The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-02
THEY ASK FOR RELIEF.
Citizens Beyond the International and
Great Northern Railway Crossing.
THEY WILL PETITION The CITY COUNCIL
Railway Company Removed
(, by Legal Process.

The following petition will be presented
TO the city council at it regular meeting
tomorrow:
TO the Mayor and Aldermen of'the City Of
Houston.
The undersigned respectfully represent
that they are residents of or owners OF
property In that portion of the city of
Houston lying east of the track of the
International and Great Northern Railway
bayou; that petitioners are largely and in
fact almost wholly dependent for access to
the business portion OF the city upon the
Harrisburg road and Preston street; that
said railway company has eleven tracks
across said streets at the intersection of
Harrisburg road and Preston street. and
ds using said crossing as n part of its
switching yard: that said tracks are in
constant use day and night. and railway
cars and locomotive engines are often left
standing for hours at a time upon por-
ton of the street at said. -crossng, and
that often the crossing Is entirely OBJ
structed for ten minutes or more at a
time to the great annoyance OF petitioners
and that petitioners lives and those of
their families are placed in constant
Jeopardy on account of the number of
tracks at said crossing, and on account
of the use OF same by said railway com
pany for ordinary switching purposes.
Petitioners further represent that they
are informed and advised by attorneys
who have investigated the matter that
all of said tracks above mentioned except
possibly two have been put upon said
street at said crossing without the consent
of the city, and without authority from
~. ,.ss I'D stlkH pNn n
that the city, ii 1t desires so TO do, can
by proper legal proceedings instituted in
lis name, force said railway company to
remove all OF said tracks, except possibly
two: petitioners represent that the asser-
ton OF this right by the city to compel
the removal OF said tracks would relieve
petitioners aud their families from a
source of great anxiety and annoyance. and
would enhance the value OF all property
owned by taxpayers or the east side of
said tracks
Petitioners further represent that said
railway company has ample ground tor
switching purposes and for its awitehlns
yard south of said HuTeburg road. and
that no necessity for permitting said cross
ing 10 be used for switching purposes
exists. nor Is there any excuse for unnec-
essarlly endangering the lives of the mem
bers of petitioners families on account OF
the way in which said crossing ia being
needlessy monopoiized ny bald runway
company.
8 Petitioners therefore pray your honor
able body to authorize and diIcCt the city
attorney TO institute in the name of the
city such legal proceedings as may be nee
eesary to compel the removal OF all tracks
unlawfully upon said crossing, and In this
connection petitioners respectfully pray
that they be permitted at their own eX-
pense, to employ counsel for the purpose
Of cooperating with the city attorney and
securing the vigorous prosecution OF such
legal rights as the city may have In the
premises.
A copy of this petition Is at Mites store
on the Harrisburg road for signatures.
At the last meeting OF the city council
a motion prevailed directing the city at
torney to prepare an ordinan~ requiring
the railroad using the tracks Al the polnt
complained OF to place tunnel under their
tracks. the penalty for failing TO do so
being a forfeiture OF their franchise.