The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-11

When the Lackawanna's new trans
fer freight station was about to be
opened three weeks ago The Tribune
called attention to the delays and dan
gers that would result to vehcular
and pedestrian traffic, particularly the
former
A brief experience has demonstrated
that the probabilities were not over
drawn.
AS to the dangers growing out of the
drupled-switching on
the crossing, the reader is referred to
the collision and narrow escape from
another collision which occurred there
Saturday night and which are de-
scribed at length in another column.
Any one who has Travelled to or from
the West Side during the past fort
night need not be told of the delays.
A hold-up at the crossing of from
five minutes to a half hour is the rule
rather than the exception and it is no
uncommon sight to see a majority of
the cars running on all the West side
lines punched on one side or the other
of the crossing waiting their turn to
get through.
The trolley men, the railroad men
and the gate tenders have all been in
structed to exercise the greatest care
but the collision has, nevertheless, oc-
Cured
NIGH HAVE BEEN SERIOUS.
That it was not serious is solely due
to the most fortunate circumstances.
The switching engine happened to have
a few air brake cars connected up and
a good rail. BY reason of this the
speed was SO slackened when the train
struck the car that instead of blow"
there was shove"
Three years ago when traffic was
comparatively light a viaduct was
deemed an absolute necessity. Now,
there is almost as much traffic at the
crossing as there is in any part of the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
yard.
Every one who gives the matter a
moments thought comedies that the
West Lackawanna avenue crossing
should be closed up and another main
highway to and from the city's most
pOpulous suburb secured.
An overhead bridge is the most gem
orally favored method of accomplish
posed a more feasible plan.
The city the West Siders claim. Is
in duty bound to give them relief.
There is nothing before the councils
now that is more urgent than this via
| duct. The Lackawanna company, it it
understood, is willing to make a very
| reasonable contribution to the erection
of the Yiaduct in return for the eX-
elusive use of the crossing, and, as
| far as Is known here, the trolley COM
pany's offer to stand a liberal share of
the expense. if given a right of way
over the viaduct, still holds good.
CLOSING OF CROSSING.
Any plan for the viaduct that does
not contemplate the closing up of the
crossing is not acceptable to the great
majority of the taxpayers and is an
express condition on which the Lacka-
wanna company's contribution is based
This being the case the only thing
| standing in the way of the viaduct is
the item of damages to properties
which will be left on a blind street
and be faced by a viaduct and its abut-
ments.
This obstacle, however, is not un.
| SuTmountable.
Several ways of overcoming it have
been suggested, all of them based or
the scheme of the city, or a commits
sion representing the city, purchasing
the properties outright and after the
viaduct is built selling them again
| The land is the most valuable in the
city for warehouse purposes and is
made especially valuable by the new
freight station.
Some West Side counclmen have
been figuring on the matter, but ap'
parently the elections have made such
demands on their time and activity
that the viaduct project has been ne
| elected.
An ordinance providing for a viaduct
will not receive quite as much atten.
tion next Thursday night as on some
Thursday night following a terrible
|