Morning journal and courier., 1886-03-25
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,.


 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,. The Derby Railroad CrossingS-Shall
 Connections be Made With the Com
 sOlidated ,Road-Safeguards Pro-
 posed by the officers of the Derby
 An Appropriation to Prudence Cram
 dall-FatrfieId County TO-Day-Vari-
 Ous Matters of Interest 1n Both
 Houses.
 HARTFORD, March "A, 1886. Special to the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 The matter of most interest to New Haven at the Capitol to-day was the hearing before the Committee on Railroads this afternoon regarding the removal of the tracks of the Derby railroad. The railroad was represent ed by Attorney N. F. Tyler, President Joel A. Sperry and Superintendent E. S. Quin- tard while Corporation Counsel Driscoll and Mayor Holcomb looked after the interests of New Haven. The proposed resolution or what is really an amendment to the railroad company's charter was drafted by Railroad Commissioner Woodruff at the request of the committee. As stated by the commissioner the bill was in crude state and would have to be changed somewhat before it became 8 law. It provides for the connection of the Derby railroad tracks with those of the Con solidated road at point in the town of Orange or New Haven to be decided by the railroad commissioners. The compensation is to be agreed upon by the two railroads, and if they cannot decide as to the amount the railroad commissioners will. The city of New Haven is to bear half the expense of the change according to the resolution, and the right of way thus abandoned is to revert to the original owners
 The hearing was opened by M. F. Tyler, who stated to the committee that he came there expecting to hear reasons why any legislation was necessary, or on what it was based. He came there, he said, not know ing really what was to be done or what was wanted. If some one will tell us what is wanted, then we are here to say what we think of the proposal
 c. T. Driscoll said this was an extra ordinary proceeding to ask legislation of this kind without giving the statutory notice. He said they were not here advocating this, but if there was anyone here to father it why then they were ready to say what they would do.
 Mr. Tyler said in behalf of the road he thought it his duty to enter protest. Any ac- tiont hat changed the layout or termi nus was in the form of an amendment to the chart CT, which could not be made without giving the usual statutory notice.
 Mr. Graham, House chairman of the com mittee, said the object of the meeting was to get any information they could in regard to l c
 Joel A. Sperry said that the directors thought that plan could be devised where by great part of the switching across Gus tom House Square could be avoided. This, Mir. Sperry said, would remove great deal of the annoyance in going to and from the depot of the Consolidated road. MT. Sperry then showed from a diagram that the freight depot could be moved nearer Meadow street; more tracks could be put in, so that all the switching could be done inside the space be- tween State street and Meadow street. The only crossing Custom House Square would then be for freight trains, two in the day time and four in the night time. He thought under the plan proposed they could say that in switching they would not go beyond State street at all.
 MT. Tyler read from a memorandum show ing the relative difference of the number of teams passing at different railroad crossings in the city, which showed that the crossing at Meadow street was very much less than at ether points in the city.
 In reply to the committee MT. Sperry said he had given peremptory orders to have the gates closed at Meadow street at all times when trains were passing and this rule would be-rigidly enforced in the future.
 Mayor Holcomb said he would not add much to what MT. Sperry had said. He be- lieved if the changes proposed were made it would be all that is necessary for the safety and comfort of the travelling public. In re- gard to the proposed change of track, he said 1t would be burden that the road could not bear. By economy and good management the road last year paid the city about SIS, ,000, and if the change was carried out it would be a long time before the city would get any more interest. He thought the crossings of the Derby road not nearly dangerous as the Chapel street crossing. While it would cost S, 900 or to bridge Chapel street it would cost perhaps $100,000 to make the change to the Derby road as proposed.
 MT. Sperry said in any event if the change was made the city would have to pay the bills, as the road had no money to pay with tnd could not borrow any, as their property was all mortgaged for all it was worth. In reply to Senator Chapman Mayor Hoi- by the road as stated by MT. Sperry would be perfectly satisfactory to the people of New Haven.
 J. B. Sargent said it was one of the mis- fortunes, that when the interests of the city and corporation were closely blended that the interests of the city naturally sided with the corporation. Proceeding, Mir. Sargent said that the draft of the proposed changes was all very we'll, yet the fact remained that the Sta.e street crossing was 8. great hui sance and hundreds of people had missed trains on account of the switching of trains at this point and the crossing of freight trains to get onto or across the tracks of the Consolidated railroad to get down to the Steamboat dock. He thought the Water street crossing of the Consolidated road was worse than any crossing in the State, not excepting Asylum street in Hartford. He said the Consolidated road would build bridge at this point were it not for the Derby railroad track, which is right in the way of the construction of the bridge. So far as Chapel street crossing was concerned, it could be overcome at any time when the city would pay it's share of building bridge. But, said MI. Sargent, that State street crossing is eternal nuisance, and it should be got rid of by the Derby road coming in the track of the Consolidated road if it costs the city $100,000 or more.
 In reply to Mir. Tyler, Mir. Sargent said he was here in the interest of himself and the people of New Haven at large.
 In reply to MT. Tyler, MT. Sargent said he did not think it of the slightest consequence whatever, that the Derby railroad was the only rOdu JudG Ltt(l du 6uITduc0 1nGO Ll0 GUY independent of the Consolidated road It is all a myth said MT. Sargent.
 Superintendent Quintard was called and in reply to Mr. Tyler said there had never been an accident or the shadow of one in the cut near Water street spoken of by MT. Sargent. He said they could not go on to the tracks of the Consolidated road until the signals were set and the switch was placed by their own switchmen. He did not see how an accident III will iOhf train they could not cross if a train was due within ten minutes and they had waited an hour when train was overdue.
 Corporation Counsel Driscoll said they all agreed with MT. Sargent that it was best to get rid of grade crossings. He thought, how ever, that there were a number that should be abolished before the Meadow street cross ing was done away with. He cited the Chap el street crossing and others Again, he said that this should net be a mat ter of nasty legislation. All parties in interest should have time to deliberate. It