The Newtown bee., 1893-01-27
Affairs About Town.
HAWLEYVILLE'5 DANGEROUS
 CROSSINGS.

IlA w Il g : HILL kJ 1JfaAsG Gibc JD
 CROSSINGS.
 Hearing Before the Railroad Commissioners at
 the Grand Central.-The Railroad and Town
 Officials testify
 The parlors Of the Grand Central hotel were the scene of the second hearing be- fore the railroad commission on Tues day morning at II o'clock, relative to the HaWleyVille crossings. The hearing was appointed for the Town hall, but all parties being willing, the more comfort able place was chosen. For the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad Superintendent and General Manager c. II. Platt, Judge Lynde Harrison and Chief Engineer F. 5. Curtis appeared and the New England people were rep resented by Superintendent G. Il. Cross, Judge Brewster and Chief Engineer l.. P. Bidwell. Commissioners George M. Woodruff, William II. Hayward and W. o. Seymour were all present and at II 80 a. m. Chairman Woodruff called for at tention to the business fur their con-id- eratipn, which was the abOlishing of the first two crossings east If the Hawiey- lille station.
 AT THE FORMER HEARING lt llawleyvilIe the turnpike road was iully discussed and it was now proposed Q abulieh both or GO unite the turnpike md the road next west, having them go under the railroad at the same place.
 The town vas first heard from and First Selectman Glover, William Stone, Homer HaWley, ThOLsts 5. Taylor, F. Tx,l,, tt. T I, they knew about the situation.
 The facts brought out were that this road was about 35 rods north of the turnpike crossing, and little freduented, except by William Stone and Homer HaWlty, who used it considerably as portion of their farms were on the south side of the tracks.
 It was considered equally as danger OuS as the turnpike crossing by the wit nesses, and as the expense would not be much more, it was thought feasible and good plan to
 BRING THE ROADWAYS TOGETHER and have them go under the tracks at the same place. Judge Brewster wasted considerable time by cross examining the witnesses with unnecessary questions in relation to how many spears of grass grew in the roads, and questions of equal Importance, which seemed to have no bearing on the case, and was dull and unintereStirg
 After the towns witnesses Engineer Bidwell of the New England road was called and gave rough estimate of the cost of the work, which was $2O, ,733. This did not include land damages.
 The items of his estimate were as fol- lows: For removing 5000 cubic yards of earth $2400; 1856 cubic yards of masonry $S44S; one single bridge for the iIuusa- tonic $2500; one double bridge for the New England $500; other expenses 5000; 10 per cent added $lSS5. This is an estimate for d 30-font roadway.
 Supt Cross next called stated that dur ing the 24 hours there were 26 trains passed over the crossing. He had kept track of how many teams crossed the tracks at the turnpike for six days, from January lG to the 2l. The average was 2l per day.
 LAWY ER W. T. BEECHER appeared for the land owners, but ae cerraiI, spring rights were not to be af- fected by the proposed charge he was not concerned only regarding land dam ages, which would come up later.
 W. NJ. Osborne. the engineer of the Berkshire division, next submitted plau anu GSJIuldbC OI liht CUSb OI liIt WUGk uOG including land damages. For earth ex- cavation, 2S, l49 cubic yards $ll ,205, 60 :; masonry 6O3 cubic yards, $5, 12j, 50 :: other expenses 5000; one single and one double bridge $2S0O; making a to- tal of $20. lSl. Chief Engineer Curtis had also looked over this estimate and thought it correct.
 Superintendent PIatt testified that about lG trains passed over the crossing daily on their line.
 JUDGE HARRISON, IN CLOSING the hearing for the Consolidated road, pointed out the facts that if the town had voted to have the crossing abolished and were willing to pay their share, their road should not oppose it. He thought the cost of excavation should be borne equally by both roads anC each road pro. vide their own masonry wotk and bridg | es. Judge Brewster for the New Eng. land thought if any discrnation were tt be made, their road should be favored | He spoke of their poverty and was oi 1 the opinion that electric signals, a fiig man or some similar cheap method was the better plan for d crossing frt queDteC l no more than this one.
 | If the plans submitted by the engineers of the Consolidated or similar plans arc ordered NewtOwn people would be hap py, especially those who use this cross ing, frequently. and the decision of the commissioners will be watched with in | terest.