Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-09-01
ENGINEER ADVOCATES
ABOLITION OF PENNSY
STATION AT BROAD ST.
Radical Changes in P. r. r. Sys-
tenn Within City Limits
Recommended by John
Jerome Deery
UNDERGROUND TERMINAL

John Jerome Deery, architectural engi.
neer has sent communication TO Mayor
Smith and TO President Rea, OF the Penn.
sylvania Railroad, recommending radical
changes In the Pennsylvania Railroad sys-
tenn as II exists within the city limits, urg-
Ing. among other features, the abolition OF
Broad Street station
Mr.. Deery would build beneath It's site,
however, an underground station that would
be the terminal for subway system con-
Meeting Camden and Philadelphia. He sug-
gests that all property now owned by the
railroad company between the schuylklll
River and Broad street Market and Cuth-
bert streets should be sold and that the
money thereby derived be devoted TO the
changes which he proposes Mr.. Deery has
been at various times consulting engineer
IN the services OF New York city, and In
1887 he planned the metropolitan transit
system" In this city. which was TO have in.
cluded a subway beneath Broad street, but
which never materlalized
MR.. DEERY's SUGGESTIONS
The letters sent to Mayor Smith and Mr..
Rea were Identical The communication
said:
within the area now occupied by the
Pennsylvania Railroad between Spring
Garden street bridge and South street
bridge, and between Thlrty-second street
and Thirtieth street las IL is about the CEN
tral part of Philadelphia), should be erected
the main and principal station for the pas
and one.ffth of a mile wide II Thirtieth
street could be closed and stock yards and
abattoirs removed. then the area extending
to Schuylkill River would be width of
over half n mile, and lin length one mile.
ON this site could be located a grand and
eommodious station. and OF an architectural
beauty and character not surpassed by the
stations on the Pennsylvania Railroad erect.
ed at Washington. Baltimore and New
York. The new station would be readily ac-
m hiNyfG nf fhaH
delphia Rapid Transit system, including
the Subway-Elevated Railway. It is possi- |
bic for the entire area to have all tracks
below any city grades
by comparatively slight changes of the |
railroad all trains from any direction could |
continue head on without any charging or |
reversing, as Is now required in Broad |
street Station. The Office buildings, yards |
ana shops could be located at convenient |
distances from the new main station.
MODERN TRAVEL FACILITIES
In order to accomplish this advantage
70 the Pennsylvania Railroad and city of
the branch line known as the |
Philadelphia and Delaware County Rail-
road (about 10 miles in length), FROM Cobbs
Greek, near Fernwood, to Newtown Square.
should be extended about eight miles to n
connection at Frazer on the present Main
Line, and the junction of the branch lines
to West Chester and Phoenixville BY ex-
tending this railroad at the city boundary
with the present Central Division,
and 1t could be used for access to and from
the new station. This proposed extension |
would be only about nine miles in length
The passenger trains between New York
and the West could use this new line from
the new main station In West PHILADELPHIA
10 Frazer on the Main Line. and thereby
reduce the distance about three miles and
save considerable time over present meth
DDS. All passenger trains from all direc-
tons could continue head on and pass
through the main station.
philadelphia is the third largest city
IN the United States and the ninth largest
sity In the world. 1t should have this mod
srn facility for passenger travel partIcu-
ariy as the actual cost would be largely
paid by the sale of the property as above
mentioned. Then Philadelphia would be
rec or series of highway tunnels on grade
n tho heart OF the city, with their annoy
lnces and disadvantages and prevention of |
ne proper development of that sc ction The |
triangular area bounded by Market street
'chuylkill River Parkway and Broad
treet would rapidly and greatly improve |
n the architecture Of the many new build. |
nss, and the city OF Philadelphia would be |
'eautifed and obtain greatly Increased rev.
nue from the taxes As long as the pres
mt viaduct and tunnels remain and should
hese structures be extended, that area will
ot improve in usefulness and architec-
ural character to any extent commensurate
With It's location"