehigh avenue to Kensington avenue, on
Kensington avenue to Tusculum street.
on Tusculum street to Butler and Mascher
streets and thence to Chelten avenue and
the county line.
TWO SPURS PLANNED
Two spurs were also to be run from
the main structure; one from Lehigh ave-
nue. and Emerald street to Emerald and
Erie avenue, and the other to Tacony
and Holmesburg. According to the terms
night. From 6 a. m. until a. m. and
from p. m. until 1880 p. m. the fare for
a passenger riding the full distance was
to be 5 cents; at all other times 1t was
to be 10 cents The stations on the struc-
ture were to be at half-mile intervals
The trains were to be drawn by steam
locomotives, as electric power was not
then used to operate trains.
From the time the project was aban-
doned until Director Taylor announced
his program for a comprehensive high
speed transit system, about two years ago,
various organizations In the Northwest
renewed from time to time the agitation
for better transit facilities. Held back on
one side by the direct opposition OF the
existing surface lines and on the other
by. the Indifference of Councils. they made
virtually no progress until Taylor became
Director of City Transit. On account OF
this long fight September 1S will be a day
of considerable Jubilation in the North
east.