Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-01
URGES CITY BUILD
FRANKFORDL SHOPS
Trigg's Recommendations to
Be Considered by Council
Committee Today
APPEALS FOR HARMONY

Ernest T. Trigg, one of the city's
representatives on the Rapid Transit
Co.'s Board Of Directors, will suggest
that the city build its own shops and
power house for the Frankford "L." !"
at this afternoons meeting Of Councils s
Committee on Transportation and Pub
lie Utilities.
Mr.. Trigg has addressed letter to
the chairman and members of the COM
mittee, which will be read, embodying
this and several other important sug-
gestions.
One Of these is that provision be made
for the growth of the city in population
and industry, and consideration given
to the possibility Of the city ultimately
waited and surface trackage.
Another suggestion in Mr.. Trigg's
letter deals with the creation of greater
harmony and mutual understanding be-
tween the city, the transit company and
the public.
A third suggestion is that provision
be made Immediately for the deficit of
more than 5000, 900, which both the
city's engineers and those employed by
the transit company agree will be in
CURED the first year of the Frankford
Elevated.
Colonel Potter to Attend Meeting
Colonel Sheldon Potter, formerly one
Of the city's representatives on the
Board of Directors, has announced that
he will be at the meeting Of the com.
mittee. City Solicitor Smyth and Di-
rector Twining also will be present, at
Mayor Moore's request, to supply ex-
plantations or figures that the commit
tee may need.
The City Solicitor is expected to make
plain statement of the Adminstra.
tion's method in regard to the Frankford
elevated.
Trigg's Letter
Mr.. Trigg's letter follows in part:
The proposed lease as originally pre-.
sented provides that the p. r. T.
shall oXpend approximately 5000, 900 in
the enlargement of its present facilities
to supply the power and shop capacity
required, thereby saving the city from
the necessity of an estimated expen-
diture of 81 ,300,0 900 for such facilities.
This proposed lease further and
necessarily contains certain cancellation
privileges. | feel that, notwithstand-
ing the greater immediate investment
which it would require on the part of
the city to provide its own indepen
dent power and shop facilities. that IT
should nevertheless do so in order that a
complete and Independent system may
be thereby created. which system could
be turned over to the =. Il. T. or any
other operating company for operation.
and which might be taken back by the
city at any time. subject to contract
requirements so far as cancellations are
concerned, without embarrassment to
either the city or the operating com
pany.
Separate and distinct units owned
by the city and turned over to whomso-
over Is selected for operation would seem
to be the safe course to follow and pre-
vent possible MISUNDERSTANDING and
confusion in the future.
Let me say that / am deeply i'm
pressed with the desirability of elimi-
mating as far as possible all chance for
further misunderstanding and confusion
on the part of the public as to the real
state of affairs with regard to the tran
sit situation in Philadelphia.
The present critical attitude on the
! part Of the public is due, l am sure. in
large measure at least, to the absence
of that complete harmony between the
city and the company which must exist
between the partners in any business
operation II it Is to be most successful.
AS stop toward removing cause
for friction between the partners in
this situation, that is, the city and the
company, may suggest that inasmuch
rs the city has already a considerable
transit investment and is committed to
substantial further investment that
you might well consider in any compre-
hensing plans for the future; the ulti.
mate complete ownership by the city of
subway elevated and surface tracks and
! other permanent construction, leaving
to private initiative and management
the operation of the property and the
| supplying of the cars and other de-
prcciatablc equipment.
Turning again to the lease, I do not
find anything therein which provides or
plans to take care of the deficit to be
incurred through the operation Of the
Frankford elevated and Bustlcton line.
The engineer for the Department of
City Transit and the engineer for the
Philadelphia Rapid Transit Co. are In
agreement in letter dated May "a that
the loss IN this operation for the year
1922 will be S025,000
II note that in n letter addressed
to the Mayor by the president of the
company on March % the suggestion
that the company, with the approval
Of the Public Service Commission, would
'undgtake the added burden imposed
by the Frankford l. and Bustleton line
without increasing the basic fare of
| seven cents cash but with the CHANGE
| to five tickets for thirty five cents
instead of four tickets for twenty five
cents as now.'
&''ln the Mayors letter of transmittal
| to Council dated May 3 he makes ref :
erence to this letter from the president
Of the company dated March 25, but
does not comment on the suggestion
quoted above. ! do not see how anv
form of lease can be definitely decided
upon unless all parties are agreed on so
important point as taking care of a