Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-18

trate It's Attention
The Delaaoare 7iver bridge.
A drydock big enough to accommodate 9
the largest ships.
Development of the rapid transit syS-
tenn.
A convention hall.
A building for the Free Library.
An Art Museum.
Enlargement of the auater supply.
Homes enough to accommodate the
population.
THIS list by no means includes all the
public improvements the need for
which has been discussed for years. It
does include those on which it is possible
for Mayor Moore and his associates to
make beginning and which it is possible
for the administration to push forward
with such speed that some, If not all, of
them can be e-completed within his term of
office.
It is the kind of a list which the man
ager of an expanding business always
has on his desk indicating what is going
on under him in order that his plant may
keep pace with the demands upon It.
Philadelphia is expanding more rap
idly than any single enterprise within its
boundaries. The adoption of definite
constructive program for the next four
years is of the first Importance. The
city must provide for the people here the
facilities for the transaction of their
business and it must also foster the in
tellectual and artistic side of life, that
the community may not degenerate into
mere market place.
We have put the bridge across the
Delaware river first on the list for the
reason that it is of prime Importance that
there should be closer connection with
that part of metropolitan Philadel-
phia on the eastern shore of the river
than there is at present. Although Cam
den is in another state, it belongs COM
mercially to Philadelphia. The impor-
tance of the bridge is recognized by the
Legislatures of both Pennsylvania and
New Jersey, for they have made appro-
priations toward its cost. The sum that
this city must pay is but small part of
the whole amount to be spent.
The bridge can be we'll under way to-
ward completion before the administra-
ton of Mayor Moore expires if it is
pushed with proper determination.
The need for a drydock big enough to
accommodate the largest ocean-going
ships is generally admitted. Attempts to
get it built by private capital have failed
because investors have been afraid that
it would not be profitable undertaking.
But whether it is paid for by private or
public capital; it should be built. The
city has large sums available for port
improvement and the money spent for
such purposes will not run against the
debt limit when an income on it is earned
sufficient to carry the bonds. And the
bonds can be written off from the debt to
the extent to which they do earn an in
come. A drydock which did not "pay" in
the narrow meaning of the word would
be profitable investment for the city, as
it would attract shipping here which
would take on cargoes at our piers and
earn indirectly for the city much more
than it would cost to carry it. 1t is part
of the necessary equipment of complete
ocean port, and under a broad-minded
policy it should be one of the first port
improvements undertaken. The dock
could easily be completed within year
or two after work was begun.
The development of rapid transit has
been at standstill for long time The
present system is outgrown. Improved
facilities must be provided at the earliest
possible date at either public or private
expense. There are differing opinions as
to the merits of the various plans sug-
gested, and there never will be complete
agreement. But if we are to have i'm
proved rapid transit some plan must be
adopted and pushed to completion. A
Door plan carried out would be better
than the most perfect plan left suspended
in the air for an indefinite period. Def
mite, affirmative action is expected.
War conditions and legal quibbles have
stopped the convention hall, free library
and art museum projects. The war is
over. The legal quibbles can be swept
away in short order as soon as there is a
determined purpose to erect these impor-
tant buildings.
They would go far toward the develop
ment of the Parkway by fixing its char
acter. The convention hall need not be
an architectural monument It's primary
purpose should be to provide for the ac-
commodation of large crowds in an audi
torium suited to public speaking, but the
central hall must also be so constructed
that it can be used for exhibitions of va
rous kinds.
The Free Library is at present housed
in cramped quarters at Thirteenth and
Locust streets. 1t has branches in va
rious parts of the city, it is true, but the
central library is the feeder for all the
branches. If it is to serve the public ade-
quately it must have room for storing
| its books and for the accommodation of
the public who visit its reading and deliv-
cry rooms. This city, in which public
libraries originated, ought no longer to