Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-13
DELAWARE TUBE
TO Be DISCUSSED
Mayor Moore Will Consider
Practicability in Conference
With Railroad Officials
BRIDGE PLAN NOT AFFECTED

/ The practicability OF a tube under
the Delaware river as a means of solving
traffic congestion will be discussed by
Mayor Moore and prominent railroad
and railway officials at conference in
City Hall within the next few days.
! Discussion of tube project within a
few days after the decision of the rail.
road companies to increase the ferry
fare to four cents caused much comment
today in business circles.
Announcement was made In the
Mayors Office yesterday that the city
chief executive had held several confrr-
cn""s with Thomas r. MItten. president
Of The Philndrlnhia Rapid Transit Co.
OK which rlans were discu.T'u for 10.
lIev.ng congestion at the ferries.
May Use Police Power
1t was intimated in the statement
that the Mayor might use the police
power vested in him IL steps were not
taken to prevent overcrowding of ferry =
boats and blocking Of ferry approaches.
| IL was pointed out in the statement
issued from the Mayors office" that
the plnns discussed would In no way
interfere with the Delaware river bridg,
| project.
| i ne statement follows:
1t develops from recent conferences
on transit matters that Mayor Moore
and President Mitten, OF the Transit
Co., have been discussing. probable
improvements, with view OF relieving
congestion at the ferries. Mr.. Mittcn
u is said. has been working on n tube
plan without prejudice to the Della e
ware river bridge, concerning which the
Tf.aNOr is one of the state commissioners
Details Not Given
While the details of the confer .
"nccs ere not fully known. it is an .
hounced that the Mayor intends to call
n larger conference some time this
week, to which he will invite the trac. .
tton president, Pennsylvania and Read
ing Railroad officials and other inter
estS concerned.
The Mayor uses the ferries fire
Quently and knows how great has been
the congestion during the summer
months. He has spoken several times
OF tn" ferry boats as being packed
with passengers like sardincs in a box.
Tie and Mayor Ellis Of Camden have
been In conference on the subject. anL
the mayor of Camden will be asked tc
participate in the Philadelphia confer,
ence this week.
pluHH seen
to involve double. deck ferry boats
which could be made readily service
able and would greatly reduce the traf
tic congestion IL approached for passcn
ger traffic from footways running from
the top of the hill at Market stree
straight to the elevated railroad struc,
ture, In order that foot passengers neeC
not be mixed up with vehiCular traf
iic running on the surface.
Mitten Gives Views
1t Is understood that President Nit
ten has given the Mayor the benefit o
his views on the subject and thinks /
possble improvements could be mad
for service next year that would avoi,
much of the present congestion iand neet
not in amy way interfere with the bridg
project. The question of boRts is a
important in this instance as that O
transit or elevated footways and a.
the interests, according TO suggestion
coming from those close to the Mayor
should in fairness be consulted.
On special occasions, In discusSin
transit matters, the Mayor has beel
which might In the last extremity b
employed IL final agreements are no
reached as between the city and tn
transit company. He Is understood (
have expressed the same suggestion wit
respect to blocked ferry approaches an
overcrowded ferryboats. The Depart
ment Of Wharves, Docks and Ferrie
also enters into this general proposition
3 since the Legislature has given
A much power with respect to the waite
front.
Mayor Moore and Mayor Ellis, G
4 Camden, are old friends and have bee
I working together for long time 70
Z the improvement OF the Delaware Rive
and the approaches to both cities. an
8 will probably co operate in any nego
!. tiations that may be made with respec
5 to the talked of ferry terminal i'm
r provements."