The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1902-04-03
RAILROAD CROSSINGS
]. A. MoIter Tells the People What He
Thinks About Them.


encouraging to know that the people
of Plymouth are beginning to realize
that it was a great mistake in the
past to permit the railroads running
through our city, to raise and elevate
their tracks at street intersections
above the grade of improved streets,
and to allow the present unfightly
and dangerous grade crossings to be
made.
1t is still more gratifying to note
that a large number of the most
prominent business men and property
owners of the city are aroused to the
serious danger that confronts the city
on account of the proposed further
elevation of railroad tracks at street
intersections in the city and further
elevation of grade crossings.
All this was shown by the large
petition of citizens and property
owners that was presented to the COM
mon council on Monday evening at the
special session of the council called by
Mayor Jones to consider the subject.
The petition and the discussion had
thereon by some of the petitioners,
the members of the council and the
city attorney, served TO bring out
clearly some facts and points that it
will be well for every citizen of Plym-
outh to consider carefully within the
next few days and before it is too
late.
These points and facts are as fol-
lows:
l. That many of the grade cross
ingS in the city are now above the
grade of the improved streets at rail-
road crossings, and that some of them
were placed there when the railroads
were first constructed. while others
have been raised from time to time by
the railroad companies above establish
ed grades. without lawful right so to
do.
p That on one occasion the Van
dalia railroad ~ December, 1896.
actually raised its tracks across Caro-
street one foot, without right or per-
mission SO to do, and that this work
was done in the night or early morning
and completed before Mayor Swindell
had any knowledge of what was beiug
done and before he could take any
steps to prevent it.
3. That several public streets of
the city have been and are being now
absolutely closed and INSTRUCTED by
railroad companies and the public
excluded from travelling thereon across
such railroads, and that all this has
been done without the shadow of right
on the part of the railroad companies.
A. That the railroad companies,
operating the roads through The city
are now contemplating further en-
croachments on private rights and
public interests by raising their tracks
still higher above the grade of i'm
proved streets and by further elevat-
ing the street crossings at such points,
and that the same will still further
mar and destroy the use, safety, con-
venience and appearance of said
streets.
5. That the power of the common
council is ample and sufficient, not
only to prevent further elevation Of
grade crossings, but to compel all
railroads to lower their crossings to
the grade of improved streets.
g. That if the city does not make
and enforce rules and regulations to
prevent these injuries and encroach-
ments and does not require the rail-
roads to make their crossings to con-
form to the grade of streets, it is the
fault of the members of the common
council and of public officials and not
the fault of weakness of the law.
I. That in view of the past, the
only safe thing for the people is to see
that every candidate for nomination
or election to the office of councilman
or mayor shall pledge himself to OPP
pose further track elevation at grade
crossing and to favor the lowering of
crossings and the building of subways
where the same are necessary.
Plymouth, Ind, April 2, 1902.
j. A. MOLTER.