The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-07
AS TO TRACK ELEVATION
PROBABLY WILL BE REQUIRED OF
INDIANAPOLIS SOUTHERN.
Its Economy Pointed Out by MIR.
Megrew, Chairman of the Board
of Works-NO Decision Soon.

OF Works. intimated yesterday that a pro-
vision for elevated tracks will be inserted
in the Indianapolis Southern Railroads
franchise. Major Megrew wished it under
stood that the board has reached no formal
decision in the matter. because there is still
a number of important points which will
require careful Investigation. He said IL
may be several weeks before the form Of
the franchise is submitted to the public.
He limited that in so far as the members
OF the board have gone into the track ele-
walton question as applied to the Indian
apoIis Southern they have been impressed
with the fact that the expense Of construc-
ton would be much less than generally be-
lieved. Mr.. Megrew's remarks indicated
further that the time has come for the city
TO begin active measures in providing for
public safety by forcing railroad companies
TO elevate tracks. He said that in his pres
ent opinion the fairest course the city could
take with the Southern would be to ask it
to enter the city above the streets. In ex-
planning his statements Mr.. Megrew said:
LAS the situation appears to me person.
ally at the present time L think if the city
required the indianapolis Southern to ele-
vate its tracks Immediately on the building
OF The road Ii would be a measure not only
for the good of the people. but also highly
advantageous to the road. Suppose the
board should allow the Southern TO
enter the Union Station over its
own right of way. Suppose, also,
that IT should require it's tracks to be ele-
waited all along the route. Don't you see
that when all railroads entering the city
are eventually forced TO elevate their
tracks the Southern would be placed in an
exceedingly favorable position? 1t would
be the first railroad having complete a per-
fected system of track elevation. II would
not have TO submit TO the dictatiOn OF any
other corporation as to the right to run its
trains over elevated tracks which might be
owned by another road. Its outlay for con-
structiOn would have been completed and
all the expense which track elevation en-
watch the older roads suffer the thrOes of a
complete change. Its own a~nnoyances and
with
the Supreme Court to hand down a deci-
sion giving the city power to require track
elevation. and he limited it might be an
exceedingly good thing if the board an
ticipated the action of the court a little
In the case of the Southern. He said fur
ther: II have found that the city of In
d1anapoliS during the past thirty years has
granted no franchise TO a railroad cOrpO-
ration similar in terms to the one asked
for by the indianapolis Southern. In other
words. the city has had for thirty years no
chance to deal with the track-elevation
question at its fountain head, if L may use
the expression. The city has tried in the
past to solve the troublesome question of
track elevation by dealing with roads al
ready laid down, in operation for years.
1t has had no opportunity in all that time
to get directly at a practical commence
ment of the reform by contracting with a
new railroad. 1t has had no opportunity TO
say 10 a road. Now you people are asking
something valuable from the city, sup
pose you take measures to insure the safety
Of the people by elevating your tracks,
Ii has had no power to absolutely secure
what ii wanted through the grant of a
franchise. When a railroad has it's tracks
once laid ii is hard to deal with. When
1t is asking the right to lay its tracks il
is infinitely easier for the people to Sc
cure what they desire"
The Board of Works took part i'm a pri-
vate conference at the Commercial Club
yesterday with Secretary Hunt, represent
ing the board of directors, William For
tune, chairman Of the elevated-tracks COM
mission of the organization, and G. G.
Brown. formerly city engineer. The ques-
ton Of track elevation was thoroughly
gone over and the representatives Of the
club. after presenting to the board the i'm
pOrtance of the question in it's new phase,
made some suggestions as to what might
be we'll required of the Southern. The rep
resentatives OF the Commercial Club
agreed, it is stated, that they Will not in
sist on further elevation by the Southern
than from Morris street to the Union Sta
ton