Yesterday, Congressman Bob Brady, IBEW Local 98 President John Dougherty and a host of other local big shots congregated at the Philadelphia Navy Yard to promote the idea of extending the Broad Street Subway to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. It is hardly a new idea. In fact we recently found this 1914 article from the Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger where visionary transit director A. Merritt Taylor spoke of a plan to extend the still unbuilt Broad Street Subway into the Navy Yard.  

“The plan to extend the Broad street subway to the Philadelphia navy yard is based upon the desire of Philadelphians to co-operater with the Government in developing the Philadelphia Navy Yard as the great naval base of the East.

“It will redound to the benefit of Philadelphia and the Government by all the skilled labor of our metropolitan city in every line pertinent to the navy’s requirements to the gateway of the Navy Yard rapidly, cheaply and comfortably.

“It will afford rapid transit connections with all of Philadelphia’s railroad terminals.”

Oh if only A. Merritt Taylor’s plans were executed, we might have been spared yesterday’s dog-and-pony show.

1914 Evening Public Ledger Navy Yard Extension

1914 Evening Public Ledger Navy Yard Extension