Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-10
MAYOR TAKES UP
TRANSIT DETAILS
Conferences ON New Lease
and Frankford IL" Be-
gun Today
HOPES TO SPEED WORK
Terms for Construction Will
Be Amended to Expedite
Completion
HOPES TO SPEED WORK

First Of a series of conferences on
transit work and on a new lease was
begun today. Director Twining, Of the
Department Of Transit, hopes, with
Mayor Smiths aid, to advertise soon for
the construction of elevated stations,
plans for which have met with opposition
at the hands OF the art jury, ana this
was one subject discussed
At the same time the character of
stations was discussed tho officials
took up construction problems with a
view to letting more contracts for work
on that section of the Frankford elevat-
ed between Arch and Bridge streets
whsh is yet uncompleted. This sec
tion, It is planned, to place in operation
before the end Of the present adminstra-
tion.
To accomplish the completion and
operation OF even section of the
elevated short-term lease will have to
be entered into with the Philadelphia
Rapid Transit Company. Sc that the
city-bullt line can be connected and used
as new system with the present Mar
ket street elevated lines
Connolly Authorizes start
officials of the Transit Department
nave received word from city Solicitor
connolly that they can go ahead with
construction work on stations and plat
forms and there is available for this and
other construction about $4,000, 600 out
OF the original loan fund appropriations
or s7,4OO.O00 for the Frankford elevated
from Arcn to Rhawn streets
Director Twining and william Draper
n gtr ion
from the Mayor to alter the first leasing
proposition so as to make the general
lease of the city-built lines conform as
nearly as possible with the suggestions
made by the Public Service Commission
in turning down the first lease pro-
posed.
They will also exclude a number of
provisions to which exception was taken
by the commission and will endeavor to
frame new lease that will ultimately
cover the entire system and that will
meet with the approval of the Phia-
delpha Rapid Transit Company officials
and the Public Service Commission as
well.
VIII Rewrite Part of Lease
To accomplish this end it is admitted
That the discarded lease will have to be
rewritten In part. an operation that
may require months to complete. Api-
tation and public meetings over the dis
carded lease cover period of years and
In the event of new lease being drawn
IN such manner as to meet o,pposi-
tion either from the public or the tran
SIT company, future delays are little less
than certainty.
Today's conference being entirely of
preliminary nature and intended pri-
marlly to consider the ruling of the pub
nc Service Commission, little of public
interest Is likely to develop One project
, tnat mas been promised early considera-
tion Is the construction of n surface line
through the Thirts-fifth Ward TO Bv-
perry IT is being advocated by business
organizations of the section affected. and
there is sl,2O0,0OO of loan funds that
couiu De used for the purpose In thu
event Of its early completion II arso
would have to be leased to the RAND
transit Company, as the line is too small
TO be operated Independently.