The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-20
Hearings Before the Grade
Crossing Commission Begin at
City Hall Tomorrow Morning
and Promise to be Interesting
CITY SOLICITOR RUGG
WILL REPRESENT THE CITY
Prominent Railroad Lawyers viii
be Present to Care For the In
terests of Their Clients
WorcesterWiII Demand Bridges
of Artistic Construction

Tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock Is
the time set for the first of a series Of
hearings before the grade crossing
commission which is to decide on final
matters of detail relative to abolition
of grade crossings. on the southern
railroads. For months past City En-
gineer Frederick A. Mcclure has been
at work on plans and other detail to
be presented in connection with the
hearing. Yesterday Mayor Philip j.
O'Connell, City Solicitor Arthur p.
Rugg and City Engineer Frederick A
Mcclure visited each of the several
crossings to be considered and the city
is prepared to go ahead with its work
City Solicitor will represent the
citys interests Col ]. H. Benton, the
famous railroad lawyer, will represent
the New York, New Haven & Hart
ford Railroad Company and Samuel
Hoar will appear for the Boston & AL
bany. The opening hours of the hear
ing will be devoted to the opening
statements of counsel and brief re-
view Of the history of the case. There
will probably be view some time
during the day. Hearings will contin-
ue until all details involved have been
laid before the commission.
line interests VI. w oiAN ANS
citizens will be zealously guarded The
| types of stone bridges for which the
city will contend have been designed by
| City Engineer Mcclure and are cal
| culated to be at once handsome and
substantial structures of white granite.
The bridges will be along the same
general lines as those at Brockton,
which have made such favorable I'M
preston on the minds of former COM
| So for mn
| The problem is a big one and the re-
sulting damages from change will be,
of course, a matter of considerable in
terest to property owners along the line
of proposed changes. The damages Will,
| however be comparatively small, for
/ the reason that a great majority OF
! buildings affected are not valuable
structures. In fact, property develop
ment along the line of the railroads
has been held back for years awaiting
some solution of the problem.
According to an agreement between
the railroad companies and the city,
the character of bridges over Grafton
Street, Green Street and Madison
| Street is decided. These will be stone
arched bridges 1t is probable that the
city will also insist on bridges of the
same character at Hermon Street and
Gardner Street. The grade of several
IklTGGIS anu lilG. duSle az NllNh ONANA
highways cross the tracks make stone
bridges impracticable in many cases.
In a great majority of Instances
where a cut is to be made, the tracks
/, are constructed on a fill and the
change in grade will result in distinct
; advantage to the thoroughfare The
fact that Hermon Street and Madison
; Street are to be extended through to
Gold Street, giving two additional thor
. Ia, 70 IN Main Gfrpat iG =
sidered of great value to the manu-
featuring and other interests in the
island district.
4 Coming out from Union Station thu
grade crossing act specifies that thu
tracks shall be elevated IL feet. This
will result in a cut of IL feet at the
Grafton Street crossing. The cut viii
| begin at a point about the centre OF
| the square and continue to Franklin
( Street, giving a practically level street
/ between those points.
Washington Street will be cut about
| 8 IL feet. Plymouth Street will sus-
1 tain a cut of five or six feet. Madison
! Street will be extended through to
| Gold Street and will be made so feet
wide at the point where it goes under
the tracks The same condition will be
in evidence in connection with Hermon
| Street which will be extended through
to Gold Street and covered by a bridge
| with so foot span.
At Hammond it is probable that
there viii be two bridges instead of
three as at present planned The Me-
York. New Haven bridges will be con-
solidated in one, and the tracks of the
Boston & Albany will go over the
whole on an elevated trestle. The
height of the proposed structure will
be in excess of the present bridge.
A steel bridge will be necessary over
Hammond Street to secure necessary
head room and the grade of the street
will. 1t is believed, be improved
At Gardner Street the city will con-
tend for a stone arch bridge. providing
for IA feet head room and what is be-