Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-01-19
TRACKLESS CARS,
HINT TO BYBERRY
Isolated Suburb Makes Plea
for Extension of Frank
ford Elevated
COMMISSIONER RYAN's TIP
Residents of Northern Settle
ment Ponder New Means to
i Become Famous

After nearly 800 years Of isolated exist
ence, Byberry may yet make It's name
famous in the affairs OF this city, wherein
It now has only remote place. The track
less trolley may work the change.
More than one hundred residents of that
northern suburb, which lies closer to Tren-
ton than to Broad and Market streets as
sembled in city Hall this afternoon to
argue before Public Service Commissioner
Ryan itheir final pleas in behalf Of the
application for a certificate OF authority
to construct the proposed extension Of the
Frankford elevated line through Bustleton
TO Byberry.
At the close of the hearing, which was
held in Select Council chambers. the Com
missioner made the remark that may be
prophetical Of Byberry's future status in
local history
Charles II. Heyer It's president, had elo-
uuently and logically submitted the con-
tentions of the Bustleton Improvement As
pociation; Il. Clinton lthoads had cham
pioned the cause OF tho Business Mems and
Taxpayers Association of Fran<ford. and
Lester d. Johnson as spokesman for Select
Councilman George Mitchell Of the Thirty
fifth Ward. had presented from various
angles their appeals for the commissions
favorable action toward the petition. Nearly
mission OF these pleas. The session was
about to adjourn.
HINT FROM RYAN
Mr.. Ryan as a judge might deliver his
charge to a jury, slowly and deliberately
made the suggestion that awakened the
citizens of Byberry TO their opportunities
1T seems to be great pity that private
enterprise was not permitted to enter into
the competition for this proposed line" he
T., .t.aps
connected with the city's center by the
trackless trolley This system Is now in
use in Continental Europe and in Great
Britain and Ireland. 1t is fed from an
overhead wire. which may be attached to
poles. trees or to houses. It IS no more
unsighty than are the streets in our Citys
business centers where overhead wires are
In use. II calls for no tracks, is economical
in Its construction. and can be operated
profitably. l presume the construction OF
such system on this Byberry line would
encounter no obstacle to it's installation
from the municipal authorities"
The commissioner explained that he was
not to be understood as advocating or sug-
gestng the construction of a trackes5 troll
ley over the Bustleton- Byberry route, but
mentioned II because one OF the main points
I'm the arguments over the proposed new
line had been the possibility that no profit
could be expected for many years from n
trolley line even when free OF overhead
CtAll AlAb Nllai bts'
QUESTION OF OPERATION
Mr.. Heyer, at the outset OF his remarks,
had told the Commissioner that with the
S1,200000 available for the line, which
penetrates a section ten miles long and
fve miles wide, private enterprise would
operate the line II the +. r. r. declined
10 do so. He discussed the situation exist
ing, where the city had spent more than
$4,000, 900 on the Northeast Boulevard. four
and one-half miles of which is inaccessible.
save by automobile or walking, and does
not include a single house along that dis
,ance This want of development he at
ributed solely TO the absence of transport
alton Penuypack Park was instanced as
city Improvement costing Sl,50O.0O0 and
Beyond reach of the residents of the ward
in which it is located. Byberry Farms
only transportation, the speaker said, was
by horse-drawn buses, at the citys ex-
pense, for the $500 or more persons To-
Gated there or their visitors.
The Philadelphia County Fair, freight
transportation and other points Of possible
revenue were suggested. Children attending
F'rankford High School are obliged to walk
TO Busteton station at go o'clock each
morning, with n similar walk homeward
more than mile
The force Of Mr.. Johnson's remarks was
devoted to the question OF service, accom-
modation and convenience Of the public. all
OF which he held had been clearly shown
20 the commission.
Mr.. Ryan announced that following a
general hearing at Harrisburg next wednes-
day and Thursday, whereat the delivery
loop, Broad street subway, Roxborough
subway and Frankford extension
will be argued a speedy announcement Of
the commissions decision would be made