The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-31
The netitionars won.

The petitioners won.
Elevated tracks will not be presented
to the legislature today as the solution
Of the grade crossing question in Wor-
cester.
The plan recommended by the grade
crossing commission was sidetracked
last evening at the meeting of the city
council
Another commission, the new one to
be composed of engineers, will be ap-
pointed to solve the question.
The petitioners were agreeable Those
who favored the report OF the grade
crossing commission let go with bad
grace. They wanted to pass the order
for the mayor to petition the lesisla-
Washburn advised that Worcester go
with united front, and the spirits of
the elevated tracks men were de-
pressed.
The petitioners were agreeable to the
compromise, as 1t came from those
who fought for the east-siders, ana so
the compromise was effected.
Although the majority did not know
it, they avoided another fight In which
they might not have had such an easy
thing as they would have had last eve
ming The petitioners had more than
one string on which to play. They
were getting up a monstrous petition
to go to the Legislature with bill to-
day for the appointment OF grade
crossing commission by the governor.
1t would have gone in with the petition
Of the city council, and the fight would
have been precipitated in the legisla-
ture.
But it's all over now, and the petit
toners scored first blood in the con-
test They prevented immediate action
and secured the passage of an order
which requires a commission Of en-
gineers to inquire into the practicability
Of lowering Millbrook regardless of
cost
Both sides are pledged to the support
Of the report of the engineers commits
sion.
Alderman Thomas J. Barrett did the
trick. He drew up an order yesterday
for presentation to the city council for
such a commission. 1t went through
last evening. The report Of the grade
crossing commission is In etatu quo.
The report of the new commission is
the one which the city council will take
as Worcester'S plan for the abolition Of
grade crossings.
Neither the city council nor joint con-
vention decided the grade crossing
question last evening. Two caucuses Of
the political parties Of which the body
is composed did the trick While ire
mendous crowd was waiting In gleeful
anticipation Of long and uninterrupted
fun, two private sessions were settling
the question The eaucuses decided on
their plan Of action, came into the
meeting and carried it out and It was
all over.
The great fight petered out. Every
body who was not cognizant OF the
meetings was disappointed. There was
no fun, no cross examination, no Witt
cisms and fortunately no 12-hour
speech as was threatened from one
councilman. The side track was CREASED
and the report Of the grade crossing
commission was slid along SO fast that
the rails burned. The side track was
endless and the report is going yet.
Here Is the order which effected the
compromise, and which prevents a pre-
cipitation Of the grade crossing question
into the legislature:
Ordered, that the mayor be and he Is
hereby authorized, empowered and di-
rected to appoint two competent and
disinterested engineers who together
with the city engineer shall constitute
commission to fully study all phases of
plans for abolishing grade crossings in
the city OF Worcester both by depreas-
ing and raising the railroad tracks TO
such extent that all streets now crossed
by railroads at grade shall not be ma
terially changed as to their grade, and
to make as soon as may be to the city
council a full report Of the results OF
such investigation. said appointments
TO be confirmed by the board of alder
men, the expense to be charged to the
account for incidental expenses"
All expectations regarding the meet
ing last evening were disappointed.
There was an immense crowd. Scores
of chairs were improvised, but they
we're not sufficient, and every doorway
was thronged. The crowds extended
out into the corridors and more were
coming. An intense suspense hung over
the crowd. The city council met and
then there was q recess. It was then
the job fixed Then the Joint conven-
ton met, and that took a recess, Then
the job was confirmed. Again the city
council met and the deal became a
law The joint convention met and
adjourned, and there was no public
hearing.
The board Of aldermen met at Gas
O'clock. Nothing was said on grade
crossings. The regular business was
transacted with dispatch. A recess
was taken. During the recess there
was a conference in the office OF Mayor
Rufus p. Dodge, Jr., between support
ers and opponents OF the grade cross
ing commission report Alderman
Barrett was called in. lie was asked
concerning the order he intended to
present. He explained the order. An
expression OF opinion was given on both
sides as to whether all would agree to
the report Of the new commission the