A plea also was received from the Mutual Beneficial and Protective Association of the Bureau of Water, requesting a 15 per cent. increase in salaries for employes now getting $1400 a year or less.
Select Councilman George T. Conrade, of the 5th Ward, introduced a resolution granting the use of Washington Square for the proposed “mongrel” or “yellow dog” show, to be held on December 19.
Opposition to Councilman Peter E. Costello’s ordinance proposing the early construction of an elevated railroad to Frankford, with the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company receiving first preference as a building and operating company, was sounded yesterday by prominent councilmanic leaders, Republican Organization colleagues of Mr. Costello.
In a joint statement setting forth that they had no knowledge of the Costello ordinance previous to its introduction last Thursday, Charles Seger, chairman of Councils’ Joint Committee on Street Railways, and John P. Connelly, chairman of Councils’ Finance Committee, declared themselves opposed to any ordinance which does not embrace transit facilities “on a broad basis” for the entire city.
At the same time Director of City Transit A. Merritt Taylor, after an analysis of the Costello bill, issued a statement declaring that the passage of such an ordinance would be “an unthinkable betrayal of a public trust,” in that it would serve to defeat the plan of the department to connect every important section of the city with every other important section by high-speed lines for a single 5-cent fare. To hand over to any corporation at this juncture the Frankford “L,” said Director Taylor, would be to “give away the most effective lever which the people have to secure adequate rapid transit for Philadelphia.”
Protest against the Costello plan was forthcoming from many sections of the city in letters, in telephone messages and in visits to Director Taylor from delegations of citizens. The Philadelphia Navy Yard led the way by sending a delegation, headed by G. H. Williams, chairman of the League Island Improvement Association, who declared against a “one-legged proposition of any kind” and in favor of transit development for all Philadelphia. This delegation pointed out that Costello’s bill contained no provision for transfers from the Frankford “L” and Market street “L” to Navy Yard lines, making necessary two 5-cent fares rather than the single 5-cent fare proposed under the Taylor plan.