Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-01
DELAY IN TRANSIT
CALLED CRIMINAL BY
FAMOUS ENGINEER
Joseph T. Richards Suggests
Hanging for Men Responsible
for Plan to Hold Up
Program
L E T EXPERT DECIDE

IL r. L EXPERT DECIDE
In the opinion of Joseph t. Richards,
the delay in giving Philadelphia such rapid
transit as A. Merritt Taylor planned is
criminal.
MIR. Richards is the retired p. r. r. en-
gneer, as famous for his works outside
this city as he is for accomplishments
here. Among other things he helped build
the Market stree subway and the Hudson
River tunnels for the Pennsylvania Rail-
road. Talking about the transit situation
today he exploded:
THE person responsible for the delay in
pushing rapid transit plans through should
be hanged: the action is criminal"
Then he relaxed and smiled. That's
going pretty strong for Quaker he said.
but II gives an idea of the way feel"
Mr.. Richards is for anything that will
do away with the holding up of what
ought to be done right away.
Time is money" he said, land the
most costly thing about the transit bill
before it's paid" he said. will be waiting
until we get it,
This is his solutions
1T seems all sides are deadlocked
What's worse, everybody seems to be GO
ing the step beyond disagreement and
reaching the stage OF anger. II they can't
get together they ought to summon some
outside expert. and put the matter up to
him. Both sides have their plans worked
out and an expert could study the situa-
tion and give a decision in less than a
week."
Mr. Richards thought George Fillmore
Swain, of Boston. would be the ideal
man.
Professor Swain he said. had been
all through the mill he had planned Bos-
toms whole subway system. had been a
great administrator (and still isl, and
great educator (head of the engineering
department at the Massachusetts Institute
OF Technology.
ut would cost good deal OF money to
get him." said Mr.. Richards but you
would have man of tremendous ability
and absolute lntegrity--a man whom no
influence but the facts could reach"
Mr.. Richards said later in the inter-
view that Professor Swain was the only
man in the country that could be picked
as a possible peer OF A. Merritt Taylor.
granted that one could be picked at all
Money spent getting him to solve the
tangle, he thought, would be we'll spent
regardless of the amount, because no ex-
penditure for an opinion like his could
possibly equal the criminal waste now re-
sulting from inaction, he said.
A Merritt Taylors plan, Mr.. Richards
thinks, makes the absolute transit ideal
for the city to grow to- The Smith ad-
ministration plans he considers money
virtually thrown away. He spoke SO
highly OF Mr.. Taylor that he was asked
II he considered him 100 per cent man.
Hardly that" he answered. II should
say 1897 per cent. man"
Mr.. Twining, too, he considers as ex-
pert an engineer as there Is, and cites
the Market street subway to prove II. The
plans that have been criticised so much
~. -
ing's BRAIN He takes the view that Mr..
Twning was told TO work out plans on
certain assignment and worked them
out as expertly as any one could do.
II don't see," Mr. Richards said, where
the P. n. T. has any kick coming. II the
Taylor plans are followed the p. r 7.
will make money by operating the lines or
so will any company which operates them.
It's practically a sure thing. 1t will work
out here as it did in Boston, where the
city built the lines and private corpora
tion operated them, and everybody made
money"
He reverted to the theme of delay, say
ing:
''Who is responsible for holding up the
plans is largely a guess. but / suppose
everybody would guess the same. That
must be stopped That sort OF thing can't
be condemned too much. Everything has
been worked out down to the last minute
detail, and It's a crime to cast all aside
for something that the sponsors ought TO
know won't be acceptable TO the public"
do you think that man OF only half
would fail to recognize the
superiority OF the Taylor plans over the
city administration plans% Mr., Richards
was asked.
"a man of one-third intelligence could
recognize that" he replied. but then
YOU know the old saying None are so
Hind as those that won't see -
Mr.. Richards favored bit of a COM
promise.
'If ali that's holding the Mayor Is the
question Of locating the City Hall sta
tlon." he said. then ia favor giving In
somewhat on that point. The station
TO please him. mind you-could be located
north Of the City Hall and the four tracks
and every other detail be arranged for
anyway. / wouldn't put Il so far north
as 10 make impossible the transferring of
passengers from the Broad street subway
to the MaTket street subway. But that
would be 10 make the Mayor agreeable;
as an engineering question Il cuts no ice
al all The station could very well be
located under the Han without the slight
est dlilicuify"
III the city Hall is weak in It's founda-
tions, as has been suggested, wouldn't the
buiidinE of the underground station fur
uIah an opportunity TO strengthen nT
~ Richards answered;
'tcertaIaly There's nothing 70 fear; it's
almost ~ invitation But the people
elected the Mayor and they could afford 10
lei him have his way in thi. l say this
because ee ought 70 get started. and II
hat would relieve the deadlock I'm for IL
Inis dela4 SAY Il again--is criminal
Auto Hils Boy. Thsa Speeds On