Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-10

The above lyric was written BY an
waiting for a cross-town car at the COR
ner of Fifty-second and Market streets.
and is respectfully dedicated TO all Phila.
delphians who are compelled to depend
on the service at present offered by the
II. r. on this line. Sing 1t on the
cars; II may help to warm things up. If
there is anything to he said in favor Of
! the service make chorus out of It and
send II to the company.
The reporter arrived at Fifty-second
and Market streets at 542 y. m. by the
elevated, his point Of destination being
Fifty-second street and Parksde avenue
About $50 persons were -aiting on the
corner for car in the same direction.
None was in sight, but in the meantime
the elevated trains were arriving at min
ute and one-half intervals, which Il
their Roadway during the rush hours.
With the arrival of each of these trains
scores of men and women, many with
small children, Joined the crowd, and
when 1 o'clock came. with no cross-town
car in sight. the crowd had spread until
II reached 10 Chestnut street and was
growing with each arriving train,
The discomfort to these hundreds Of
tired persons, standing along the cold
street can readily he imagined. and II
required no play of imagination to pic
ture many an anxious wife keeping din
4 ner warm, and many a child waiting at
tho window for her papa to come home
RI the reporter would here record the re-
marks Of some of these honest papas
Fifty second street would hold a revival.
FIVE CARS IN A BUNCr
At 6:io five cars hove ir sight and
stopped in "a line. AND then a mad
scramble on the part of the crowd Many
got off the cars, many got on the cars.
but more were left behind. The reporter
managed to get aboard the third car.
but the tin sarcophagus of sardine
must be solid comfort IN comparison.
These cars were what are known as
"trippers." sent out from the barn to re-
lieve the congestion during the rush
hours The one the reporter was on
should have been called Il Skipper" for
Il skipped several stops on it's way
nCrtn. leaving people on these corners,
who by that time might have got on If
the chance had been given TO them.
Wat is the idea of running these
cars In bunches?" the reporter asked the
conductor.
''rhey are not supposed to run in
, bunches we were blocked at Forty-ninth
street by Hog Island trippers on Route
81. That guy at the barn (the super
intendent) thinks that line Is the most
important. and lets the people over this
way get along the best way they cam"
'TIe might at least keep the cars In
repsir," suggested the reporter.
Keep the cars In repair?" answered
the conductor. as he tried to coax the
door closed and keep the cold wind off
his neck "IIow's he going to keep cars
In repair when the company only pays
mechanics who work on the cars about
s13 week? There are too many good
Jobs around for mechanics to work for
that nd of money Why. half the cars
are not fit to go out of the barn, and
30 many men are sick there are not
enough to run the cars if they ha
them
WOULD LIKE TO QUIT NEIGHBOR-
HOOD
II know one thing sure" said n sub
stantial-looIing man who was listening
IF | didn't own my house and WASH
paying for II through the building and
loan ! would get out of this neighbor
hood. II was the transit facilities that
attracted me to this part of the city, and
now that / am here and tied up with u
I house. the traction people seem to be lay
ing down on the job. I'm no kicker, or
knocker." he continued, hut this winter
has been the limit. You can see for your
self how it was tonight, and this is the
way 1t has been nearly every night for
weeks"
What this man had said reminded the
reporter of this section OF West Philadel-
phia only fifteen years ago. At that
time property was mostly vacant lots,
and little development had taken place.
[, Today 1t is almost like another city Unto
Itself. It WAS the extension of the transit
facilities that created this thriving Sec
4 tion. that made the realty values and
lured the homeseeker of moderate means
TO cast his lot with this section. Many,
yes, thousands Ike the man on the car.
are buying their property through build
Ing and loan associations out Of their
savings.
n In 1900 there were 27,671 homes in
West Philadelphia. and by 1910. three
years after the extension of the elevated,
this number had increased to 50,995, and
during the last seven years the number
Of homes has grown by leaps and bounds