Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-14

supervise the work; to consent to such
notifications of the proposed agreement as
the progress of the work might show to be
advisable; to grant hearings to property
owners and other interested persons; to
agree on time for the completion Of the
work, not exceeding three years from the
execution of the contract. The response
bilities and liabilities of the railroad COM
pany and the city were plainly set forth in
the bill. April 26, three days after the bill
became law, the commission held its first
meeting, and permanent organization was
effected by the election of president and
William II. Vanderbilt was next commu-
nicated with, but as he was on the point of
sailing for Europe he delegated his son,
William K. Vanderbilt, and J. 81. Rutter,
Second and Third Vice Presidents of the
road, and Charles Fl. Fisher, Chief Engi-
nser, to confer with the commission The
first meeting was held I'd Rochester, May
25, where a sketch of the work was sub
mitted by the commission and discussed.
The party took special car and went over
the route of the proposed improvement and
reached an agreement.
The Trains Were Not Delayed.
The work of construction was begun on
March 18, 1882, by the contractors, and a
year and half later saw the work COM
i pleted. One of the most difficult jobs was
to go on with the work and not impede the
passage of the trains that ran through the
city, but it was successfully carried out and
trains were not delayed by the work. The
elevation was completed In the fall of 1883,
and the four tracks of the New York Cen
tral ran through the city elevator. Grade
crossings were thing OF the past, and the
verdict of the people is that the elevated
tracks constitute the most important and
beneficial improvement ever made in the
city, excepting the water works. There
are no more mangled bodies picked up;
trains do not run into horse cars and
vehicles and there is no more danger to the
public. To trespass on the elevated tracks
renders one liable to arrest, fine and i'm
prisonment, but the occasions for enforcing
the penalties are rare.
The benefits reaped by the railroad COM
tany are very great. The small army of
hagmen that used to be kept at the cross
ings are dispensed with. The big suits for
damages for death and injury to persons
and property are no longer to be fought in
the courts. A test Of seven years has proven
that the elevated tracks are satisfactory
from all points of view.
Plenty of Room Under the Tracks.
Seventeen large and busy streets are
crossed by the elevated tracks. The passage
way under the iron bridges is in no case less
than II feet in height. From the eastern to
the western side of the city, where grade
crossings have been abandoned, the distance
is 2% miles, Twenty-one feet is the
greatest height of any one elevation.
Between the bridges the tracks are sup
ported by massive retaining walls of solid
masonry, or by embankments that are kept
nicely sodded and trimmed. During each
"a hours about 200 trains pass over the
elevated tracks, which are now used by the
New York Central, West Shore, Northern
Central branch of the Pennsylvania, and
the late acquisition of the Central, the
Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Rail-
roads.
The bridges over the streets are of width
to accommodate six tracks, and all are of
iron. The train shed of the depot is 682
feet long and 130 feet wide, and nine tracks
run through it. The freight tracks run out
side of the depot.
The ground for the work was broken
March II, 1882, and was complete October
15, 18S3 The following figures were prepared
by the commission as to the work done The
cost of the work to the railroad company
was as follows:
O Ken o,x M