Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-30
MAYOR ANNOUNCES HE WILL
NAME TRANSIT COMMISSION


which will be reduced gradually until
1860. or that the alternative Of IL per
cent increase in the tax rate be adopted.
LINES IN DETAIL.
Under the Twining plan the various
lines would be built as follows:
North Broad street line.
Subway, four tracks from Pike street
south to Ridge avenue and two tracks
| south 20 Spruce street Cost, SlS,4OO,OO 600
| To be built by city. Ready for operation
| in 1920. Equipment to be furnished by
! lessee Extensions from Pike street to
Olney avenue, costing S4,300,OOO; north
east branch on boulevard, costing S,5o0,-
| 600. To be built at later date by city
! with funds raised by local assessment
South Broad street line:
! Subway. two tracks to oregon avenue,
to he built by the city at future date; cost
! $500, 600 equipment to be furnished by
! lessee. Extension south to League Island.
! costing 100000, to be built at indefinite
! date by city with funds raised by local
assessment.
Delivery loop:
subway two tracks. ffom Broad street
| under Ridge avenue. under Sth street. un.
der Walnut street to 10th street. To be
| built by city at cost of S7,200,00o. Ready
for operation by 1920. Equipment to be
furnished by lessee.
Frankford line.
Elevated railway, from Front and Arch
streets to Bridge street, to be built by
city at cost of $4,000, 900 Ready for
operation by 1918 Equipment to be fur
nished by lessee. Extensions TO Rhawn
street, costing st.s0O,OOO. and to Byberry.
costing 81 SOC, 900, TO be built by city at
later date with funds raised by local
assessment
Darby line.
Elevated railroad. to he built by city in
future. South Broad street Federal street.
woodland avenue to CITY line; cost.
$500, 600 Equipment to be furnished by
lessee Extension beyond city line to be
built with funds raised by local assess
ment.
Northeast line.
Subway-elevated. to be built by city at
future date, Parkway, 10Th street to Hunt
ing Park avenue cost S62 900. Equip
ment to be furnished by lessee. Exten-
sions To RoXborough, costing S1,S00,000,
and TO Germantown, costing S2,l00,000 at
later date and with funds raised by local
assessment.
Chestnut street line:
Considered but not definitely recon-
mended unless an operating agreement
could not be secured with the Philadel
phia Rapid Transit Company.
Camden tube:
Recommended built by Independent
company and leased to p r. r. Company.
The total cost OF all the lines, with the
exception of the Chestnut street subway
ana the camden tune, under the IwnlnB I
plan, would be S59,200,000,
"A number of points in the Taylor |,
transit plan Director Twinng regards as !
defects or at least as unwise. Summarized !!
from their presentation in the report they !
are:
The undertaking Of the whole con-
struction program at once during an
ern of abnormally high prices and be-
fore an operating agreement for the
system has been worked out.
The financing entirely by city funds
OF the construction OF branch lines in
outlying sections where the traffic does
not Immediately warrant such outlay.
The diversion from the city treas
ury OF money to pay for the deficits
in interest and sinking fund charges
on city bonds issued to pay for the
new construction.
The location of certain lines and
stations in the business district and
the method Of routing trains.
The proposal for IA universal 5-cent
fare at this time.
The proposal that the city shall
transfer all excess cost of service
over the revenue derived from "A D.
cent fare to the real estate taxes of
the city. up to the full cash require
ments of its bonded interest and sink
ing fund.
The two Inter features of the
Taylor plan Director TwininG holds
are fallaciOus In principle and So
elalistie in theory.
recognition of the fact that City
Councils shall determine when and
where hiEh-speed lines he built and
how they shall be financed. This
proposal Director Twning regards aS
dangerous because IL recognizes pO-
Htical control of what il IA highly
complex business problem in trans
portatiOn.
The solution of the fare phase Of the
transit problem, Director Tvining suggests
should be worked out with the Public
Service Commission and that the following
clause be inserted in the lease of the
lines:
Before the operation of any part of
the complete system OF rapid transit lines
Is begun the question of the proper fare to
De charged in order to meet the cost of the
service rendered shall be reviewed and its
proper amount determined by the Public
Service Commission of the State of Penn.
sylvania, and the lessee and the Depart.
ment Of City Transit shall work out the
details, This fare, when adjusted, shall
be subject to reduction when cost of serv-
ice warrants"
OF the fare element he asserts that
the proposition to build the proposed lines
out Of city funds largely arises from a
vague Idea In the public mind that If the
city builds then a 5-cent fare will render
the service profitable now. This. he adds.
is a misconception, for the fact that the
rider pays only 8 cents does not prove that
the fare is sufficient to support the service
THE QUESTION OF FARES.
"Citizens should not delude them
selves" he continues, into the belief that
the average fare is only cents now
and that it will be only cents with the
city as a partner in the enterprise, not
withstanding that II may be so agreed
upon and stated in the lease, because they
must pay the full fare in one shape or
another, whatever il may be, as long as
the operator OF the lines remains solvent
The mere fact that the rider does not pay
1t on the car should not blind him 10 the
fact that the cost OF service must be and
always is paid in full In some way
I'm the case Of port development, where
the city Is in competition with other cities