The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-01-18
END OF GRADE CROSSINGS
Pennsylvania Officials Try
ing to Elevate Harri-
son Tracks.

Steps will be taken at once by the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company to secure an
agreement with the municipal authori-
ties of Harrison ot allow the elevation
of its tracks in that town, preliminary to
beginning the actual work of abolishing
grade crossings in Newark, in accordance
with the agreement just approved by the
railroad company.
Under the terms of the agreement,
which has been signedby the Mayor and
president of the Board of Works of New
ark. tracks elevation is to be begun with
in sixty days after the signing of the con-
tract by the Pennsylvania and the Cen
trail Railroad of New Jersey. The Central
officials are uncommunicative but it is
understood the agreement has been in
their possession several days, and has not
yet been signed by them.
In the negotiations between the rail-
roads and the. Newark authorities the
Central officials did not take as active a
part as the Pennsylvania people, and it is
said that this fact will necessitate more
thorough examination and investigation
into the terms and details of the agree
men than was necessary with the Penn
sylvanfa. At it has been understood that
both companies had practically agreed to
the terms of the Newark ordinance be-
fore it was passed by the Board OF Works.
the ultimate approval of the contract by
the Central is regarded as a foregone con-
clusion.
Frank NJ. Sheppard. general manager Of
the United Railroads of New Jersey di-
vision of the Pennsylvania who has just
recovered from an Illness, was at his
office in Newark today for the first time
IN several days. He said that all the
plans were completed for track elevation
through Newark, and that the only thing
which now stands in the day of the work
being Immediately begun is the necessity
for obtaining an agreement with the Har-
rison authorities.
The elevated structure upon which the
Pennsylvania will cross the Passaic and
run through Newark will begin about
1900 feet east of the river, in Harrison.
Nothing has yet been done, however,
toward making a contract with or secur-
ing the consent OF the Harrison authori-
ties for the elevation and while little
difficulty was anticipated. it will prob
ably take several weeks to conclude the
necessary legal preliminaries with that
pace before the work of changing the
grade can be started. Mr.. Sheppard said
that steps toward bringing the matter be-
fore the Harrison authorities would be
taken as soon as he had an opportunity
to consult counsel in the matter.
While the work of levation through
Newark is in progress, the new Waverly
line across the meadows will be used for
freight traffic, and passenger trains will
be run across the meadows over the new
Iinerecently completed. These tracks are
about $50 feetn carer the river than the
old ones. and will be used while the eleva-
ton of the present tracks is in progress.
Two miles of new track have been laid,
and the new eastbound track is now in
use. while trains will be run over the
new westbound track next Sunday
The completion and opening of the new
freight road will occur shortly. This line,
which is elevated through the city, will
greatly reduce the congestion of the old
double track road, as after it is in use all
freight trains will run over the new cut
off to Waverly.