Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-31

two-track throat through the business dis
trict from Federal street north Of insult
I fcient capacity to handle the trains from
both the two-track line leading to Leagu
Island and the two-track line leading from
Broad and Federal streets to the south
western section Of West Philadelphia
The people served by the future ex
tension into southwestern West Philadel
phia will be deprived Of direct delivery
throughout the business district without
change of cars at Broad and Walnut
streets
Under the original plan the woodland
avenue elevated line was to be connected
temporarily with the Market street ele.
waited line at Both and Market streets
and trains were to be operated through by
way of Market street from Darby Ia
trankford or Camden until the Market
street subway reached its capacity, when
the Chestnut street subway would in any
event be necessary as a relief line to CON
meet up the Frankford and Darby elevated
lines through the business district
Every one who has studied the subject
admits that the present Market street
line will reach its capacity in less than
10 years unless II be strnightened beneath
the city Hall, and the station platforms
! be heightened. in which event its capacity
! would be Increased about 20 per cent
| The foregoing I believe TO be glaring
| and vital defects in Mr.. Twinings design
of those facilities which would form the
very foundation of our municipal transit
| system.
THE Department of City Transit
! selected Arch street as the proper loca-
| tion for the north side of the delivery
| loop because of the necessity of building
four-track subway in Broad street,
south to Spruce street for the reasons
! which | have stated. and It seemed ad-
visable to make full use of these four
tracks down to Arch street by placing
the north side of the delivery loop under
Arch street instead of under Ridge ave-
nue. The Arch street location in my
opinion, gives better delivery for passen-
gers, and it affords ready access between
the Reading Terminal and the subway
system at the station designed to he
located Mt 18th and Arch streets beneath
the Reading Terminal.
THE Department of City Transit select.
ed Locust street as the proper location for
the southerly side of the delivery loop
because it was impossible to locate the
southerly side of the delivery loop in Wal.
nut street with TIE necessary track con-
neCtions with the subway in Broad street,
without grade crossings at Broad and
Walnut streets, without forfeiting the sta.
ton which is designed to extend under
Broad street from Chestnut street to Wal
nut street; l believe this station to be n
necessity.
"Under the TwlninE plan the southerIy
side of the loop Is placed under Walnut |
street at the expense of the necessary
track connections between the Walnut |
street subway and the Broad street sub
way.
THE department recommended that the |
woodland avenue elevated line he |
brought in preferably by connecting it |
with the present Market street elevated |
line at SOth and Market streets, and in
the event of failure on the part of the |
Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company to
make the proper provision for the through
routing of the Woodland avenue and
Frankford trains by way of the present
Market street subway elevated line, 1t
was recommended that the Woodland ave-
nue. line and the Franltford line be con-
nected by a Chestnut street subway to be
built by the city.
These two elevated lines, If operated
through Chestnut street. vould seriously !
compete with the existing system, and for
this reason a fair agreement between the
city and the existing system would thus
he assured providing for the through OPP
GRAFTON of the Franlford and Woodland
avenue trains by way of the present
Market street subway-elevated lines
Under Mr. Twinlng's plan the city
would forfeit that strategic position which
Il has gained and which will require the
Rapid Transit Company to
operate the FrankfOrd and Woodland ave-
nue. lines through the existing subway
until ii reaches capacity and the Chestnut |
street subway is built.
MIR. Twlning proposes as step No. 1 to
build the Frankford elevated. connecting
i with the existing Market street line of
he Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company
the Frankford line to be
with the present Market
street line.
He proposes as step No. to build the
North Broad street subway from a point
near Erie avenue. on the north, TO Ridge
avenue, on the south, with one pair of
racks extending south along Broad street
o point near Spruce street, and the other
pair of tracks turning east along Ridge
avenue to sth street, south on sth street TO
Walnut and west on Walnut TO a point
near 10th street
1T would be impossible to get an indie
pendent operator to equip and operate
hese lines embodied in steps one and
two, in competition with the PHILADELPHIA
Rapid Transit Company. and Mr.. Twining
seems to recognize that fact, for he pro-
poses that no more construction than is
low authorized be undertaken until il is
definitely known by whom the entire sys-
em is 10 be operated and on what terms.
The only construction now authorized 4
5 the City Hall station section of the {
8road street subway between South Penn
square and Filbert street, and the Frank /
ord elevated between Callowhill street
md Bridge street; for the latter terminal I
acilities will soon be required, and must I
'e obtained by the city upon fair terms, c
'egardess of the attitude of the Phila- 1
ielphia Rapid Transit system Q
at is an amazing proposition that the /
lty OF Philadelphia shall stop the con- |
tructlOn Of the Broad street subway, and I
I Its other high-speed lines and await
he pleasure of the Philadelphia Rapid a
transit Company In making an agreement +
or their equipment and operation. The t
roper course to pursue is to proceed with b
he construction of the facilities which are p
ssential to the proper service and accom- 5
notation of the people of PHILADELPHIA.
nd designed in manner which will en- | b
BILE them 10 be equipped and operated a
ither by the Philadelphia Rapid Transit c
company, or in competition with the Phil Il
delphia Rapid Transit Company, then c
here will be no difficulty about getting a I
roper agreement between the company IL
nd the city.
Il fully agree with Mr.. TwIning that the h
rices Of labor and material are at this d
me abnormally and excessively high. and S
hat II would be both unwise and un- "
ecessary TO award very large contracts at
ntLe Footsteps"