Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-23
NEW TRACTION LINE LINKS
MAIN TRAVELLED ROUTES
TO ARMS PLANTS NEAR CITY
Philadelphia and West Chester Company Extension
to Chester Pike Ready-Serves Great Industrial
Development Centering About Philadelphia

Never In the history of Philadelphia,
and therefore perhaps In the world, has
such a gigantic. triple-phase development
Of a large industrial and residential area
occurred as that now gripping the eastern
and southern area of Delaware County and
the southwestern section of Philadelphia
County. resulting from the vast building
plans for the greatest industrial plants In
the United States now locating there.
The Philadelphia and West Chester Trac-
tion Company is awake to the tremendous
demand upon transportation facilities now
being made and that will be quadrupled in
the near future The last obstacle to the
opening on August Of the company's ex-
tension from Coingdale to Sharon Hill was
removed Saturday by the rolling into place
of massive 500-ton concrete and steel
bridge carrying the mainline tracks of
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad over the
roadbed of the new trolley line. This re-
placing of the temporary wooden under
structure will enable the completion of the
line of double tracks to the Philadelphia.
Chester and Wilmington pike, where direct
connection, with certain transfer privileges,
Is made with the Southern Pennsylvania
Traction Company's lines to the industrial
plants at Chester, Eddystone and Essing-
ton
SPEED TO MUNITIONS PLANTS
Hundreds of persons are now coming
down on the high-speed line of the Phila-
delpha and West Chester from Sixty-ninth
street terminal of the Market street ele-
waited and walking a third of mile to the
Chester pike. These skilled workers and
laborers and many thousands more later on
coming from West Philadelphia and the
communities along the line of the trolley
road will be carried direct to the pike by
the new extension.
Thousands upon thousands of these
skilled men and those In other trades are
seeking residential quarters where there
are no such facilities, but instead acres
upon acres Of wild and undisturbed land
that is confronted overnight with a boom
as unexpected and startling as Its tremen-
dous possibilities
ASIAN oft-quoted Biblical phrase describes
the advancing steps OF progress, Lime upon
line; prdcept upon precept." so 1t may be
said Of the huge industrial and real estate
drive that has suddenly struck this greater
philadelphia area: Building upon building;
boom upon BOOM"
Hundreds OF houses have been built this
summer, State Senator William c. Sproul,
OF Chester being interested in a group of
400 IN that city alone, and plans are under
way for FAR greater operations. Many per-
sons who have bought up land are waiting
until the war prices on materials abate
II Is expected that the population of Ches-
ter alone will double within the next two
years; territory below the Philadelphia line
and including Wilmington has doubled in
population In the last three years. 30 that IL
Is now 100000. 1t Is estimated that hun
dreds or thousands of homes will be erected
for this great influx In the next year or
more.
Half million dollars worth OF construc-
ton work. including new power in
v.hU nAry
year and fifteen to be delivered by Octo.
Der i, and virtual rebuilding of the line
from Darby to Chester, is being made this
year by the Southern Pennsylvania Trac-
tion Company. It has built new line
from Chester to Eddystone past the Bald-
win Locomotive Company's plant and that
OF the Remington Arms. This route ex-
tends from Marcus Hook on the south to
Eddystone on the north, and II is expected
to carry this through to Essington in the
near future. The Darby pike line to Ches-
ter, running past the Eddystone ammur,.
tion plant. is being put in first-class opera
ton shape and will be connected with Es-
sngton later
In other words, with the development of
the transportation facilities Of the Southern
Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia and
West Chester traction companies, the lat
ter having In view a secondary cross
country line next year, a perfect network
Of trolley service Ia being constructed and
contemplated 80 that labor from all of this
great surrounding territory may be dawn
upon and accommodated in the best pos
sible manner.
PLANTS ACCOMMODATED
The great industrial plants to be served
include the Baldwin Locomotive Works.
Chester Shipbuilding Company. EssInrton
Shipbuilding Company, Sun shpbuiidinr
Company, the site Of the new Westinghouse
Company and that Of the proposed Gov
Arms Company. Eddystone Ammunition
Corporation. the Army Aviation station.
the Navy Coast Defense Fleet Station.
Eddystons Print Works. Aberfoyis Manu-.
featuring Company. Belmont Iron, Rogers
Iron and Steel. Worth Brothers Iron and
Steel and Chester Steel Companies, General
Chemical Company. Bsnsoil Products Com.
pany, large number Of textile ana oii
rennlng companies And an innumerabIA
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