The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-11
City Council Meeting,
Promises Warm
Arguments.
THE GRADE CROSSING QUESTION
Members Think Order Will
Go Through the Board
IL Without Trouble.

Debate of the liveliest sort, sand
wiched in between a lot of routine bust
ness, is what members of the city coun
Gil are looking for in connection witt
the meeting of the city council tomor
row night
First in Importance may be mentioned
Alderman Walls order for Legislation
on the grade crossing question. Thu
order is:
THAT the mayor be and is hereby
authorized, empowered and directed
to petition the legislature for act
providing for the abolition of grade
crossings in the city of Worcester
from and between Garden street and
Union station on the north and
Union station and Worcester juno
ton, so called, on the south, sub
stantlally along the lines outlined in
the report of the grade crossing
commission created by order of the
city council in 1899, and that such
petition and accompanying bill pro-
vide particularly that the tracks of
the railroads be raised at Union
station not less than 16 feet, and at
Southbridge street not less than 4
feet, and at Lincoln square not less
than - feet, and that 10 street or
part of streets be discontinued by
such abolition and that Madison
street shall be extended under
tracks of southern road and that the
Niaduct shall be abolished and that
ali bridges provided for by said act,
except those at Shrewsbury street,
Rankin street and Southbridge
street be of store and arched, and
that so far as practicable the grade
be changed not more than is sug-
gested in the report of said grade
crossing commission of 1899"
Members of the board of aldermen
are of the opinion that the order will
go through without any trouble, al
though one member said yesterday ha
would oppose it on the ground that
people of Worcester have not had the
unfeasibility of depressed tracks dem
onstrated to them in a satisfactory
manner.
Another matter which may he ex-
pected to bring forth a red hot argu-
ment is the recommendation OF the
committee on streets, empowering thf
mayor to enter into a fiYe-year con-
tract, for sprinkling streets, With the
American Car Sprinkler Company.
Those who are in favor of making such
a contract claim that the city can save
considerable money in this way, and
that If some action is not taken at once
the Car Sprinkling Company will hava
the city at its mercy and can charge
whatever price they see fit.
On the other hand, members Of tue
hoard who are opposed to making such
a, contract, claim that the matter has
rot been given sufficient consideration,
and that there are other car sprinklers
which might be used with equally good
advantage. They would have the CRY
bf1y or lease its street watering plant.
Alderman O'Connell is a leader in the
opposition to the contract.
Alderman Barrett is another who
will probably have some questions 20
aeIx Nom hers of the street committee
regarding the action on his order lii
tr0dtIced several weeks ago relative IL
the smooth paving question. Ihe mat
ter was brought up at the last meet
ing of the committee on streets: Wuen
communications from heads OF the OH
ferent city departments were read ex-
planning what work VIII s pe
prohabIa in the next rev
months. which will neceasitat e
tearing IN Main street. The surface
sewer and possibly a line of water pipe
are the only things in view OF the
citv work at the present time. Be1ore
any action was taken, however. some
one moved for adjournment and TO &C
ton was taken by the committee
The committee on ordinances VII
recommend the adoption Of the orol-
nance, relative to digging up streets,
and will also report inexpedient TO act
on the matter relating to acetlyene'
The day labor question comes PACK
from the committee on public bui'dlngS
with the same recommendation, as be-
fore commitment, inexpedient TO ac''
The committee on water VIII recon- =
mend the construction of pipe lines ID
BEACON and Madison streets. Several
thousands of dollars worth of eewcr
co6struction will be recommended by
the committee on sewers.