Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-10-19
BURNHAM STREET CROSSING.

Has Blundered and tho
 City Will Have to Pay for It-A
 Proposition From the New England
 Railroad.
 A visit to Burnham street and an in- spection of the work which is being done at the crossing of the New York & New England railroad at this point by the city authorities was made by a DEMOCRAT reporter yesterday. The weeks and an idea of how the job will look when completed can now be formed.
 In order to comply with the orders of Judge Andrews of the superior court, who ruled that Burnham street should pass under the New England road, it is found necessary to lower the grade of Burnham street about ten feet to give sufficient headway under the bridge. Before Judge Andrews rendered his de- cision he visited the premises, obtained as much information as possible from we'll as from the representatives of the New York & New England road. Sub sequently Judge Andrews ordered the New England tracks at Bank street to be raised feet, 5 inches, and by mutual agreement it was decided that the cross ing at Burnham street should be raised two and one-half feet. City Attorney Terry and Engineer Weld ap- peared satisfied with this arrangement and. the work of grading Burnham street was begun. Then it was found raised many feet higher than was agreed upon, South Leonard street would be in danger and Burnham street would be nothing more than gorge with a steep and almost impossible ascent.
 The railroad authorities were appealed to and agreed to raise the Burnham street crossing five and one-half feet if the city would pay the estimated ex- pense of grading. The city authorities decided that even a raise of five and half feet would not save South Leonard and Dodd streets and asked that the road be raised seven and one-half feet. A reply has been received from Assist ant President Perkins of the New Eng land road offering to make the proposed alterations for $2,5O0. City Engineer Weld declares that the actual saving to the city would be only $1,000 and City Attorney Terry is suspicious that the willingness of the New England road to raise the tracks is scheme to prev ent the Naugatuck road from laying parallel tracks.
 The DEMOCRAT is not prepared to-day to say whether either or both of the gentleman are right or wrong. But we can be placed on record as declaring that if Burnham street is laid out at the grade originally ordered the grade of South Leonard and Dodd streets will have to be changed and the city will be called upon to pay damages in accord ance with decision of the superior court that where the grade of street is changed the city must pay for relaying sidewalks and making other such i'm provements.
 Upon the surface the proposition made by the New England road seems made in good faith. At present the road is between two and three feet lower at Burnham street than at Bank. And when the latter crossing is further raised four feet, five inches, the grade to Burnham street, which is only about 200 yards distant will be dangerous. By rais- ingtheir tracks seven and one half feet at the latter crossing the New England road will only be avoiding a steep dan gerous grade. On the surface it does not appear to be scheme to injure the Naugatuck road.
 A visit to the locality will bear us out in what we claim.