The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-08
ELEVATION PRO AND CON
COUNCIL COMMITTEES LISTENS To Ar
GUMENTs ON TRACKS.
Railroad Men Finally Present Their
CIaims-Mr. Fortune In
RebuttaI.

sions from interested parties as TO the prob
able good or bad effects Of track elevation
on the business interests and property OF
the city. The meeting started In the COM
mittee room. adjoining the office of the city
clerk. but as the room filed and overflowed
IL was decided to move TO the Council cham
Der.
City Attorney Kern was present, but was
also due at the State Bar Association ban
quet, and accordingly requested those who
had any questions TO ask concerning the or
dinance to ask them in hurry and allow
him to depart. AS only one was forthcom-
ing his stay was not prolonged. George
Hitz. manager of a bakery. wanted TO know
who was to pay the damages resulting from
the tearing down of the virginia-avenue
viaduct, which would result in rendering
the Hitz building valueess. Mr.. Kern re-
piled that the ordinance contemplated the
payment Of all damages by the railroad
companies making the elevations.
RAILROAD SIDE OF 1T.
Superintendent Mansfield. of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad, then entered the objections
of railroads to the proposed elevation. as
follows:
Having received last evening an invita-
ton TO meet with the railroad committee
of the City Council and talk over proposed
track elevation in our city, l have been
unable to prepare such statistics and data
as would have a bearing on every phase of
the question owing to limited time. i wish
10 say, however, that will be glad to give
all the information / can get, and i there
fore recommend that sufficient time be
given for the citizens, the manufacturers,
the wholesale and retail merchants and
and the railway employees and the city offi-
GERS to fully gain a knowledge OF what
track elevation means and how 1t will az
cot all Init hNrr hot In fhcs
well-to-do and those of our citizens who are
obliged TO depend on their daily labor for
Livelihood what effect 1t Viii have on S, eur
ing associations, on the value OF the work.
ingmens homes.
ITO me 1t appears that the question is
one of most serious moment, and of such
vital interest that before any action Is
taken by the city officials there should be
calm, careful and considerable investigation
of all interests, and the thing to do is to
make haste slowly
Indianapolis for the last twenty or more
years has been striving to reach high
place as a manufacturing city, and when we
examine into the value of the manufactured
products or our city We find We are near the
alarming, and before doing anything that
will be detrimental TO such manufacturing
interests We should confer and consult with
our manufacturers and other business men.
As to where We stand we have only to refer
to published statistics of indianapolis and
other cities as TO the value of our products
each 1000 population in the several cities
the value of manufactured products was:
New York and contiguous cities. 80. .$43s, 041
6nlladelphia ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 541 $50
Pittsburg Observation-Disclosures. 470 $50
Snlcago ~. az
aouIs SO.UU
lhuidifdpOlS 3Vf,oUV
In other words. Chicago, per head of
population. is about twice as great a manu-
featuring city as Indianapolis. To elevate
the tracks means great damage to, and.
facturers to other points. Elevation 'H viii
seriously affect wholesale and retail mer-
chants; and. judging by. the expressions
over to our competing and nearby cities a
great quantity of our trade; The removal
of freight stations out of the city, or the
elevation of these stations. would mean
large increase in their expenses and would
perhaps ah s., wipe out thsir margins of profits;
have at times fifty commercial travellers
destined for points I'm southwestern Indiana
and southern Illinois to work up trade for
their Indianapolis houses. and these gen.
tlemen have frequently told me of the COM
petition which they meet from Chicago and
Louisville houses. The Illinois Central Rail-
read Is endeavoring TO secure this territory
via bingham: Louisville reaches 1T via B.
& o. s. W., and Terre Haute via the z. &
T. H. Anything which increases the cost
iy work ar, irreparabIe injury to our our mer-
camille interests. Now, AS to the demands
for track elevation, on investigation We find
of the street crossings; the width of our
streets and the number of vehicles and
pedestrians which pass over them seem. to
preclude the entertaining of a general plan
of track elevation.
This afternoon at 3 o'clock 1 went to
the top of the Majestic building and took
view of the various crossings in the city.
and found them nearly all entirely free
from vehicles. pedestrians and trains. and
respectfully suggest that anyone who has
an interest in this matter make such a trip
and observations.
at has been claimed that the South Side
IaySred track sadin In aod
politicians, / find that the South-side citi-
zens are not in favor OF elevation. Nothing
The expressions of some of the former men,
bers Of the Council and South-side citizens
when the Pennsylvania line offered. a
couple years ago. to put in an undergrade
ering it's tracks. The citizens in the vicinity
of Downey and Chestnut streets protested
a reason that 1t would be wall between
the east and west sides. Such improve
ment would have cost the railroad COM
cutting down the grade. Another instance
Shelby street-a couple OF years ago 10
the city authorities ]. suggested the raising
of the Belt Railroad a couple OF feet at
Shelby-street crossing and putting the street
surface underneath. 1t was. and iS now.
Carried out The Belt Railroad would have
been at great expense in doing the work,
and the consent of the president of the
Belt Railroad was obtained 10 make the
expenditure When the views of the citi-
zens in that neighborhood were obtained 1t
was found they We're against 1t. Here was
an opportunity TO give clear line without
a railroad crossing between GARFIELD Park
on the South Side and Fairvew Park on
the north. yet the suggestion and the oner
were rejected. With careful considera.
ton on the part of the city and citizens OF
these two suggestions for improvements AT
Downey and Shelby streets. liz all proDapii-
ity. might have been approved and the work
done 1 cite the foregoing with view of
calling your attention 10 the Importance OF
carefully weighing and considering the sub
ject in its various phases before arriving
at a definite conclusion.
He was followed by George Hitz. who. as
representing the interests to be most DAM
aged by the elevation plan. said that his
company had expended 100000 on its plant
along the Virginia avenue viaduct and that
it's pay roll amounted each week TO from
$500 to s7O0. Inasmuch as ii generally
admitted that the destruction of the VIA
duct would ruin the expensive building, Mr..
Hitz announced that his company would
claim damages up to $4,000 and would sue
to recover it.
G. L. EVANS OPPOSES 1T.
George T. Evans expressed the opinion
that IL would be unwise 10 pass the ordi-
nance. as the railroads would abandon
rather than elevate their tracks If pressed
I'm the matter. Even IL the railroads did
elevate their tracks Mr.. Evans thought the
expense of elevating the side tracks To meet
the new elevation would be too serious an
expenSe on the small manufacturers of the
city 10 admit of consideration. He hazarded