Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-17
TRACKS TO BE ELEVATED
How Chicago Proposes to Solve the Grade
C1ossing Problem.

Ifom the 1nxlneerinR NeWB.
The most radical Embarrassing bill" evel
enacted il the ordinance which passed tn,
Chicago city council February "a, by an unani
nous vote. requiring all steam railway com
panies within the city to elevate their tracks
upon viaducts, the work to begin by July
1898, and to be completed by January 1. 1893
The ordinance divides the area Of the city
into three districts. the first comprising the
area bounded by the Chicago river, Lake Mich
| igan and 18th street (the central business dis
trict); the second an area about ten miles from
north to south and extending three to four
miles back from the lake, and the third cover
ing the remainder of the city. The ordinance
provides that in the first district the work of
constructing the elevated viaducts shall begin
by July /. 1898. and be completed bv January
i. 1895. In the second district work must be
begun by July /, 1895. and be completed by
January !, 1897. In the third district work
must begin by July /. 1897, and be completed
by January /, 1899. The railways covered by
the ordinance are all freight or freight and pas
senger tracks operated by steam power. Rail-
ways carrying solely passenger traffic by other
motive power than steam are not included. The
Illinois Central tracks north of SD street on
the lake front and thus across o street are also
exempted from the requirements of the ordi-
nance.
AT THE STREET CROSSINGS.
The ordinance further specifies that the
structures to be erected to carry the railroads
across streets shall consist Of iron or steel
girders supported on columns Of a height to
leave q clear Roadway of at least sixteen feet
The columns must not be more than twenty
four inches in transverse diameter at any
point within ten feet of the street surface, and
must have suitable tenders to protect their
bases. No elevated structure can run longi-
tudinally or diagonally along any street, but
must cross 1t as nearly as possible at angle. The
rails must be of steel. the ties and guide rails
may be of Suitable quality of selected
TIMBER the roadbed may be of asphalt or
broken stone, supported by truckle plates of
iron or steel. Suitable devices must be pro-
vided for carving of storm water or drift and
leading it to the city sewers. The railways have
the sole right to the use of their structures for
transportation and for telegraph, signal and
telephone wires, but the city of Chicago is en-
titled to the free use OF the structure for its
police, electric light and telephone wires So far
as the railways use Of the same is not inter-
fered with.
Prior to the construction Of any elevated
railway IN accordance with the provisions of the
ordinance plans and specifications must be pre-
sented for approval to the commissioner of
public works, and must be followed in its prose-
cution.
DAMAGE TO AUDITING PROPERTIES.
The railroads are responsible for all damages
caused to abutting properties by the construc-
ton or operation Of the elevated roads. and
should any suit be brought against the city for
the construction 6 the elevated roads the rail-
ways are responsible for all damages and the
costs of defense. The elevated roads may be
operated with such motive power as the COM
panies choose, but such power must be fully
equipped with all devices calculated to render
it practically nolseless and smokeless and to
prevent the discharge of sparks and cinders.''
The passage of this ordnance is the result of
the investigation of a CONN ission whose report
with editorial comment was published in our
issue Of July /. 1892, which recommended the
raising OF the tracks on elevated structures as
the best solution OF the problem If the cost
of placing every one of the presen. surface
tracks upon elevated structures were estimated
the sum involved would be staggering one
As matter of fact. however, the ordinance does
not require this. 1t merely requires that the
present surface tracks crossing streets or high
ways shall be removed by the time stated and it
remains for the railways to determine whether
they shall be permanently abandoned and where
eevated structures shall take their place. Sur
face tracks which cross no Streets such as
switching to manufacturing establishments,
packing houses and storage yards. are not inter-
fered with. Cars can be transferred from the
elevated to the surface tracks by hydraulic lifts
or surface inclines.
INCREASED TRAFFIC CAPACITY.
The traffic capacity of elevated tracks. where
cars can run at full speed. with no interference
from street crossings, is SO much greater than
the capacity of the same tracks on the surface
at present that fewer tracks will suffice to ac-
commoda.e the traffic. The railways will doubt
less IN building two, four and six-track struc-
lures for joint use protect and facilitate
train movement by complete block and inter-
L. l..
that the construction of steel or masonry via >
ducts is not essential. In the thickly built in
part of the city they will doubtless be used, as
here the space underna ath the railway tracks
will command good rentals, but in the outlying
parts of the city embankments between low re-
tanning walls can be used with plate girders at
street crossings and the cost need not be ex-
cessive. OF course. even with these qualifica-
tons. a heavy outlay must be made by the
Chicago railways; to Offset 1t they have the
rentals of the space beneath their tracks, the
revenue from the sale Of large tracks OF very
valuable real estate in the heart Of the
city, which will be set free, bv the
concentration of ira lie on the elevated
structures, and finally the saving of the present
vast sum now paid annually for the mainte-
nance of crossing planks. gates and watchmen at
the grade crossings wilnin the city limits
numbering over 1900. The expense due to
damage suits growing out Of the present fire.
quent Embarrassing fatalities is another item
which should not be overlooked. Doubtless
the railway companies will resist in the courts
the enforcement Of the ordinance and a long
fight will precede its going into effect 1t is
interesting to notice, however, that at least one
prominent railway officer, Mr.. J. d. Springer,
president Of the Atchison. Topeka and Santa
Fe, has studied the matter in broader light,
and in a letter to our contemporary, the Rail-
way Age. expresses the opinion that the eleva-
ton Of the tracks is a necessity and the best
solution of the Embarrassing problem for both
the railway and thu city.