The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-02-09
ERIE ELEVATION.
Mr.. Corbin's Strong Argu-
ment Before the Street
and Water Board.
e48 TRAINS A DAY.
Traffic at the Crossings Out
rageously 0bstrueted
Practicable Grades.
The Company Opposes a Policy of
Passire Resistance to the Much
Needed Improvement.

The Street and Water Board atits meet
today gave another hearing upon the
matter of the elevation of the Erie Rail-
road tracks through the city. Mr.. Max
Staples and Engineer Mordecai repre-
sented the Erie Company. and Mr..
William H. Corbin appeared for the
citizens who have been active
in the matter. President Madden first
called upon Mr.. Corbin. who said that he
had little to say iu addition to what he
had said at a former meeting OF the
Board Some observations of the am ount
ot traffic over the Erie road in this city
had been taken, however. and with the
permission of the Board he would read
them.
FIFTY-FoUR TRAINS AN Ho UR.
There were nine tracks at the Hender-
son street crossing. Mr.. Corbin went on
to say. and between eight A. NJ. and
eight P NJ. in one day. a period OF twelve
hours, Gas trains had passed that point;
being a n average of 81 per hour. In some
instances there were as many as 90 an
hour, one a minute; and between three T.
NJ. and five P. NJ. 65 teains an hour
passed. The lowest number was 80. The
gates were out of order and were not
lowered each time.
At Grove street observations were made
on SATURDAY. between noon aud Z. NJ.
Between 12 NJ. and 1 P. NJ % trains
passed: % horse cars and 123 vehicles; be-
tween P NJ and 3 P. NJ, 81 trains, 28
horse cars aud II vehicles. The average
during the six hours was 33 trains, "a
horse cars and SIS vehicles per hour. The
actual time the gates were lowered
aud the street closed TO
traffic from noon TO II O'Clock
was "a minutes aud 10 seconds; between
1P. NJ. and P. M, u minutes; between
2 p NJ. and P. NJ. "a minutes ami IS
secords; between 3 2. NJ. aud 4 P. NJ. SO
minutes and 80 seconds, and between
P NJ. and 5 z. M. and P. M, "a min
utes each hour.
EASILY ELEVATED.
These observations, Mr.. Corbin said,
were made TO show how seriously the
traffic was interfered with by the rail-
road He Thought the tracks could be
easily elev ated. Provost street could be
vacated, as it is practically of
little use 10 the public and
with clearance of 10 or
eleven feet. he thought the company
could run to its present depot easily.
The distance from Henderson street 60
the train shed at the depot was about
1900 feet, and as he got The grades.
tue plan was perfectly feasible.
Mr.. Corbin also thought that perhaps
If that was done, care should be taken not
to get below Tide water, as the city did
not want another job like that of Wash
ipgton street under the Pennnsylvania's
trestle.
STREET WOULD BE DEPRESSED.
Chief Engineer RuRgles, who was
present, said In answer to a question
that foot or two could be separated
from Henderson street without striking
waller.
L.
think that the Pavonia avenue crossing
offered any serious objections to the plan
of elevation.
THE CoMHANY;s SIDE.
Mr. Staples said that he did not under
stand yet that the Board WIS ready TO
act with the Erie Railroad Company.
The Board we'll knew that the Company
could not act with Mr.. Csrbin or the
citizens. They had no power to make
concessions. There might be such
thing as obtaining the object sought for
without elevating the tracks. Those
wers matters for consideration and could
hot he decided upon at once.
President Madden said the object
sought was the elevation OF the tracks.
Mr. Staples said he did not so under
stand 1t. The law provides that the COM
paDy should furnish safe and convenient
crossings and that might be accomplished
in other ways than by elevating the
tracks.
Mr.. Corbin asked Mr.. Staples If he had
the grade map of the company with him,
and he replied that he had not.
s.Tbis thing has been going on two
months, and you don't even bring your
grade map," said Mr.. Corbln.
Mr.. Staples replied that the company
could not take notice of the citizens
meetings, and it was only about two
weeks since it had received notice from
the Board.
MORE SHIFTING.
Mr.. Mcriecai, the chief engineer OF
the division of the Erie Road said that
he was there to confer with the Board
and ready to do what he could to obvi-
ate the difficulty. He had only lately
come to this part Of the Erie sys-
tenn and the matter was entirely
new to him. He did not know the prob
lem at all, but he could ses that it was
a difficult one. The grade OF an eieya-
tion should not be greater than the con-
trolling grade of the road. Any
train that the company could
pull over the road could
be pulled out of the shed up grade If it
btwas not heavier than the controlling
grade. Then there was the question of
lateral lines and switch to be taken into
consideration, and the whole scheme was
Que that would require much thought
and study.
DEFINITE ACTION TAKEN.
Mr.. Corbin asked what the controlling
could not go, and Mr., Mordecat said he
did not know. At this point Mr.. Dugau
suggested that the hearing be put of two
weeks and in the meantime the Boards
engineer and the engineer of the Com
pany should get together and agree upon
some outline of pian.
Mr.. Corbin said that Chief Ruggles
could get the grade maps of the streets
and Mr.. Modecai could get those OF the
Of the tcompany, and with their know
ledge they could soon get some idea OF
the feasibility Of plan for elevating the
tracks.
Mr.. John Casey made a speech in which
he depicted the danger Of life and limb
and to properly which the grade cross
ings furnised, and argued against any
further delay in the matter.
A resolution was finally adopted ad-
journing the further hearing on the e. mat M
ter to Thursday. February %. In the
meantime the two engineers are
preliminary plan for the. elevation OF
5he tracks. II the compauy's engineer
tails to meet with Mr.. Ruggies. he Is to
prepare plan by himself for making tne
sro'.t,n cofo aifhar bv aievatinQ Che