Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-12
DRIVING FORCE NEEDED
TO MAKE VISIONS REAL
Too Little Action In Planning for
the Growth Of the City

~ Sesqui Centennial Fair will doubtless
be the improvement of the banks OF the
Schuylkill River north Of Market street.
There seems 10 b. agreement that what
adornnent of the river banks is undertaken
for the fair shall be permanent and in ac-
rordance with a general plan for beautify-
ing the stream.
Such structures as are 20 be built on the
part of the Parkway within the area set
apart for the fair are also TO be permanent.
SO that the money spent in this way to make
the fair grounds attractive will be invested
for the permanent beauty and convenience
Of the city.
The beautifyine Of the banks OF the river
will be much more expensive than II plans
for that Identification had been made years
ago. when the land was cheap and before
business structures OF any kind had been
built or before railroad tracks had been laid.
The city has not been wholly Indifferent
70 the necessity of planning for tn" future.
When it vas laid out BY William Penn with
central square and Jour other squares
about equidistant from the central one,
with grid!ron plan OF streets. great ad-
vance was made in city planning. No one
suffered any Inconvenience -hcn because of
what we now call the narrow streets. They
were more than adequate for all traffic for
more than $50 years. Neither Penn nor any
Of his associates expected the city 70 grow
TO It's present size. The population was
only 1900 in 100 and only II OC0 in $500.
But in the next hundred years it grew to
1900. 900. In the intervening twenty years
the population has increased by more than
500 600
The necessity Of providing for the comfort
and convenience of the growing population
has received much attention. Paramount
Park has been expanded from It's original
small area until 1t Is now one of the largest
and most beautiful municipal parks in the
world. Pannypack Park. in tn" northern
section of the city, has been acquired. The
Roosevelt and Cobbs Greek Boulevards have
been laid OUT and opened, and the Parkway,
connecting Fairmount Park with the heart
OF the city. IS now IN process Of development.
When public and semi public structures now
planned have been built along II. the Park
way will compare favorably with the finest
avenues in other great cities.
But much remains TO be done if the prob
lens Of the future are not to become almost
insoluble. AS the population has been in
creased by half million since 1900. 1t is
morally certain that it will be increased by
at least another hall million by 1910. The
downtown streets are now crowded 70 their
in the morning and at night. AS the popu-
lat.on Increases the small buildings in the
center OF town will give way to eight and
ten story buildings. which will be crowded
with workers Of oVe kind or another.
1t IS not TOO carly to begin the serious
consideration of providing a way for these
workers TO get TO and from their homes and
to provide avenues wide enough ~ accom-
modate the increasing traffic that will flow
into the heart Of the city.
The Frankford elevated railroad which
will be IN operation IN November, marks the
beginning of an effort 10 improve the transit
facilities, but that serves only one section
of the city. Ofh"r lines providing fast
service will have 10 be built TO serve the
other districts.
But We have not got beyond the talking
stage in the opening of diagonal streets
across the gr,dlron OF right -anglcd streets
in the older part Of the city. These dago-
mails are !mperat!vely needed. And they
should be planned with view to the traffic
OF fifty years from today, when the city Is
likely 10 have Il population os at least
8, 600. coo.
1t is sometimes objected tina, the COS, Of
such thoroughfares is proh.bttvc. Under
the existing laws the cost would certainly be
in such way as 70 permit the city 70 con-
denim broad strip on each side OF the new
thOroUghfares and to resell such part OF the
land as is not needed for the roadway profit
enough would he made TO cover nearly If not
quite all the expense OF the improvement.
This statement is not based on theory. Il
has been proved by the experience of other
cities, where in some instances not only the
cost Of the Improvement has been paid Tor
~ Al, =.
land, but a surplus has been lett 20 assist
/ in the payment OF the deficit Of other similar
Improvements.
What Is needed is a comprehensive plan
for city OF ar least 3 900 900 populution.
|, for the city will grow TO that size within
the lifetime Of Il onsderublc portion Of thc
present inhabitants. There are sixty ,ulIure
miles OF unimproyed land i'm the northern
part OF the city. There are hundreds of
acres of unoccupied land in Sou,n Philn-
delph!a and in the southwestern part Of ,Lr
| city on the western bank of the Schuylkil
there are thousands Of uCrcs waiting for
transit facilities 70 become a. tn!ckly in
! habted as the most populouS area in Wc,-
/ Philadelphia.
Public spirited citizens Of New York arc
, already talking Of plans for th,r city rs L
will be hundred years from now. They do
| not think it too soon 10 consider the COM
fort and convenience OF their descendants.
The Russell Sage Foundation has experts at
work on the problem. They are facing the
spread into New Jersey and Connecticut of
| the population that must be accommodated,
We have had city planners here but for
the most part their plans have never got be i.
yond the beautifully printed reports. The
vision has not been lacking but no ono has
supplied the driving force to make the vision
begin to take concrete shape.
II we could have a comprehensive plan
agreed upon and work started toward IT'S
execution not later than 1926, the city
would be able to profit In hundreds Of ways
by the appreciation of the millions of visitors
attracted by the fair. II is well known that
the owners of some of the most successful
enterprises in town came here first as Wis
itors 10 the Centennial Exhibition. Tho
! CITY nenrly doubled IN n0pulation bet U con