Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-10
PR. I. Z OPERATION.
AIM OF ORDINANCE.
Weglein Drafts Measure tor
Submission Following Yes
terday's Conference
CoUNCILMEN URGE ACTION

An ordinance authorizing ?. II. 7.
operation of the city owned Frankford
elevated is being prepared from facts
obtained at Yesterdays ive-hou ses-
sion Of Council, Richard Weglein, presi-
dent Of Council. announced today. -,
Mr.. Weglein said he will confer with
Mayor Moore, probably tomorrow: be-
fore giving the ordinance definite shape
He also will endeavor to learn the at
titude Of the Public Service Commls-
sion toward n five year lease.
Councilman Hall, who did much or
the questioning at Yesterdays session,
said he hopes to see the ordinance drawn
within week Sin view of the spirit
Of those interested in the Frankford
elevated"
City Benefits Forcseen
Mr.. Hall said: Council wou ID like
to work in harmony with the admins
tration and hopes the elevated can. be
kept entirely out of politics. In addi-
ton to Increasing taxable values the
a." in operation. will help solve the
housing problem. There arc twenty Inc
square miles Of territory open to de-
velopment at the northern end of the
line"
Councilman Gaffney, chairman Of the
Finance Committee, also said he hopes
to see an ordinance ready within a
week. He said the losses the city will
sustain annually will be made up by
increased taxable values and other bene-
fits.
Thomas T.. Mitten. president of the
p. II. T., offered to operate the line
with the company assuming the losses
in the first year. Payments to the
II 4 L., ho yopnnI nf
operation. starting with | per cent of
the citys $40 900, 900 investment and
reaching per cent in the sixth year
and thereafter.
Mitten Outlines Proposal
Mr.. Mitten in outlining his stand
upon the proposal said:
"The proposal contained in letter TO
President Weglein, December 81, is the
most liberal that can, In fairness, be
submitted to +. Il. r. stockholders for
approval.
"City and company are in agreement
that the loss from operation of Frank
ford L and Bustlcton Line will ap-
proximate 5000, ,O00--of this amount
$3.50 900 is loss Of return on city invest
mcnt, leaving $50. 900 as operating loss
from first years operation.
"P. Il. II. in offering TO bear this
$3.50 900 operating loss, expects TO over
come 1t by added economies of men and
management, unless paralyzcd by city
influence.
philadelphia has embarked upon an
impossible plan of transit development.
This plan was made designedly> antag-
onistic to =. II. II. from which com
pany and city must receive cooperative
assistance in order to make any plan for
added transit workable.
"P. Il. r. has been changed since
1910 from the worst street railway IN
America to what is now acknowledged
TO be the best. This miracle has been
accomplished by co operation of men
and management, without city assist
anCe.
Urges Co. operation
Even greater wonders can be ac.
complisbcd by cooperative planning for
added transit, adyantaging both public
and Z. Il. r. il city will cooperate
for joint accomplishment instead Of
wasting added millions by independent
planning and by fighting p. Il. 7.
City and company law departments
in drafting proposed Frankford u
lease and agreement. fifth section. par
agraph (b), were in contention as to
whether three years or five years should
bc the time during which final deter
mination of values could be expected.
THE only similar case from which
opinion can be formed as to time re-
Quired under Pennsylvania practice is
that of the Ohio Valley Water Com
pany, where. with greatest possible
pressure exertcd by attorneys to for
ward case to quick decision. seven years,
from 1914 to 1921. we're required.
In conclusion he urged that the city
instead of trying to tie the hands and
feet of the company and penallzing it"
should Cndeavor to cooperate and get
somewhere on transit