The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-12-20
TO ELBV ATE RAILROADS
Bill to Be introduced in the
Legislature to AbolishtGrade
Crossings in Cities.
Special 10 the Jersep Citu Nelcs.

mined effort will be made this winter
to pass a law which win compel the rail-
road companies runnipg through cities
to do away with grade crossings and
which will be of interest to Jersey City.
In Newark encoura cement is given to
the movement by the fact that the Penn
sylvania and Central .cmopanes both ex-
press a willingness TO elevate their
tracks and are at last approaching some
sort of an agreement in relation to the
difficulty at the bridge across New Jer-
sey Railroad avenue.
The Pennsylvania Company asks for
eleven feet more headroom at this point
and the Central is engaged in making
plans for elevatlng, which when com
pleted will be submitted to the Board of
Street and Water Commissioners 1t is
plan by which the trains can cross Null
berry street with a bridge fourteen feet
in the clear and still avoid sacrificing
the valuable handling facilities inthe yard
in the rear of Broad street. Tie Penn
sylvania Railroad Company has been
for several years in the attitude of will
ingness 10 elevate its roadway in this
city, and the excuse for not doing it
way This obstruction is now about to
disappear.
City Counsel Riker has been in consul
tation with the officials or representa-
tives of the severa l roads running
through Newark, and has received salts
factory answers from the Pennsylvania
and Central Companies and an assur-
ance that the Lehigh Valley will do any
thing in reason.
Yesterday Mr.. Riker saw the plans
made by the Central Company for the
Improvements. They call for the de
preston of Mulberry street, so that the
bridge there will be only seven feet above
is the plan that was followed in Eliza.
beth when the Pennsylvania Company
raised its tracks. The city bore this
part OF the. expense. and the Central
Company, it is said, Will also expect
Newark to change the grade of Mulberry
street at its own cost
D., L.. & W. IN THE WAY.
Difficulty is quite naturally anticipated
with the Delaware, laekawsnna G.
Western road owing to the failure of
this company in past years to keep faith
the expenditure of money for improve
ments. The authorities will not take
the trouble, to ask for any pledges from
this road, but use all the power which
terms. The Broad street crossing is the
most important in this city, and if there
is any hight made it will be oyer this
and other; grade, crossings uRonithe Nor
ris and Essex division.
The Board of Trade has taken up the
matterSof grade crossings and it remains
only for the full membership of this
organization to express its convictions
and enter the fight, to make victory an
assurance. There is no question about
the power of a State or a municipality
wealth Of Massachusetts has eompre-
hensive Iaw passed in 1890 governing
the alterations of railroad crossings which
are at grade. 1t provides that upon
petition of the Mayor and Aldermen of a
city or the selectmen of town com
mission of three disinterested persons
shall be appointed to determine the man
ter in which the change shall be made
and that the costs Of the hearing, the
pay of the commissioners and auditors
and all damages, together with Go per
cent. OF the actual costs of the work shall
be paid by the railroad while IS per
cent shall be apportioned between the
commonwealth and the town or city
provided that not more than 10 per cent
Is charged to the town or city. Then
there are. regulations about the main
tenance of roads and bridges constructed
under this act and for the appointment
OF an auditor to assess the cost of the
alteration.
Under this law many special commits
siens have been appointed to determine
the manner of abclishing grade crossings
Some of these commissions have been
appointed upon the petition of the rail-
road companies, who. While anxious to
abolish grade crossings, have eagerly
taken advantage of the law which makes
the community share the expense In
other cases municipalities have petition
ed for changes.
THE NEW YORK Law.
A similar law was drawn UP in New
York State last year, but failed to pass.
1t has been slightly altered and will
probably go through this winter. Il
provides that all railways hereafter CON
structed must cross highways above or
below grade at the expense of the raiI-
road company, and for doing away with
grade crossings by appeal to the Rail
road Commissioners, the cost to be pro
vided for as in the Massachusetts law.
An effort is being made to do away
with all grade crossings in Buffalo un-
der special laws passed for that purpose
several years ago. In Rochester the
New York Central raised it's tracks four
years ago, and abolished all grade cross
ings.
City Counsel Riker will draw up a bill
this winter, for presentation to the Leg
stature and he regards the present III
dications as extremely favorable 10 It's
passage. His communication with Off
cials of the Central aud Pennsylvania
companies point to this conclusion
There are few points Of, difference
roads about the New Jersey Railroad
avenue crossing, and the Central peo-
pie think that the Pennsylvania should
be lowered slightly, but this is regarded
as impracticable because of the period
ical floods by storm water on Railroad
avenue, and the fact that the road bed
where IT passes under the.CentraI bridge
wa Nt-ic, iy1a Ilxr cxr- t,,,r, IL