Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-01-01

Many public improvements are promised
for 1917 by Director Datesman, OF the De-
partment of Public Works, who To-Day
briefly summed up accomplishments ana an
nounced working plans for the next twelve
months.
In his statement, which treats of every
phase of public work coming under his de-
partment, the Director says;
zone of the most important accomplish
ments has been the plans made for the COM
pletion of the Parkway. The passage OF an
ordinance to open the unopened portions OF
the Parkway, and the filing of the Guys
bond to indemnify the owners, nave conf
pleted tho legal opening. The sum or
$4,000, 900 has been set aside from loan
funds to pay for property damages and the
cost of the physical Improvement ana
preparations are being made by the Bureau
of Highways to clear away the buildings
and let contracts for the paving.
"The Convention Hall. or Municipal
Auditorium and the main building for the
Free Library, which are to occupy sites on
the Parkway, have assumed dehnite shape
The plans have been prepared, addltlohal
loan funds provided and bOrings are now
heinr made on the sites so that contracts for
the erection of buildings may be entered
into
DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENTS
''In the matter of the Improvement of
South Philadelphia under1ythe agreement
entered into with the ratIroad companies.
step will be the construction of concrete
viaduct on Washington avenue and on
Twenty-ffth street. The preliminary work
of shifting tracks, buildings, water mains.
etc, is now in progress and construction
will start early this year
The first steps in the carrying out OF
the comprehensive plan for the collection
and treatment of the sewage of the city
have been actively started. Ordinances
have been passed condemning sites for large
mi SOUTH
west Philadelphia, Actual construction If
now well underway on the Frantford Creek
intercepting sewer which Is designed to col
lect the sewage of Germantown and con-
vey it to the northeast treatment works
PLANS FOR BRIDGES
THE bridges planned for 1917 amount
to more than $l,O000OO, of which there are
already under contract a three-arCh con-
crete bridge on Bensalem avenue, which
will cost 100000 steel-plate girder bridge
on Godfrey avenue, under the North Penn
sylvania Railroad, 10 cost $4,000; steel
truss bridge on Margie street, over the Con-
Meeting Railway, to cost $4,000 ana plate
girder bridge on Hortter street, under the
Chestnut Hill branch of the Connecting
Railway, to cost 100000 The city will
pay the entire cost of the Bensalem avenue
bridge but the cost of the other three will
be shared by the railroad companies.
zone Of the most important bridges
planned for 1917 is the new South street
bridge, over the Schuylkil River, the prn-
cipal feature of which will be a lO0-foot
double-leaf bascule span. This bridge
will cost 100000. which has been pro-
vided out of the recent $42,000,00O loan.
1T is intended to advertise IA contract for
the completion of the South Broad street
plaza Improvement early in the spring Of
1917. so that the entire Improvement
should be finished By next winter
WORK AT LEAGUE ISLAND
THE contract for the Improvement of the
western portion Of League Island Park,
which has been under way for the last two
years, is now about seyenty-five per cent
completed and should be entirely completed
early in lyl7. This contract includes all
the grading, bridges and roadways, together
with the water and drainage systems but
does not include the planting footways and
superstructures. contract covering these
additional improvements will, however, be
advertised early in 1917. The Improvement
of the portion OF League Island Park lying
east OF Broad street was advertised in the
fan of 1916, and work under this contract
will be prosecuted during 1917 and 1918,
This contract includes all the improvements
within the eastern portion Of the park with
the exception of the superstructures.
Work has been vigorously pushed on the
contract for the Improvement of the Boule-
ward from Rhawn street to Pennypack Cir
Gle, and two OF its Tediating branches, Ben
salem avenue, from Pennypack Circle to
Lexington avenue, and Holme avenue from
Pennypack Circle to Holme Circle. This
work viii probably be finished by the sum-
mer of 1917. Contracts for the extension of
Bensalem avenue from Welsh road north
ward, POuuessing avenue from PennypaclS
Circle TO Lexington avenue. and for the eX
tension of Holme avenue will be executed
early in the coming year, to be paid for
from funds provided in the recent loan.