The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-13
STREET RAILWAYS MANY SINS
COL. MERRITT w. DIXON's TOUR OF
THE SYSTEM.


waited Above the street Level and
No Crossings Provided as Re-
CURED by ordinance at street and
Lane IBtersectiOns-The Elevation
Not Due 10 the Washing Away OF
the Streets-CrOssties PrOtruding
on Abercorn Street and Very Bad
Crossings Found at Several Places.
Portions of Track Left in the As
phaIt Pavement TO Save Expense of
RepRving.
Col Merritt W. Dixon Is not satisfied
with the explanation made by Chairman
James NJ. Dixon of the street and lane
committee and General Manager Lotion OF
the street railway company in answer to
his charges as 10 the condition of the street
railway tracks.
Their explanations do not explain" said
Col Dixon yesterday. They admit that
what l have said is true, but they offer
no satisfactory explanation as to why
these evils have not been remedied. The
chairman of the street and lane commit
tee switches off from my complaints of
the condition OF the tracks on Liberty
street and talks about the unpayed streets
where he says the trouble is due TO the
soil washing away from the tracks
think l can show you that he Is mis- aiken
in this and that the same inexcusable con-
dition exists in the streets all over the
city, both paved and unpaved, and that
instead of its being due to the soil wash
ing away from the tracks the real trouble
gard TO the level of the streets. The tracks
may have formerly been on the street
level, but in relayng the track the old
ties were replaced with heavy cypress ties
aud high rails were placed on top OF these
without the trouble being taken 10 lower
the road bed. The result is that the rails
project from four to six inches above the
streets in many places and in some places
the ends Of the crossties are exposed
My kick seems to have done some good,
though, said Col. Dixonu More work
has been done on the eastern end of Lib
erty street In the last three or four days
than had been done in several months be-
fore. The asphalt pavement has been put
in fair share. The high crown in the CEN
ter of the track leading from Liberty TO
Randolph street still remains though, not
withstanding both City Engineer VIM
and Director of Public Works Gadsden ad-
mltted 60 me al the time the work was
being done that this was an outrage and
should not be permitted. At the Abercorn
street crossing the asphalt has been cut
away alongside the tracks with the in
tention, | suppose, of building up 10 the
track. Why they did not complete this
work when the asphalt pavement on the
corner was repaired a day or two ago. /
do not understand. To make proper
crossing tie track should be lowered in
stead of the pavement being crowned no
10 the track as it is evidently intended TO
do AT present the crossing is dangerous
TO buggies and bicycles"
In order TO verify his statements as to
the condition of the streets generally Col.
Dixon took a Morning News reporter In
his buggy on a tour of the city, beginning
with Abercorn street. Abercorn. Ander-
son. Barnard and several other streets
were visited. Many of the CROSSINGS of
the streets and lanes We're found In bad
shape. A sprinkliug of oyster shell was
in evidence at most of the crossings. but
not sufficient to make a firm roadway. In
most instances the shells We're a mere
sprlnkling.
Formerly" said Col. Dixon. 'the street
railway company was required TO provide
plank crossings az the intersections of che
streets and lanes The plank crossings
have been removed, and now they have
of the crossings"
Beginning at Col. Dixon's home at Alb
ercorn and Gwinnett streets. and going
south on Abercorn, the rails are for Tho
most part above the level of the street in
some places being several inches above
Riding down the center of the track tha
pump of the cross ties could be distinctly
feit, although the buggy was equipped
with pneumatic tires. In places the ends
of the
OF hait block. The track Intersections
at Bolton and Abercorn and Duffy ana
Aoercorn were noticed as being very poor
~ constructed, and both were complained
Oh by residents In the neighborhood as civ
ing forth such a humping sound durine
the passing of the cars as to make life
IN ther vicinity burden. The crossinea
sPPeat 10 nave been constructed simply
oy plecing in the rails, instead of nrovi6
Ing crossing In a single niece TIbo
DuIIy street Baptist Church is situated
at Dufty and Abercorn and the noise Of
we cars at the crossing is said to ereat.v
interfere with the services at the church
Vol. Dixon remarked that Director w
LINDSAY who lives at Bolton and Aber-
corn was around getting up a petition
ior new crossing last year. but this vas
the company. u
Noi' Dixon pointed out that the elevation
VI tie track above the street, along Aber,
corn ana also on Anderson, and othe,
streets, is too general to be explained on
the theory of the washing ont of tba
streets and was evidently due to the fac,
tha' heavy rails and ties had been Iatd ON
, ,,'e 1lu Iouhdation without taking che
trouble 60 lower the grade.
AZ anderson and Drayton streets is a
particularly bad crossing. the rails pro.
Jecuhs up IN manner which cannon be
otherwise than disastrous to vehicles rh,
crossing is much used, being just at the
terminus of the asphalt paving on Dravtor
street In fact, no crossing whatever
seems to have been provided at this n,irt
Along Anderson street it was noticed tha,
the rails project above the street level AM,
that there was little indication of The
street having washed At Bull and 1enth
streets where the double crossing has
proved so disastrous. especially 10 blcvcie
riders, several workmen are repairing tha
gravel pavement and some improver,en,
has evidently been effected.
wen. thank heaven" said Col Dixor
al 10 - I.