Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-08
EXPENSE nOF" ABOLITION
Question of Cost for the Removal of Grade
Crossings
How 1t Was Disposed of in Various
Cities COrrexponded With
Deaths From Accidents.

trtct Commissioners with copies of CORE
spondence he has had with the municipal
authorities of number of cities of this
country relative to the division of expense
between the municipalities and railroad
companies in the matter of the abolition of
grade crossings. In response to an inquiry
of Mr.. Dodge. Theodore Voorhees,, first
vice president of the Philadelphia and
Reading Railway Company, wrote him as
follows:
In regard to the construction of the
Reading terminal in this city (Phladel-
phia). l beg to say that that work was
done before l had any connection with this
company, and 1 am not familiar with all
the facts.
The amount expended in the construction
OF the terminal station and the elevated
tracks approaching it from Spring Garden
street was in the neighborhood of $4,000, 600,
lone of which was paid for by the city.
of course, very large amount of this
sum was for property and for the sta
ton
Commenting upon this letter, Mr.. Dodge
wrote the Commissioners: "And the Penn
sSlVahia company expended $I0oo,OOo to
get through Baltimore. Oh r. report No.
rs nrst session. Fifty-first Congress, p.
30 Are now eXpending $4,000. 600 more in
Philadelphia. of which the city pays one
half, to abolish grade crossings
In Buffalo.
From Buffalo, N. Y, Edward 3. Guthrie
chief engineer in the office of the grade
crossing commissioners, wrote Mr.. Dodge
as follows:
THE contracts with the different railroad
companies in this city provide that they
will pay the entire cost of that portion of
the structure over their right of way and
the approaches thereto paid in the proper
TONS OF one-third by the city and two
thirds a.
Is necessary to take lands for the erection
or any structure, the city pays ne-third
and the railroads two-thrds of the cost of
the land ANY damage done to abutting
property and known as Consequential dam
ages is paid in the proportion of one half
by the city and one-half by the railroads.
Inc mayor of Rochester, n. Y, wrote:
THE tracks in this city We're elevated pur-
suant to an act Of the state legislature
and the city stood no part of the expense
John o'NeHl. the superintendent of track
elevation Of Chicago, wrote:
In the elevation of the roadbeds and
tracks or the railroads, far as elevation
has progressed for the elimination of grade
crossings, the railroads up to date have
borne all the expense of the work. We
have now elevated about thrty-nine miles
OF the roadbeds and tracks of different
railroads within the incorporated limits of
the city of Chicago, eliminating about 200
grace crossings, and we have franchises
passed for about thirteen miles more that
viii be elevated next year. When this Is
cone It will relieve 243 grade crossings in
this city. l can state for your informa ton
that while the railroads bear all of the ex-
pense of the elevation of tracks, the city
assumes all business and property damage
Up to tins present time there has been very
little damage collected from the city by
reason of the elevation of the tracks,
The mayor of Jersey City addressed the
following letter to Mr.. Dodge:
Al Expense of Company.
Il beg to advise that two railroad cor
porations have been compelled to elevate
their tracks In this city to abolish grade
crossings. In the case of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company the tracks We're elevated
at the expense of the company, and nine
grade crossings were abolished. The city
did not assume any responsibility in this
case, so far as I have been informed In
the matter of the Erie Railroad Company
seven grade crossings We're abolished ar
the expense of the railroad COMPANY by
elevating. In this case, where It was neces-
sary to depress the streets, the grade was
changed at the expense OF the city. va
riously estimated at from 5000 to 10000
The general cost can only be obtained from
the railroad companies
With copies of this correspondence Mr.
Dodge sent the Commissioners statement
of the number of persons killed and injured
by railroads in the District from 1872 I'm
to January g. 1889, the statement being
based on reports made by District author
tiles, The statement was as follows: On
Baltimore and Ohio railroad 80 killed and
1913 injured. a total Of 1875; on Baltimore
and Potomac railroad, 100 killed and 22I
injured total Of 324; on the Chesapeake
and Ohio railroad, ! killed and . injured
total of 3: on the Southern railroad. / in
jured: on the Chesapeake Bay railroad, 2
injured-a grand total of 1865 killed and :;62
Injured. or 52s killed or injured.
Nearly twice many" wrote Mr.
Dodge, las We're killed in the war with
Spain. Suppose the Mexicans or Canadians
had invaded the United States and had
killed and wounded that many American
citizens, how soon there would have been a
declaration of war. Is 1t any less criminal
for the railroads to do it? Why, then,
should not the government act. and act at
Once?'