The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1886-08-22
ELEVATE THE TRACKS.
IN rs THE oNi1 S4bE PROBATION
IN A cROJvDED CI1F.

A scheme of Relief I hat VIII Alse Give
Bergen Heights a Rapid Transis Sys-
f+m of InealrusahIe Benefit-AddisEonai
Facts and Figures on the Snbieet-
The article presented in the SUNDAY
JATTLER OF last Sunday morning showing
the dangers to life and limb and the ancon-
venience to travel, resulting FROM the
dsshing of the Pennsylvania Raj road
trains across the always crowded high
ways of this city, commanded universal
favor; snd large numbers of citizens and
tax payers have expressed their waSEaest
approval of the suggestion that the tracks
be elevated as the only practasable soiUticn
of the question. The elevated railroad is
the modern scheme for the safe passage
through cities of railroad transit, and here
atouts all the new railroads are preparing
to run on trestles. The Delaware, Lacka-
wanna and Western, with only an infni-
tessimal part of the consideration for the
public good that the Pennsylvania Rail-
road displays, approach the mouth of their
tunnel IN Bergen Hill on elevated tracks;
and travel on the new junction road, about
which so much has been said, will be con-
Quoted above the heads of the people and
out of the way of the city's traffic and bust
ness. Ii there is public reason why these
two concerns should not run at grade
across the streets of the city, there is
double and treble reason why the swift
running trains of a road greater than
either, greater than both, should not be
permitted to do So The parts of the city
they traverse have but 1.-THE of the popu-
lation of the region through which the
Pennsylvania railroad courses; and more
peril is encountered at single crossing on
this line than at all the other crossings in
the city put together. To say nothing of
the peril to which pedestrians are sub
jected, the danger to the street cars alone
is something appalling The Belt
line cars cross the tracks at grade
1853 times each day, the Pavonia ferry
cars S92 times day, and the Hoboken
cars 558 times dav. Altogether the
tracks are crossed 1.219 times daily by the
local horse-cars. These figures help to
enforce those presented last Sunday morn
ing in illustration OF the peril to which the
putting Juggernauts of the company sub
ject life and limb hereabouts rs they thun-
der along to their several points Of desti-
nation.
But the danger is so palpable and SO
eterpallv present to the residents of the
city that no statement is needed to point
it out. Every man, woman, woman and
child knows that death is tempted every
time they hurry over the tracks, and
they hail the agitation for an
elevated track as a deliverance.
Such road can be built to accommodate
the business of the road, without the va
cation of any street, save Green street,
and even that might be avoided if tho rail
road would elevate its depot and yards as
the Sixth Avenue Elevated Railroad in
New York does. The roadbed at most of |
the crossings is a foot or snore above the |
level of the adjoining street, and this !
would be an item in itself Ia the matter of |
clearance for street room beneath the pro-
posed trestle. 1t is not impossible that, in /
considering the advisabiliuy of raising the |
tracks, the company's officials may con- |,
clude that it is profitable as web as a wise |
thing to do. 1t will enable them to meet |
a demand on the Heights for rapid transit. |
Four tracks tive for their express trains
and two for the rapid transit locals-would |,
accomplish that effect. The rapid transit
Of the North Hudson Railway |
Companyshould hasten the consideration of |
arapid transit scheme of its own bythePenn- !
sylyania Company. President Bonn is |
pushing his chain road along towards New |
ark avenue The moment it strikes there,
much, and perhaps more, of the passenger |
traffic will be withdrawn from the ferries |
at the foot of Exchange place and trans |
ferred to the Hoboken ferry, and the |
Pennsylvania Company may in that way |
lose large item yearly in ferry fares.