Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-30

leaders OF a delegation Of representative
Phladelphians that marched on Harrisburg
to protest aga'n the ripper" The protest
failed but tire iniquitous act was held un-
constitutional by the Supreme Court
In 1901 Albert l.. Johnson. brother OF
Tom l.. Johnson the famous sngle-taN ad-
Nocate, Mayor Of Cleveland and street
railway genius, who gave Cleveland three
cent railway fares. proposed to enter the
street railway field IN Philadelphia He
said there were $50 miles of streets in
Philadelphia in which street railways could
be made to pay and he wanted franchises
In some Of these streets his proposed lines
would be IN competition with those of the
Union Traction Company.
Johnson's proposals suggested something
the politicians had overlooked. But when
an expert pointed out the possibilities they
We're not slow to see.
The Legislature and the Governor quickly
provided legislation enabling the city to
grant franchises. and the franchises were
granted to syndicates in which Representa
tive Robert H. Foerdcrer. John NJ. MacE,
Michael Murphy. Clarence Wolf and others
were interested.
OPPOSED RAILWAY FRANCHISES
Mr. Armstrong was one of a handful of
Councllmen that fought the granting of
these franchises, which amounted to giving
away Of millions of dollars worth of privi-
leges to use streets for tramway purposes.
were granted. John Wanamaker to prove
that the privileges being given away were
highly valuable. sent to Mayor Ashbridge an
offer of S2,50O,O0O for the same privileges
The Mayor contemptuously threw the oner
away without even opening the envelope
Later Mr.. Wanamaker offered to pay
$500. 900 to the city and bonus OF
$500, 600 to the franchise-holders If they
would give him their holdings. His offer
was not accepted,
In 1905 came the famous gas-lease fight.
It was proposed to extend the gas works
lease to the United Gas Improvement Com
pany for fifty years for nat sum Oh S%o'-
900 .OOO--S5OO 900 a year.
Councils were aligned for the lease Again,
| as in the street railway frahchise hght' Mr.
! Armstrong stood and fought against a
| scheme to sacrifice the city's property. Fuo,
| lie sentiment was aroused before the ma, n
| voting in Councils. but the members had
| their orders. Police were on hand to protect
! the Councilmen from indignant and outraged
| citizens who crowded the galleries SHOUTING
"Thieves :" and Robbers !" as their property
/ was being voted away.
LED WAY TO BREAK
| Armstrong and his pitiabiy little band ar
gued and voted no"
Then Mayor Weaver broke with the gang
/ Heads fell right and left. The Mayor
showed no mercy. The Organization leau-
ers were stunned. The United Gas I'M
provement Company withdrew its oner
which Councils had accepted and which the
Mayor was about to veto. So that Egh'
| was won.
| Mr.. Armstrong served three terms as
| Councilman. Then he was beaten ana ne
was no more a candidate for office uhu
he was nominated by the Town Meeting
party though he continued to be interested
in good government and an earnest advo'
cate of II.
Mr.. Armstrong could have become Dis
politiclan." He preferred to be big man
| He did not build up nor try to build UT
| any kind of machine that would keep him
in office. He never was the kind of mar
a political ring would make any kind CT q
! fight for. The leaders used to ask him
| what he wanted. He said he didn't want
! anything. That is a hard kind of man fol
| a political machine TO deal with
Everything In Mr.. Armstrong; record as
a business man and in politics shows him to
| be substantial, honest, trustworthy, com
! petent, sincere and consistent.