Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-05
MAYOR OFF TOCAPTTAL
TOCONFER ON TRANSIT
Smith Will Take UP Details of
High-Speed Lines With
Service Commission

Mayor Smith left for Harrisburg this aft
ernoon to discuss details Of the proposed
high-speed lines with members Of the Public
Service Commission, which is considering
issuance of certificates OF public convenience
for the lines included In the loan bill.
War or no war, the Department OF City
Transit intends to- push forward with all
possible speed work on tho commemorative
system of subway and elevated high-speed
lines. During this week when the crisis
with Germany probably will be reached
and passed, Transit Director Twining will
take two and possibly three important steps
in connection with the transit work.
on Tuesday the Director will open bids
for the construction OF the subway delivery
loop, on Wednesday or Thursday applica-
tion will be made TO the Public Service
Commission for permission TO construct the
Darby elevated, and by the end of the week
the report of Ford. Bacon & Davis on
the proposed lease between the city and
the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company
probably will be in such shape that Mr..
Twining can transmit II to the Mayor
As the Public Service Commission has
handed down no decision upon tho citys
application for a certificate Of public con-
venience" authorizing the construction OF
the delivery loop, Director Twining cannot
award the contracts on Tuesday, but the
The work will be divided into three con-
tracts one for the construction of n two
track subway and two stations in Arch
street, between Broad and Eighth streets
for two-track subway and one station in
Eighth street, between Arch and Iocust
streets; the third for the construction or "A
two-track subway and wo stations in
Locust street between Eighth and Broad
streets.
The total cost OF the three contracts will
be between S6,000,00 and $1,000, 900. Com
petition between bidders is certain TO be
keen, and for the last month inquiries
regarding the work have been received at
the Transit Department from contractors
in New York, Pittsburgh and other large
cities.
The fling of an application for a certin-
cate o. public convenience to permit the
beginning OF construction work on the
Darby elevated will place all the lines Of
the entire high-speed system upon an
actual construction basis. Applications for
the other lines with the exception of the
Frankford 81" were filed with the Public
Service Commission late last year. The
Frankford -" applications were filed with
tho commission at various times during
1915 and 1916
The Darby elevated will connect with the
present Market street elevated at Thirty
second street When the Market street line
has reached its traffic capacity II is planned
to construct parallel subway under Chest
nut street connecting with the Darby line
at Thirty-second street.
The Mayor employed the firm of Ford
Bacon G. Davis, of New York city, early
in January to study the draft of the pro-
posed transit lease submitted by the Phla-
dephia Transit Company. following a series
of conferences between former Transit Di-
rector A. Merritt Taylor and officials OF the
Company.
The survey by the New York experts has
been virtually comHated and probably
will be in the hands of Director Twning
by the end OF this week Mr. Twining
will transmit II to the Mayor at once, who
will study the report before it is submitted
to Councils
LAMBERTON OPPOSES LEASE
open objection TO the Transit Company's
draft of the proposed operating lease with
the city was made by Common Council
man Robert Il. Lamberton. of the Twenty
second Ward. in letter to Mayor Smith
Mr.. Lamberton objects to the feature
which secures to the Transit Company
five per cent cumulative dividend before
the city received even one cent for inter-
est and sinking fund charges, These two
charges to be met by the city, he SAYS
will total $3,000,000 or twenty-five cents
on the tax rate
Mr.. Lamberton contends that the city
would be better off with municipal opera
tion as well as municipal ownership.
AMEDTNhNC DE EhCEn