The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-22

Another protracted meeting of the
grade crossing commission was held
the common council. Every member
was present, which has been the rule
of late. The meetingwas late in starting.
1t being after clock when Chairman
Charles G. Reed called the meeting to
order. BY the time the members
reached their homes, their dinners were
cold, for it was nearly o'clock when
the meeting adjourned.
The entire time Of the meeting was
taken up in listening to the report of
the committee, consisting of President
Charles G.. Reed, Alderman John r.
Back and Irving E. Comins. The in
structions given the committee were
to draft the report, as was suggested
from the expression of ideas of mem
bers at the former meeting. The COM
mittee had no sinecure. 1t labored
morning until II o'clock that evening,
and yesterday took another turn at it,
finishing about O'clock.
The report consisted of 10 typewrit-
ten pages, but IL was not closely writ
ten. in order that any changes which
might be suggested by members in
meeting could be put between the lines
to make another draft more easily.
There were plenty of suggestions. Not
that the committee did not perform it's
work well. II did. But several mem
bers saw places in the report in which
the phraseology could be improved and
other places where minor changes were
necessary.
There were a few important alter
ations on some of which no instructions
had been given the committee. The
most important was relative to South
bridge street under the bridge north
of the South Worcester junction sta
ton. 1t occurred to the commission,
yesterday that the street under that
bridge should be wider than it is, and
provision was made to allow such ac-
ton if the city should decide for a
wider thoroughfare in future years.
The street under the bridge now is but
so feet wide. The commission decided
to recommend that the abutments be
placed so feet apart to leave room for
future Improvement.
Another important change decided on
by the commission yesterday was that
Plymouth street shall not be discon-
tinued. At the meeting last week it
was thought the discontinuance Of this
street would be necessary to preserve
spur tracks for the Allen boiler works
and the Colvin foundry. The commits
sion now thinks this can be accom-
plished without shutting up the street
and instead will recommend a stone
arch there.
Another matter which the commits
sion feels will improve its recommend
alton is the widening Of Grafton street.
At present the street is So feet. The
commission proposes to widen it to so
feet.
Final action was not taken. Another
meeting will be held tomorrow after
noon, at which the amended report will
be submitted to the commission, and
1t will be signed 80 that it can be pre-
scented to the meeting of the city
council in the evening.
The report is a comprehensive one. II
explains fully the reasons of the com
mission for the plan which it Will rec
ommend. The first part is devoted TO
the southern terminal plan, which was
the most favored by members of the
commission. The report treats OF that
plan in full, telling the reasons why it
was rejected by the commission, after
giving the most careful consideration
to 1t. The main reasons, as given in
the report, are that the adoption Of that
plan would prove too serious an injury
to the manufacturers who are estab-
lished along the present route of the
railroads, and the business men who
have investments which would be al
most effaced by moving the union sta
ton from it's present position
Thebecond part of the report treats
Of the plan for depressing the tracks.
The report relates the impractlcability
of adopting this plan on account Of the
well nigh impossible engineering feats
which would be required. 1t says that
to lower the tracks properly Mil brook
sewer would have to be lowered also
to considerable depth, and the water
table and quicksands inthe bed of
Millbrook make this feat all but i'm
possible. The report also speaks Of the