Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-29
GAFFNEY TO MAKE
APPEAL TO PUBLIC
Councilman Plans to Keep Up
Effort to Have City Join
Transit Rental Suit
HITS SMYTH'S PROGRAM

Joseph p. Gaffney. Ware leader in
City Council. will try to enlist public
aid in his fight to have the city directly
attack the rentals paid underlying com
panies of the Rapid Transit Co.
Councilman Gaffney announced he is
preparing reasons for his stand and will
make them public Monday His resolu
rion aimed to force City Solicitor Smyth
to join In the suit. Of the United Busi-
ness Mems Association was defeated
Tuesday by vote Of 12 to q.
Samuel J. Rosenbaum, assistant city
solicitor, speaking before Council Tues
day. asserted the city's ktack on the
increased fare request was also aimed
at the underlying rentals. declared to be
the root Of the fare problem.
Mr.. Rosenbaum said his superior,
Mr.. Smyth, questioned the advisability
of. joining in the business associations s
suit.
Discuss Plan for "L"
While the higher fare plan is now
waiting on the appraisal of the transit
companys property and the Public
Service Commission 81 action next fall,
city officials are casting about for a
suitable operating plan for the. Frank
ford elevated.
This was made known by Mayor
Moore after a conference in his office
had brought out the fact that an ad-
ditional So. .00O. 900 Is needed to finance
the Frankford high speed line. a re-
cent municipal loan provided $4,000
1000 for the work.
Mayor Moore, Director Twining. City
Solicitor Smyth, Thomas r. Mitten,
company president; William J: Mont
gomery, a director. and Ralph Sentter,
p. r. T. engineer, attended the con-
ference.
Mayors Statement
After the meeting Mayor Moore issued
this statement:
mayor Moore, Director Twining and
City Solicitor Smyth were in conference
for more than an hour yesterday after
noon with President Mitten. Director
Montgomery and Chief Ralph Sentter,
Of the Rapid Transit Co.. concerning
the operation Of the Frankford H.
Director Twining brought up a
number Of points which he said should
be settled before the city proceeded
with. certain construction work. lie
suggested that to complete and equip
the road, taking over certain property
as might be required by the Philadel-
phia Rapid Transit Co. under lease.
would nccessitate the expenditure OF
perhaps $4,000. 900 more than the
81. 900, 900 recently provided for by a
loan. :,
MAYOR Moore stated that even IL
the cost was increased. so much money
had already been spent upon the Frank :
ford T. that the completion OF 1t was
the city's only recourse.
"After many other points relating to
an understanding as to lease that
would enable the city to go ahead with :
out delay or waste. 1t was agreed that
the director of transit and the transit
company's engineers should get together
with view of smoothing out these
POINTS and coming back with n report
tnat might form the basis of lease.
Hope for Report
"There was no discussion Of finance
during the conference except in declara-
ton by President Mitten and Director
Montgomery that the company was not
in position at this time to raise money
for extensions.
"The Mayor held to the point that the
Department of Transit should complete
and equip the road so that it will be
ready for bidders, including the Rapid
Transit Co. on such terms as might
be made between the landlord of COM
pletely turnlSned mouse ana MS tenant.
1.-THE Mayor held to the contention
that the city should have a fiat 5 per
cent return upon its capital invest
ment."
Get Commissions Order
Official copies of the Public Service
Commission transit orders have been
received in this city. One directs the
p. II. T. to prepare an inventory and
appraise its property and the city Of
Philadelphia to check upon these and
for both sides to present argument to
sustain their contentious in the matter
Of the proposed fare rise at hearing to
be fixed by the commission in Septem-
Der.
1t was this order that tied the hands
of Mr.. Mitten in his efforts to get i'm
mediate revenue increase.
The second order directs the thirty
underlying companies of the +. r.. Il.
to make reply within the next ten
days to allegations that they are OBJ
tanning exorbitant rentals for fran
chises and property from the P. X. Il.
This order is regarded as the biggest
victory yet won by the business men s
associations in their fight to have the
underlying companies ''disgorge."