Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-21
ION TO CAPITALp
TRANSIT MEN CRY
Final Arrangements for
Trip to Harrisburg Made
by Officials
MORE THAN 100 TO GO

Final arrangements for the ION to Har-
,fsburg' movement to support the four
transit measures pending in the Legisla-
tpre are being made today by Transit Di-
rector Twning, Finance Committee Chair
man Gaffney and officers of the United
Business Mems Association.
A special train carrying more than 100
kelegates from the seventy business or
Limitations composing the United Asso-
6Iation will leave Broad street station to-
morrow morning at.S:4O o'clock. The Logan
Improvement League is also arranging to
send a large representation on the Harris
burg special.
The success of Mayor Smith in having
the hearing before the Senate Judiciary
General Committee reschedued after it had
been called off by Senator Kline, chairman,
caused great qualification today among
those who have been fighting to have the
transit enabling legislation passed.
william Draper Lewis former head Of
the law school of the University Of Penn
sylvania, who drafted the measures at the
personal request of Mayor Smith, and who
has made a thorough study of Philadel-
lphia's legislation and the constitutional
restrictions now playing a part in the city's
problem, will make the leading address in
behalf Of the four measures.
The other speakers will be Mayor Smith
Chairman Gaffney. of Councils Finance
Committee and Director Twining
In addition the views of the United Bust
ness Mems Association will be presented by
President Nopell Edwin NJ Abbott, chair
man Of the law committee Sidney NJ. Earle,
chairman of the transportation committee /;
&C. Oscar Beasley, chairman of the Harris
burg committee on transit legislation, and
Select Councilman George c. Ulrich, of the
Forty-second Ward.
Four bills will be considered at the hear
ing They are:
The Cans bill, which would give the
Public Service Commission the right to COM
pei the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Com
pany to throughroute trains between the
Frankford and the Darby 81" roads over
the tracks of the Market street high-speed
line irrespective of whether the citys sys-
TEN is operated by the p r. T. Company
or Independently.
The Salus bill, which includes the
through-routing' feature of the Cans bill
and in addition would give the commission
the right to fix joint rate of fare at inter-
sections of the city's and the company's sys-
TEN in the event of Independent operation.
The Hecht eminent domain bill, which
would give the city the right to take over
the franchises of the Philadelphia Rapid
Transit Company and the underlying COM
panes and
The Hecht constitutional amendment Civ
Ing the city the necessary borrowing power
TO exercise the eminent domain right pro-
fded in the Hecht bill.
The Transit Company will oppose all the
measures. Ellis Ames Ballard, chief Coun-
se, will present the Transit Company's
side. He will be assisted by several other
company representatives. Former Transit
Director A. Merritt Taylor has openly OPP
posed the Salus and the Hecht measures,
put II is not known whether he will appear
before the Senate committee.
The audit of the books of the Philadelphia
Eapld Transit Company by Lybrand, Ross
brothers Montgomery expert account
ants will not be completed in time for the
meeting and perhaps not for next Fridays
rouncilmanic hearing. This was admitted
Ioday by Controller Walton, to whose de-
pArtment Councils appropriated $40 900 to
nave an audit made. Director Twining is
e1remely anxious that the audit be made,
ana mad hoped and expected that it would
Se nnshed before the first councimanic
nearing last Friday.