The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-23

! $500 feet, is laid with Johnson rail and
double tracks, but in a very Indifferent
manner. The cross-ties are from four
and q half to five feet apart,
and in the passage of car over
this track II is given sce.saw motion for
| almost the entire distance. The pavement
laid is simply no pavement at all. There is
no regularity Of grade, and the rails project
| from three 10 six inches above the grade OF
the street. The fire cistern nearly opposite
/ the thcatcr is almost ruined, and during a
/ rain storm this street becomes large
gutter from curb 10 curb from Second
street TO Bayou Gayoso, not only seriously
! mountaineering travel, but washing out
the sand and gravel making it almost inn
! passible in good weather by rca-
son OF the necessarily rough condi-
| ton in which it is left, and little
or no repairs are made by the car COM
pany. 1t is gradually growing worse.
This street had very fine pavement,
well drained, upon il before the car COM
| pany undertook to conliscate the street,
! but ut present il can hardly be used for
| general purposes. The distance from curb
| TO curb is thirty-slN feet The track and
cars occupy eighteen feet in the center.
| From the curve outward the gutter is
paved five feet with rubbe pavement II
| will readily be seen that two vehicles can
| not pass between ear and the curb on
! the same side OF the street, nor can a drny,
| truck wagon or other such vehicle back
into the curb TO unload without stopping
the car travel, and the company claiming
| absolute right of way, every interest is
| made subsgryient to theirs, and practically
the street is contiscatcd by the Memphis
! City Railway company. This matter
should have the immediate attention Of the
! city attorney.
There is also track Oh Court street
| from Main 10 west side OF Front street,
about 40 iect, where there is a turntable
constructed on the city's property not in
| the street. This turntable holds water at
] all seasons OF the year, and has no drain
| age, and should be removed at once. The
tracks are double. aud laid with tram
rails. The street was paved 10y the city
from curb 10 curb, and here IL n splendid
showing Of the great evil resulting from
| the constant wear of our pavgments by
car mules. This track is used so little by
the car company that It is in very fair con-
dition, though not in q condition II should
| be, by reason OF the inferior manner the
car company repaired 1t aud OF the tram
rail.
The tracks on Bcalc street from Main
street TO lladdcn avenue are double. about
go feet, and from MADDEN avenue 30 De-
soto street about $50 feet, single track,
laid with Dean * Coleman rail, badly worn
and exceedingly rough. Deep cuts are
worn on both sides Of the rail- aud rs the
payemcnis are block stone they act as small
| cutters In the center Ol the street, collect
ing and accumulating the street filth, aud
~ the style OF rail il not at all modern,
/ they should be required to replace them
| With improved pattern "a per charter.
From De Soto TO laudordalc ON Bcalc
the track Is double, about 1850 feet,
with johnson rail, and the space between
rails are laid with inferior material, with
! some good stone mixed In, averaging
about siN inches IN depth. because, rs ",
are told, they could get no better from the
| quarrics nj tho time. The construction /,
| such that the balance Of the street l.
| ruined, ~ the tracks arr from eight a.
| fourteen inches above the balance Ui IN,
street, which Is unfit 90 drive upon, being
! unpayCd. This We found 10 be some o
the best paving the company has done
and from Wellington 10 Laudcrdnlc Is
very fair pavement.
From Benle tO Looncy flights liomorl,
lyooney Switch, about 5000 feet, th,
tracks are double, laid with johnson rail
and with about onc-hali inferior soft stone
irregular IN shape. The distance from
curb 10 curb is about twcniy.ninc feet, the
railroad occupies eighteen feet on center
Of street; the drainage from ear track,
washes out the balance oi the street Nj
that IL cannot be used generally tracks are
from one To two feet above the balance OF
the street; the crossing at Vance street
holds water In rainy weather, ~ that II
cannot be crossed 10y pedestrians.
All along the street the public and pri.
yate wood and other crossings. put down
ut the expense Of the taxing district and
the citizens, have been torn out by the cai
company and have not been rep accd The
space from curb 81 cans being muddy In
rainy weather. makes Il very disagiccahlt
20 got on or of the cars The bridge over
BAYOU DcSOto II laid with iiangc rails on
planking that extend beyond the rails hi
an uneven OF ragged manner about on,
foot The width u bridge In the clear !.
eighteen feet, leaving only about two feet
space ior pedestrians on each side oitmck
The approaches 90 bridge were Of wood
put down by the city. but when the cal
company changed 90 johnson rail last iall
they were torn out, aud have not been r.
plnccd.
From Looney flights 10 the Taxing Die
tnct line the tracks are double about ~,
feet aud single about 100 feet on Icli0p
macadamizcd paycmcnts, washed ant
worn out six 20 nine inches below the raj
surface. The rails are johnson pattern
but should have more Cros--tics, ~ M,
tracks are very rough in their present con
dition, aud detrimental 90 the immcnH,
travel that has 30 pass over this street.
The number oi ears ON the lines OF thI
Memphis City railway arc.
Main street o. nue line ..........s........iio car
Poplar strvt 90 Yellow line .........iB uaf
bCac street. 90 Red line ...a......... 10 uaf
Total sssssas. car
About twenty Of which are new car M,
the balance old, dilapidaicd boxes, use
for many years past, IN many Of which IN
glass n broken out. and sides with hole
knocked In, roofs that leak. aud lamp
that smoke and drip oil on the seat ~ pas
scngcrE, some with wide platforms am
others W narrow that one person cal
barely get ia the car; doors that will no
open, OF II open will not close. some hay
wheels OF axlos broken, or springs ~ tina
the caf hoayes up and down when In mo
ton almost enough 10 make one sea SICK
Can, when splashcd with mud, general
stay 10 until IL falls OF, or good rail-
washes the car. II would appear they ar
( swept out once a month. The mules M