Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-13
CONCEIT OF MAYOR
SEEN in HALL PLAN
Employees Find Reason for
"Hut" to Serve as City
Auditorium
FOR NAME ON BUILDING

City Hall men, whose Jobs are not big
enough for them to comment freely and yet
whose salaries are important enough 20
make them careful about not losing them,
were talking again today about Mayor
Smith,
The last time they spoke rather slight
ingly about his tendency that runs to fire.
quent vacations. This time they consid-
cred him in connection with the Convention
Hall that has been talked about these many
years.
So much opposition is being heard all
over town. especially by business men who
want big Convention Hall and not toy
building that the following conversation
not far from Mr. Smiths office is inter-
estng.
Analysed, the conversation today was
an adverse criticism based mainly on the
Mayors conceit.
ITO get his name on the building is all
he thinks about" one Of them said.
The talk came up in an argument about
what should be done toward the Convention
Hall project. The facts in the case were
rehearsed; how the Reyburn administra-
ton had found s1,500,000 with which to
build Convention Hall how this money
had been idle ever since, waiting to be used;
how II had shrunk to 81 ,43S,0 900 with archi-
tects and planners fees, etc.
MONEY ON HAND
Then they retailed some the things Mayor
Smith had been quoted upon. They recited
from his first message to Councils the gist
of that statement, wherein he said: with
a great auditorium completed, business men
can rest assured that business of $40 900 900
annually will be brought here by conven-
tions."
They told how he picked out n site at
Twenty-first street and the Parkway and
gave everybody the impression all would be
well how he approved the plans of John
7. Windrim for a structure that would seat
$4,000. which is only 1000 fewer than Madi-
son Square Garden in New York seats.
The estimated cost was s4,000.O00
The Mayor, the gossipers recalled, was
in Camden, S. c., when the courts said this,
but he came back nothing daunted, and
said. The residents of Philadelphia are
entitled to and shall have a municipal audi
torium that will compare favorably with
the other magnificent structures to be
erected on the Parkway.
And only q day later they remembered
he said to the reporters: Boys, the con-
vention hall project is dead We could not
build anything but n big barn with the
money we have on hand and we all want
something better than that to advertise
Philadelphia" That was on January II.
And now.' said one of the conversing
group, "the Mayor comes along and tells
us the plans have been revised and that a
small building is to be put up with only
5000 seating capacity
SMITHS REAL OBJECT
Can you beat it? l don't believe even
the Mayor has SO little sense as to believe
1t is good judgment for Philadelphia to
build a pcayune affair like that. 1t is
simply this. The name of Thomas b.
Smith going on the tablet will tell who
built the hall. Anyhow, he wants to get
something done before he leaves his office,
and this is about the easiest thing to get
DONE They say that the department chiefs
and architects have promised him that the
work can be finished before he quits And,
of course If he waits for more money to
build a Convention Hall our size. the next
administration and not his would get the
credit of finishing it. But, say What
can you expect"
The meeting broke up and the various
human parts Of it went out to lunch.
They put their thoughts a little more
picturesquely. maybe than some other cit
liens, but the doubts they expressed so
earnestly about building tiny convention
hall to seat only 5000 are being considered
by othar men, too.
Ernest T. Trigg, president of the Cham
| ber of Commerce, said today that the
chamber would take very decided stand,
probably by the end of the week. He
said the question was being studied on all
sides in committee now, and that report
would be made soon.
I'VE are considering the pros and cons.
| and when make up our minds we will
make our stand emphatic" he said.