Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-02


supplies fnrnished prior to Jan ooo oo
The bill provides for most of the i'm
portant municipal projects started un-
der the Bankenburg administration and
for several sponsored by Mayor Smith.
The exception is the art museum. for
which no money has been found The new
loan goes far toward exhausting the bor-
rowing capacity of the city, and the
amounts included are intended to COM
plete many projects and carry on others,
such as transit. during the four years of
the present administration.
The total of $35. OOO,O 900 is set aside for
tho completion of the Broad street SUBJ
way and the F'raniford elevated lines on
plans revised by Director Twining, of the
Transit Department. and for the construc-
tion of connecting lines said to include a
five-mile surface line across privately
owned property at Byberry.
REVISED ESTIMATES.
The transit estimate was reached after
conferences between Mayor Smith and
Director Twining, and the estimates are
said to be based on revisions of the Taylor
transit plans decided upon at these con-
ferences. Those revisions include a
change in the location of the central sta
tion and the rerouting of several lines.
The 'unfunded debts of the city total
approximately S31.OOOOOO and are in.
cluded. They are made up largely of the
purchase price of lanes =aken or to be
taken for municipal purposes along the
Parkway, and in other sections of the
oity.
The item for maintenance. current eX-
penses, a reserve for operating charges,
interest on bonds, etc, includes provision
for 500 policemen to be added to the city's
force this year. 1t also includes the needs
of the various departments in excess of
the amounts allowed them at the first of
the year.
Appropriations for these sums are now
in the hands of Councils Finance Commit
tee and will be acted upon just as soon
as the loan legislation is safely started
on its journey. other items of the loan
provide for highway improvements,
bridges and the rebuilding of Blockley,
as well as buildings for the insane and
tubercular patients, INDECENT and nurses
home at Byberry farms. Several other
municipal improvements, such as the
Southern Boulevard, are provided for in
items that are subject to change by way
of amendment after the bill gets back
into the lower chamber of Councils on
report of the Finance Committee.
PLANS FOR AVIATION SCHOOL.
Next in Importance to the loan legis-
laton will be the passage of the bill leas-
ing the city's property at Essington on
the Delaware River TO the Philadelphia
School of Aviation, to be used for the next
10 years as a school for the training of
aviators for emergency work for the
Government in time of war. The lease
carries the nominal rental of 81 a year
and the officers of the school intend ex-
pending $4,000 in the installation of
equipment and hydroaeroplanes The
measure is generally approved by MEM
bers of both branches and its passage is
certain.
nominal tuition fee will be charged
and the cost of the school will be borne
by Philadelphans who have interested
themselves in the plan to make this city
an aviation centre second to none in this
country. The bill has the approval of
Mayor Smith. and the work on the school
will be started Immediately upon the
passage of the necessary legislation.
Other bills for passage today include
one calling for the cancellation of
$725.O balance left in an old loan au'
thorized for the purpose of abolshing
grade crossings in Port Richmond.