Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-26
CITY STILL HOPEFUL
OF PACT WITH P. r. 4.
Talk Of Leasing Transit Lines to
Independents Put in
Background

All talk Of an independent operator for
the cty's high-speed transit system was
put far IN the background today as result
OF tho views expressed yesterday afternoon
at the second public hearing before Coun-
ellis Finance and street Railways Commit-
tees ON the lease proposed by the Phila.
dclphiJ Rapid Trausi, Company.
Although the mectiuG was devoted en-
| ir"ly to. the opponents Of the present lease.
II was made perfectly clear that the city
is 10y no means ready tp break of ncgota-
tions with the Rapid transit Company on
the contrary. administration aud councils
! manic leaders seem hopeful Of reaching
| satisfactory agreement with the company
/ n spite of Mayor Smiths statement AT
| Harrisburg Tuesday that unless the legis-
I lHtion pcuding there passed lac had no hope
/ pi amy successful conclusion to the negOtia-
| tIous
William Draper Lewis. legal transit ad.
Visor of Mayo" Smith, plainly asserted that
/ the present lease was $50 faulty that Il
! SHOULD bc rcdrattcd to suit the city The
/ one conclusion drawn from his address by
! transit followers today is that Director
/ HwiuuE win be instructed 90 draw up n
/ new lease and submit II 90 the company for
/ consideration.
When asked today If ne thought such a
| request from Councils joint committees
/ likely thc Director said 10 would hardly be
proper FOR him to autiCipatc councils ac-
tion. Ito admitted at the same time that
/ hc had his constructive program so thor
| ouEhly worked out that he could draft such
20 lease in a short time provided the fare
clause was left open.
POTTER THINKS LEASE Is OFF
Colonel sheldon Potter one of the city's
representatives uu the transit company
directorate. today said that n his opinion
the hearing yesterday proved couclusively
that the a. r. r. lease could never be ac-
/ ruptcd In it's present form.
| Discussing the construction phase Of the
I ruusit program. tulOuclp otter EXPRESSED
.nv view that because of the present extra
ordinary cost of labor and materials he
was beginning to believe that II might be
wise to defer the construction of all but
the FruultoId elevated until the end di
the war The Frauitord high-spced line
lI" added should be rushed to completion
at once aud the system put into operation
! The operation Of the line could be under
| ln>ou 10y the city or by the company on Q
lease that would expire about the time the
rest of the comprehensive system Is com
kplotrd, according To Colonel Potter, wht
l$aId that he was very much opposed I,
splitting up the entire system on lease
as individual lines. Further than rcachini
the conclusion that the cty's transit sys
ten should bc operated as unit. Colone
Potter added that he had not given tn
question Of operation detailed study,
The hearing before Councils Joint con
mittccs will he continued next Friday
when Director Twiuing viii he the chic
speaker Ills objections to the propose
lease win be illustrated with lanter
| slides.
Before this hearing the Director wi
make another effort to hav" the audit {
the Transit Company's books completed
The work is being done by Lyhrand, RIOS
BROTHERS 4 Montgomery expert accoun
ants, under the direction Of Controller Wa
ton January - the Mayor signed the ord
nance appropriatinE $4,000 TO the Con
uollcr's department 10 have the audit mad
Time and again the Director has bee
assured that the audit would be complete
IN time for hearings. Each time. howeve
hc has been disappointed. Adminstratic
leaders are determined, however that !
definite action will be taken on the lea
until they have the results Of the invest
cation of the Compauy's books in tho
hands.