Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-14
NO SUBSTITUTE FOR
THE BRIDGE is DESIRABLE
The Tunnel Plan, EstImable " Private
Capital Alone Is Used, Otherwise
Confuses and Delays a Para
mount Issue

Capital Alone is Used, Otherwise
confuses and Delays Para
mount Issue
TT MAY be recalled that inability to decide
i which of two lunches Of hay to eat first
proved fatal to the ass placed between them.
The temptations of the Nicaragua route for
years barred the way to direct action by
the United States upon the Panama canal
project. In the realms alike of fact and
fable the duel of alternatives is fearfully
destructive.
Fortunately. however the dismal conse-
qucnces of such contest are pretty gen
orally realized. Philadelphians and Cam
dcnites, painfully aware of the imperative
need of a Delaware bridge. are quite con-
scious of the danger of seriously discussing
a counter proposition.
The mischief of considering at this time
the construction of an under river tube lies
not in any inherent undesirability-for
tunnel would be immensely scrvceable-
but in the befogging of perfectly plain
case entitled to rest upon it's own merits
No substitute for the bridge will suffice
Two cities and two states are pledged to
the undertaking. In intensity Of popular
demand the work takes precedence over any
other schemes for linking Pennsylvania and
New Jersey in this section. The case has
been heard Verdict has been pronounced.
At this stage the shutting of alternatives
would be intolerable.
The tube plan is OF the stuff of which
rccurrent dreams are made. Its virtues, IL
dissociated from unwarrantable comparisons.
are not to be disputed. The contemplated
conferences this week between Mayor Moore,
Mr.. Mtten and representatives of the Penn
sylvania and Reading Railways will touch
on venerable but none the less attractive
theme. Long before the subway was built
schemes for connecting the central railroad
terminals directly with New Jersey engaged
the public fancy.
The vision was by no means dispelcd by
the inauguration of the Pennsylvania
bridge route for although great railway
systems were joined thereby, the detours
were costly in time. and money and the
heart of the problem was really not reached.
With the construction. actual and in pros.
poet, of the Philadelphia Rapid Transit un-
dcrGround lines now possibilities were
senScd.
For some time the toSn was excited by
rumors Of the alleged intent of the Phila.
drlphia and Western Railway. 1t was
hinted that u terminus for through trains
might be established in the center of the
city by means of the Market street subway.
and in imagination, then under full steam
the Delaware tube rounded out the picture
Since that bubble exploded sumber has
been the portion of the tunnel notion. but
lately it's sleep has been uneasy. The tran
sit company'S high speed program as rcn.
resented in the Frankford elevated and the
Broad street subway naturally suggests rail
way short cuts which, with the aid of a
river tube. might work revolution in
transportation facilities in this region.
Fine! Anything to relieve the incon.
vcnCnces under which PhilaLclphia suffers
is in theory admirable. If the =. r. +. and
the Pennsylvania and Reading railroads
see fit to embark on such a wholesale rcfor-
nation, perhaps more costly than the bridge.
deep public gratitude will be their reward.
The town will welcome Delaware tunnel
for trolloys or rai'rood trains.
But general applause will only echo If
private capital alone is involved. in the
undertaking. The city cannot afford to in
tcrcst itself financially in any such project
All the spare time which the Mayor can
take from the numerous and vitally i'm
portant municipal undertakings as yet un.
finished should be devoted to the bridge to
the building of which he promises his active
support.
Preliminary appropriations for that in
diSp"nSahlc public improvement have been
made. When larger sums are needed the
Legislatures of Pennsylvania and New Jer-
sry and the councilmanic bodies of Philadel-
phia and Camden will be expected to fur.
nish the financial sinews. The taxpayers,
although naturally undcsirous of burdens,
are sufficiently sober minded 10 accent re-
sponsibilities in view of the mmpasurablc
public profit in the span.
This. as has been =SDcatedly emphasized.
will not be utility of mere restricted value.
but of prime COmmunal Significance II
will terminate the exasperatng fcrryboat
congestion, provide for tho immense auto
traffic, private and commercial, between the
two states. serve the pedestrian and trolley
passenger; in short, bring this great urban
district at last up to date.
That the benefactions of the tunnel will
be not a tithe so generous Is so obvious as
to be hardly worth discussion The Penn
sylvauia tubes under the Hudson arc rightly
recognized as epoch making in the life of
American railway transportation. But thev
were pierced under the river bed through
the animating agency of private capital ex-
pended selishly, though with apprcciable
gain to travellers. The general traffic prob.
lem in New York was left untouched by
either the East or North river tunnels, Over
the former stream it was found necessnry
to throw great bridges upon which state and
city funds were very properly spent. Under
similar auspices the proposed bridge of the
Hudson will be built
The view of this subject which New York
has consistently maintained is the only one
which Philadelphia can logically entertain II