Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-30
NORTHEAST EAGER
FOR a." EXTENSION
Frankford and Kensington
Urge Completion of Six
Mile Stretch
TwINING'S HOPEFUL VIEW

BY the end Of this week At least 90 per
cent of the steel superstructure Of the
Fra ankford elevated between Front and Arch
streets and Frankford avenue and Dyre
street Will he In place. with 80 much OF
the construction work done. residents Of
the Frankford- -KensinRton section are rapid
ly uniting In their demand that this six.
mile section OF the high-speed line he rushed
TO completion and leased. either temporarily
or permanently, to the Philadelphia Rapid
Transit Company.
on account Of the present abnormal prices
and the shortage Of labor and materials IL
Is daily becoming more evident that the
major portion Of the construction work OF
the hgh-speed system will have to be de-
ferred until conditions and prices again
become normal
As six miles NJ the total nins-mlle length
Of the Frankford line Ia nearing completion,
residents NJ the northeast are urging speed
In order that this much may he ready for
use as an operating unit before conditions
compel complete shutdown on all con-
struction work
Al the present time the steel superstruc-
ture is In place from Calowhill and Front
streets north 10 Kensington avenue and
Frankford Greek From Frankford Creek
TO Unity street the steel is on the ground
ready to he set In position This part Of
the line Director Twlnng believes will be
ready 10 receive the station structures and
From Unity street north TO Dyre street
the Il changes from n double column TO
a single column structure, with the sup.
porting pillars in the centre of the street
instead or one row at each side on &C.
count OF the long delay Of the Philadelphia
RAPID Transit Comany in spreading their
tracks TO make way for the column sup
ports this section is considerably behind
the southern end Of the line
Senator Ware, who holds the contract for
the foundations between Unity and Dyre
streets. is pushing the work forward as
rapidly as possible. and at the present rate
OF progress Director Twiring believes that
In nine months this section will be ready
TO receive the concrete floor bed and the
station structures
From Callowhil street south to Front
and Arch streets no work Of any kind has
been done, as II is not determined how the
line will be operated nor whether Il will
make physical connections with the present
Market street high-speed line of the Phila-
dephia Rapid Transit Company To COM
plete this short section will take about a
year and half or two years, according to
the promptness with which the steel is de-
livered
As the operation of the line hinges upon
the completion Of this section, and It can
not be completed without leasing arrange
ments. residents Of FrankfOrd and Kensing-
ton are urging that II the administration
cannot come 10 a prompt agreement with
the transit company over the leasing of the
entire system. "A temporary lease be made
for the Frankford "L" at once, i'm order that
this southern end may be completed and the
line operated.
should this he done and should the con-
tracts for rails, cars, power houses and
substationS be let at once, 1t IL estimated
that the line could be in operation as far
north as pyre street early in 1913.
Director Twining later this week will ad-
veTtise for bids for the ten stations on this
section Of the IL" Bids were opened last
week for the concrete floor bed but as they
were found 10 be too high the contractors
We're requested Ia withdraw them. The
specifications will he changed slightly and
/ bids will be readvert!sed in the near future