Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-14
7|SNESS MENMAY|
|G[T into POLITICS
!. ..+nut Street Conduit Row
May Result in Fight on
CounciImen
criticism pEEvEs HALL

/. direct result of the conduit
A.si. between the members OF the
uu,, uaeU, street Association. Council
.Ss Western Union Telegraph
lna NV Il was intimated today that
&psss c&Sp men in the heart Of the. city
m combine to enter .poiitics IN TIE
" Councilmanic elections.
IA intimation was given IN letter
t.am Ellwood B. Chapman, president Oh
y. Chestnut Street Association. 70 o.
49, ~ and directors of the Phiiadeiphia
rSsrher Of Commerce whose ala has
- asked by the business men to pre-.
~ ~ tbe tearing up of Chestnut street
= 'tbe telegraph company as recently
s.,siited BY Council.
sSInis is one of the worst pieceS
y issislation that has gone through
SrStil, permitting as IT does the
sss,sns no of Philadelphia's prin-
III shopping thoroughfare for long
s!Sod." Mr.. Chapman wrote.
I'm order that you may be fully in
k.,nsd n,ay l ask that you read the
ssiosed brief summary Of the facts re-
I'M to this ordinance.
sass Merchants Arc Aroused
~ have never seen the merchants and
a.rtsrs OF Chestnut street SO incensed
!; they are at the present time; some
Str staid conservative members are
s,,ins I'M that we get into politics and
sssanize our members and all those who
~ associated or affiliated with us for
! 0s purpose of taking part III council.
sSuic elections.
Az jIIreording to n. b. Kelly, secretary
y ~ Chamber Of Commerce, the exc
sr,iys council of that body will con-
,iSsr Mr.. Chapman's plea for assist
anee today. =,
councilman Hall, who returned to
~ city from the seashore today, was
ineeused over the criticism the business
n had directed at him.
!. ~ have received a copy of Mr.. Chap
mi letter" Hall said, 'and threw
n n the waste basket where all other
IN 10 In the future. He has all the
armirks of a blatherskite. This is
ss,iy cheap political move and one
| Z the most fragrant samples of political
Auncombe I have seen.
| THI have never heard such nonsense.
I vill not ask the President Of Council
i ! call a special meeting to consider
tih matter.
,UApparently there would not have
Ieen 90 much publicity over this affair
Ihait not been said that Senator Ware
~ connected with the construction
scrk. have heard that the Senator
a<s not hold the contrac. In under
tand, however, some of his employees
a doing the work and some Of the
Hiferial he had on hand has been pur-
Iased by the Western Union.
Fol. de-. rol Says Charlie Hall
I"I- walked down Chestnut street to-
~ and never saw an undertaking Of
~ sore being carried on with less
6ittion. All this fol de roll is not
worthy the attention of a sane person.
Pttking' rule is in force on Chestnut
|aret, and everybody who observes will
that the work Is going on smoothly
kfh little hindrance to traffic.
a''The whole thing is a tempest in
6tupot. Mr.. Chapman's assertion that
n 800 ,OOO, 900 corporation like the
western Union will not adhere to its
contract with the city is laughable.
Two other Councilmen, Charles j..
Pommer and Alexis ]. Limeburner,
We're questioned concerning the Chap.
man letter today. Councilman Pommer
stated that he had received copy, but
that he would not sign n petition for
special meeting of Council to reopen
HE question. Councilman Limeburner
refused to comment. saying he had not
yM received the letter.
As another result of the protest
over the permission recently given
NJ the telegraph company to dig
up Chestnut street for the installation
d conduits for n pneumatic tube sys..
tenn, an ordinance will be introduced
% Council to provide for rental in all
franchise grants from the city.
Council has repeatedly considered
Mayor Moore's suggestion of rentals for
overhead and underground installations
" private companies. As recently as
hst Friday Mayor Moore said rentals
ihouh be charged.
Mr.. Chapman and twenty busine
men Of Chestnut street already have
sked Councilmen to sign a petit
Don calling for a special meeting to
invoke the permit recently granted to
III. Western Union Company.
According to Mr.. Chapman, who in
gected the work done up to yester-
~, 1t seems impossible that the tele-
rsph company can complete by October
y, the time limit set by the Highway
Bureaus permit.