Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-11
COMPROMISE ENDS
TRANSIT PARLEY
Conference Understood to
Permit Building Frank
ford IL" Stations
HASTEN CONSTRUCTION
Mayor Wants Line Operating
to Bridge Street This
Year

A transit conference was held in the
Office of Mayor Smith today between the
Mayor Director Twlnins. of the Depart
ment of Transit, and Andrew Wright
Crawford, secretary of the Art Jury, at
which the question of the designs for
the Frankford elevated stations was dis
| cussed
1t Ia understood that a compromise
was reached which will permit the Tran.
sit Department to 60 ahead with the
plans for the construction of the sta
tions as far as Bridge street.
The conference was result of the
changing of the plans submitted by the
Art Jury, eliminating certain ornate fea-
lures. by the Transit Department. The
Art Jury objected to the changes and
requested a conference.
Operate Part OF "L" This Year
Determined TO complete and put into
opera ton that section of the Frankford
elevated line between Arch and Bridge
streets during the present year. Mayor
Smith has instructed Director Twining
TO proceed to let contracts as rapidly
as possible.
Another line that will be started this
year 10 the surface extension from
FidHhIoTu 10 bNDtIIS, lOl "ii,h Fii-VV,-
900 is available.
A balance of s4,o0O<OoO is on hand for
contract work yet to be let on the Frank
ford elevated. Contracts for stations
for the elevated and for station plat
forms will be let in the very near future
and by April ! Director Twinng hopes
TO let contracts in connection with the
construction of the surface line in the
Thrty-flfth Ward.
A second transit conference is plan
ned for Thursday At this meeting the
Mayor. Director Twining and other off,
| Gals VIII go over the proposition of get
| ting other lines under contract before
| the end of the present administration.
| director Twining is urging the eX-
! penditure of the energies Of his depart
! ment on the completion of the Frankford
elevated, leaving the new contracts for
the Broad street subway. etc. go either
until later this year or until new ad-
ministration takes charge.
Undecided on subway Loop Contracts
Mayor Smith is as yet undecided as to
| how soon it will be possible TO let new
| contracts for construction work on the
subway loop, on which s1.100.000 has
already been spent and on which work
was stopped because of the war.
AT the time of the abandonment of
| thls work things were put in shape so
that 1t could be allowed to wait an
| indefinite time before resumption. The
| question now arises whether or not to
| advertise for new contracts for this
partly completed work and for other
work which contractors refused to do
on the Broadway sections or to offer
entirely new sections of transit lines
for bidding.
These and questions relative to the
proposed new lease Of the lines to the
Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company
Will be taken up from time to time dur
ing the last year of the Smith regime.
The question of a new lease is likely
to be made more difficult by reason OF
the anxiety OF the Mayor and Director
! Twinng to get the Frankford elevated
| operated as a section of the present ele-
waited system of the Philadelphia Rapid
Transit Company.
Separate short-Term Lease Needed
To make the Frankford L a connect.
ing link with the Market street L will
require separate short term lease witt
the operating company and questions
relative to such an agreement will be
among the first taken up in the future
Directing Twining is convinced tha
the balance Of loan funds available fol
the F'rankford l. will complete 1t onl.
; as far as Bridge street and that conse
quently the lack of money will proven
the extensions of the lines to Rhawi
street for some years to come. Th
additional distance of three and one
half miles will, it is estimated, cost th
city several millions more dollars 4
complete. This work will be left L