Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-01
SAMSON STREET
PLANSEXPLAINED
Councils Hear the Public
Ledger Co. Request to
Connect Buildings
OPPOSITION HAS FADED
Traffic Not Interrupted by the
Bridge and Tunnel
Proposal

The question OF the connections pc
tween the Curtis Building and the pro-
posed 100000 twin structure Of the.
Public Ledger Company, to occupy
the block between Sixth and Seventh,
Walnut and SAMSON streets, came up
for hearing yesterday in City Hall
before the Joint Committee on Finance
and Surveys, The proposal was for a
nominal vacating of Sansom street In
order that communication between
the two great structures might be had
by bridges and tunnels. While no
suggestion had been made that the
street was to be closed, 1t was the
erroneous view that such was the case
that was the basis of opposition which
developed at yesterdays meeting.
Another hearing will take place next
Monday afternoon.
Company Welcomes Amendments
Chairman Joseph. P. .Gaffney, Of the
Finance Committee, presided-an Rob.
ert e. Lamberton, chairman OF the
Surveys Committee, sat at his right
hand. Frank Rogers Donahue, coun-
sci for the publishing companies, was
the first speaker. The resolution and
the ordinance had been drafted by the
city authorities, he said, and the com
panies welcomed any amendments
that would insure the legal rights
Of the people and his clients. When
that situation had been made clear
several Councilmen suggested that an
ordinance might be drafted embody'
ing all the desires of the publishing
companies without technically striking
the street from the city plan.
In opening the meeting Mr.. Carney
suggested that advocates of the ofdl-
nance speak first. Mr.. Donahue then
arose and spoke more than half hour
outlining completely the, plans of the
publishing companies. what was desired
in connection with Sansom street and
how the construction, of the new building
would guard Independence Hall against
a fire hazard. Mr.. .Donahue spoke, in
part. as follows:
About one e-quarter OF this new build
Ing and the space REQUIRED when COM
plete will be devoted to an auditorium
seating 5000 to $500 people. In which II
Is proposed to conduct public concerts
at which such organizations as the Phil.
adelphia Orchestra will come down tc
this district and play for the public al
nominal prices and by other organiza
tions free Of cost to those attending
same -, ....
No Traffic Objection
AT the request of tho CT" officials
a traffic report was mn"a ""N'"'' h"'
been embodied in III" orhiratc": and
want to say for the benefit of I've com
mittee3 and those present that this rn
portNwas prepared from what might b'
termed an adverse standpoint Some o
the criticism that has been made of thi!
project, was foreseen over a year ago
when It was first suggested, This repor
was made with tn" View of determining
whether there could he any real vallt
traffic objection to this project.
"It lasted for period of eight days
as shown in this report, the official copy
of which will be given to the committees
and 1t shows as stated IN the ordinance
that 90 per cent of the pedestrian trafH,
is to the Curtis Building and so pei
cent Of the vehicular traffic Is either {,
the Curtis or the Public Ledger Build
inEs. When these buildings are com
pleted, the Curtis Publishing Company
Which 10 the owner OF the new buildinJ
now on Walnut, SAMSON, Sixth ant
Seventh streets. will be the only abuttin,
owner on the south side and the Publi
Ledger Company will be the only abut
ting owner on the north side.
WIN Own Each side Of street
'sIn other words, the two companies
will own each side of the street to tn,
exclusion Of every other tenant or owner
at the present time. the wagons ant
: trucks Of the Public Ledger Compan ny
sixth street. At times there are perhap
twenty-five, thirty or forty of thes
vehicles on that street, which result
a. you also know In some obstruction
Under the new plan and the proposed
use Of Sansom street. the vehicles will
be placed In SAMSON street. All service
from the Public Ledger Building an,
from the Curtis Building will be ex
ciusively on SAMSON street, thus remoy
ing all that traffic, from Sixth and Chest
nut streets.
"As I stated in opening. the Sixt]
street wall of the new building will q
back an average Of ten to twelve feet
free Of cost to the city.
s'The Curtis Building. which Is com
pleted, Is ten to twelve feet back of, tn
old line of the Ledger Buildings now
That wall was put back voluntarily a
the suggestion of Mr.. Curtis when thi
,.rsaant building was erected w,tbn,,
cost to the city and without the sugges
ION, I believe. of any city Official.
El"The permanent line on Chestnu
.-A a. 81 ha eiytv faat L,,,,. g.. !,