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

| current figures. The building of the
| foundation of the city's transit system in
the central part of the city will take much
more time than the building of the out
| lying lines therefore 1t should be started
| first. The present abnormal and excessive
| prices of material and labor will not con-
! tinue indefinitely and these conditions
| therefore cannot be argued as reasons
| for Curtailing the scope of the city's plans
| for transit development to an extent that
will impair its usefulness.
~ cannot agree with Mr. Twning that
1t is not necessary to furnish high-speed
! transportation facilities without delay to
North Philadelphia above Erie avenue
to South Philadelphia below Spruce street
to the Woodland avenue district of West
Philadelphia. to the North Goth street.
RoXborough district, or to the 35th Ward,
and I believe the people resident in the
districts which 1 have enumerated will
assert their rights In n vigorous way. II
they fail to do so the loss will he theirs.
"If Il person wishes to travel in Phila-
delphia from any point to any other point,
the entire transportation machine should
be at his disposal in making the trip for
one scent fare, regardless of the number
of times he is required to change cars.
Every citizen contributes his share in
one way or another toward the establish
ment and operation of the transportation
privilege of using that machine at all
times without submitting to discrimina-
tion.
"Under the plan which stand sponsor
for, and pm prepared to uphold until IL
can be improved. passenger may board
a surface car at his front door, ride to the
nearest station on the high-specd system,
transfer free to the hiGh-speed system,
transfer free in changing cars between
fha If Ina e..
on leaving the higI-speed system to
surface line which carries him to his des-
tinatiOn.
That is what the people are entitled
to; 1t is what the people want, and il Is
what the people are going to get, If they
uphold the so-called Taylor plan That is
the plan. coupled with the elimination of
the exchange tickets, which has been
agreed to between the Director of the De-
partment of City Transit and the officials
of the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Com
pany, subject to ratification by City Coun-
ellis and by the Union Traction Company
THE Director of the Department of City
Transit has recognized the just claim OF
the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company
for protection of its net income against
loss resulting from the cooperation to be
accorded the city by the Philadelphia
Rapid Transit Company in operating the
a
transfer basis, and has agreed with the
officials of the Philadelphia Rapid Tran
sit Company, subject TO the approval OF
City Councils, that the Philadelphia Rapid
Transit Company shall be reimbursed for
that loss.
ION the other hand the officials of the
Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company have
Joined in that agreement, subject to it's
by the Union Traction Com |
No hah fa iF
TO them they would not have done so.
LET us require that that agreement |
be ratified by the Union Traction Com |
pany to the end that It shall be carried |
out. The city has the power to do so
and should exercise that power In behalf
of the citizens.
'"The Twining report leads one to be-
lieve that the city's plans for transit /
development must be curtailed If the city |
is to escape dire consequences. He states
that these consequences may be an m
crease in the rate of fare or an increase
In the tax rate, or assessment of benefits |
against the property, which will be i'm
proved by the establishment of parts of
The municipal high-speed system. The
facts are as follows:
IF all of these lines should be built
and stand idle and earn not dollar of
return, the entire interest and sinking
'und charge on the bonds issued for the
building of them would amount to only
1er cent on $50, 900, 900 and per cent on
;6, 900, 900, or $500, 900 year.
III the city had to raise this entire sum
)y taxation, which would be an absurd
assumption, il would only require an in
,rease of 15 cents in the tax rate. That
5 the maximum liability which the city
'ould assume in proceeding under the
Taylor plan IL the facilities were to stand
die and produce no revenue whatever.
Mr., Twining has entirely overlooked in
his report the fact that by establishing
hese facilities as provided, the city
hould consider other offsets which 1t
will get against the fixed charge,
Il. The one mill personal property