Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-09
The Ft. Wayne Railroad to
Be Elevated Throughout
Allegheny City.
PROPERTY BEING BOUGHT.
Talk Last Evening With the Grade
Crossing Committee.
sUPT. STARR OUTLINES PLANS,
Washington Avenue to Be Included in the
Overhead System.
RAILROAD ANXIOUS FOR THE CHANGE


Ever since the Pennsylvania Company,
three years ago, submitted to the Councils
of Allegheny proposition to elevate their
tracks through Allegheny, SO that In the
main part of the city there should be no
grade crossings, the question has been dis
cussed only unoficially by public authori-
ties; but it transpires that the railroad COM
pany has been going ahead and making
plans tor the carrying out of the idea En-
gineers have been making careful drafts Of
all the street crossings of the Ft Wayne
road in Allegheny, and at Washington
avenue, within six months, the company
has bought $4,000 worth Of property on
which to locate the approaches to the cross
ings at that point. From what occurred be-
fore the committee last evening it became
evident that the great corporation has been
carefully preparing its plans to avoid all
grade crossings in Allegheny City.
The cost of elevating the line from the
railroad bridge to Marion avenue will be
heavy, but once accomplished there will be
not only large saving to the company from
the avoidance of damage suits, but an op-
portunity for the making of faster time
through the city stations to the outer
suburbs.
The Old Plan or the Company.
The proposition made by the company to
Councils three years ago carried the agree
ment of the railroad executive to bear the
cost of elevating the tracks all the way
from the Allegheny river to North avenue,
with the requirement that the city should
paw about $40, 900 for the slight alteration
of street near the northern end of the rail-
road bridge, SO that the railroad line at that
point could have slightly larger curve.
From Federal street to Pennsylvania ave-
nue. there is very heavy upgrade, and to
elevate the line from the river westward
will, as q matter of fact, make q compare
lively level grade through the central part of
the city. The company agreed at that time
to so elevate its tracks that it would 60
overhead at Anderson, Sandusky and Fed
eral streets and North avenue. At that
time the proposal was discussed by Coun-
ellis, but through various delays and
touching expeditions" the life of the
Councils elapsed before any agreement was
reached.
The present Councils, by resolution in
troduced by Arthur Kennedy, provided Q
Special Committee on Grade Crossings Mr.
Kennedy was made Chairman, and an effort
was made last evening to hold a meeting of
this committee. Unfortunately only four
members of the committee appeared, but the
meeting was attended by Superintendent
A. B. Starr, of the Eastern Division of the
Pittsburg, Ft Wayne and Chicago Rail-
road, with two of his assistants, and by Mr.
Herbert Du Puy, who is large owner of
property in the neighborhood Of the WASH
ington avenue crossing.
The Company Ready at Any Time.
No business could be transacted, but
there was a sitting of about an hour. during
which time views were freely interchanged
between Messrs. Starr, Kennedy, Lowe,
Nesbit and Du Puy. Mr.. Starr said that he
understood that while the proposition of
three years ago had died, as far as the Coun-
ellis to which it was presented were con-
cerned, it still held good for the railroad
company. That proposition came from
Vice-President McCrea, and as far as the
company was concerned had no time limit
ON it
NT, Do,,du aid ,h,. ~. c,;,. !.
ml. Aenneuy saiu .na' 'ne oounciis oe-
cloeo 70 lnclude IN the arrangement plan
for the avoidance Of the grade crossing at
Washington avenue, and also desired to see
the railroad tracks moved to the west at
th.t no;nt 90 tb.t California .vonr. oonId
,n-. ..s 49,. ~ ~ ~ T1--I.- Aenue 'o4,u
NC s'iais u.eneu W asnins'on avenue. ne
said that the committee would like to have
q proposition from the company as to what
they were willing to do at Washington
.venue.
srn.r;r..rdsnt s,o-, ..;d .h.. -. .,
- ~.ds . u."..;n. 10 .e Sv
peny nao "soe crossing pfoPonaon'" "nich
still stood, and he thought the second pro-
posal ought to come from the Councils In
the case OF Washington avenue, he said, the
situation was somewhat complicated, aud as
the railroad ought to 60 under the street at
that point. four overhead approaches would
be required. Sedgwick street and WASH
ington avenue meet just at the railroad
crossing, and two approaches would be re-
quired from each side of the tracks.
Had Several Plans Ready.
IT. +hou,bt N. citv ouobt 70 h.,- ,u.
,f ths oost at that crossing NJ 49,