The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-30
THE TRACK PERMANENT
TAGGART PERMITTING A RAILROAD
TO GOBBLE MORE GROUND.
South Pennsy1vania-Street Crossing
Platform and Mayors Promise.

Mayor Taggart declared when the Union
Railroad Company laid an extra track
across South Pennsylvania street that 1t
was only TO remain down temporarily, until
the company could straignten out curves
in the other two tracks. That was several
weeks ago. The track is still down. Moth
ing has been done toward Strengthening the
old tracks. Everything goes to show that
the additional track is not a temporary ar
rangement, but that it is to remain down
permanently.
There is a bridge across Pogues run at
South Pennsylvania street The old tracks
of the Union Railroad Company are on the
north side of the bridge and there is not
enough room between them and the bridge
for an additional track. The run is spanned
at Pennsylvania street by huge iron grid
ers running parallel with the street Big
cross timbers stretched from the iron grid
ers formed the support for the plank road
way of the bridge. At some time in the
past, before the viaduct was built, there was
quite stretch of tressle work in the run
parallel with the north bank, which at one
time supported railroad tracks. This was
removed when the company was required
to reduce the number of its tracks. The
old wooden tresse work was left standing
Recently when the company decided to put
down another track the old wooden tressle
work in the run parallel with the north bank
was utilized for that purpose. After the
track was once laid and the company had
possession of the street, it proceeded leisure
ly to maintain the track permanently. All
the old bridge work was torn away and in
place of the wooden timbers iron Orders
were placed under the rails, the ends of the
new iron girders resting on the iron Orders
spanning Pogues run. After the new grid
ers were laid railroad ties were placed upon
them, the rails spiked down and then bridge
plank nailed between the tracks West of
the run that is uncovered for fifty feet or
more. Across this stretch the tracks of the
company still rest upon the old wooden tres
sic work for the present, but it is the inten-
ton to spann the run with iron Orders
after which the wooden tirnbers will be re-
moved. 1t is said that like course will
be pursued east of Pennsylvania street.
where the new track must of a necessity
project over the run.
Workmen say that they do not know what
the company intends to do, but the very
careful way in which the new track has
been laid proves that it is to be a perma-
nent institution.
Inc democratic city platform, which
Mayor Taggart stands pledged to support.
declared: I'VE are opposed to the laying OF
any railroad tracks across or on any streets
of this city unless there should be great
public necessity therefor" Another clause
demanded that the city government work
steadily toward ultimate relief from the
danger and inconvenience of grade crossings
by concentration and elevation of the rail-
road tracks through the city" There was
also declaration that the tracks the Penn
syNanfa Company wanted to lay across
South Delaware street were not of great
public necessity" and should not be per-
mitted.
Residents of the South Side, who protest
Ware-street tracks, are somewhat alarmed at
the course Mayor Taggart has pursued with
regard to the South OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
crossing block away. 1t is recalled that
the Board OF Works signed a contract CIV
ing the Pennsylvania Company the privi-
iege 1t wanted, that this contract was put
IN an envelope directed to the city clerk
but that it got lost on the way and never
reached the Council. 1t was explained at
the office of the Board of Works afterWard
that the attorneys for the railroad COM
pany withdrew it temporarily. There is fear
that this contract will be found and win
turn up in the Council again, il the present
administration should be continued NOT
Wlthstanding the pledge of the platform on
this subject Mayor Taggart'S attitude on
the South Pennsylvana-street tracks is not
reassuring. M. A. Downing, president of the
Board of Public Works. has built railroads
himself and is disposed to be liberal when
the railroads are concerned. Many voters
or the South Side fear the Pennsylvania
contract will be revived