The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-22
Great viaducts for Kentucky Avenue
and the Alley East Of Me-
ridian street.
LETTER FROM JAMES MCREA
1T APPROVES SUGGESTION OF A COM
MISSION OF SEVEN.
Mayor Bookwalter VIII Make Ap-
pOintments This Week--Pians Out
lined i'm Detail.

H
The settlement of the grade-crossing ques-
ton in Indianapolis which appears immi-
nent promises to be an enterprise of more
magnitude than at first supposed. IL In
wolves the expansion of the Union Station
at cost of s1.OOo.0O0 or more the rearrange-
ment of the terminal facilities in more COM
modious quarters. the elevation OF all
tracks east of East street. the construc-
ton of great viaducts at Kentucky avenue
and in the alley east of Meridian street
and other features deemed beneficial to the
whole public. While there is no official
statement of the plans of the city officials
and the counter plans of the railroads
enough is known to show that the settle
ment plans will. IL adopted, make a great
change in the city's present condition.
The return of Mayor Bookwalter from
New York will revive activity on the part
of the city officials in the settlement of the
grade-crossing question. Mr.. Bookwalter
and his wife reached home last night. The
first thing the mayor did was to contradict
reports, alleged to have been sent by tele-
graph from New York to an evening paper,
that ne had held conference with George
r. Sheldon. of the ]. Pierpont Morgan
house, that he had called at Morgan's
Office and later had held the conference
with Mr.. Sheldon at the Waldorf-Astoria.
This is interesting and true" said the
mayor, except for the fact that was no
nearer Mr.. Morgan's Office than Broadway
and. Washington avenue, which is a mile
or a mile and a half away, except~thn. /
did not see Mr.. Sheldon nor any one else
from Morgan & Co.. that was not at the
Waldorf-Astoria, that / did not talk ele-
waited tracks or grade crossings with any
one or my trip, that 1 was in neither Phil
adelphia nor Baltimore, as reported, and,
last of all, that L have no pet viaduct
scheme nor any other scheme TO seek con-
ferences about" The mayor added that
about the only thing in these dispatches
that could not be successfully contro-
verted was the date line.
GRADE CROSSING COMMISSION.
The mayor said last night that he would
in all probability announce the members
Of his grade crossing commission of seven
on Thursday or Friday. He will leave the
city tonight to attend the funeral OF
Charles F. Griffin, of Hammond. Ind. who
was close personal friend, and will make
no announcement until his return.
The answer of James McCrea, president
Of the Union Railway Company, to the
letter Mayor Bookwalter sent him two
weeks ago. is in the mayors hands. The
answer, while not given out, Is known
to approve the mayors suggestion that the
commission be made up of seven instead OF
five, as proposed by Mr. McCrea In his
letter to the mayor of Oct. g. This
is tantamount to an acceptance OF the city's
proposal TO arbitrate the grade crossing
question before a tribunal of seven busi-
ness men.
The mayor has made no intimation as
to who will compose this commission. From
expressions already made by him IL will
be composed of disinterested men who are
qualified in all respects TO reasonably de-
termine the points Of difference. Neither
would the mayor indicate what plan the
city would urge before the commission
A railroad official who is closely identi-
fed with the settlement of the question
says that the city and the railroads are not
widely apart In the general scheme Of re-
lief. The city, 1t Is understood, viii ask
these things:
The elevation of all tracks east of East
street.
The elevation of the j., NJ. e. I tracks
through the south.
The complete abandonment OF the Big
Four track for passenger traffic running
northwest through the city.
The construction of a viaduct at Ken
lucky avenue and the Union tracks.
The treatment Of other grade crossings
towers may be deemed most desirable.
WHAT RAILROADS WANT.
The railroads are expected to ask these
things:
The closing of Meridian street from the
south line of Louisiana street to the south
line of the Union Railway Company's right
of way and perhaps to South street.
The construction of a subway at Capitol
avenue and the extension Of the Union
Station across that street.
These are the general propositions.
The city In it's request for the elevation
of all tracks east Of East street is regarded
as Offering a simple engineering problem
TO the roads. An estimated elevation of
six TO eight feet and depression of six
feet to eight feet is regarded as practicable
AT Washington street this scheme would
admit of the carrying of both roadway and
sidewalks under the elevated tracks without
any damage TO property, because the pres
,ent buildings are old and without much
value North OF Washington street the
elevation and depression plan meets with
no problem until Massachusetts avenue Is
reached Th.re the problem Is not great.
The railroad companies now maintain their
scheme of elevation, IL any damage TO con-
tiguous property was done. IL would affect
only the railroads. which own all the con-
tiguous property. The subway to be con-
sfructed there would answer for Massa-
chusetts avenue. Maiott avenue and East
Tenth street. IL would also enable the Big
Four TO construct a level track 10 Bright-
wood The present track is a steep up
grade North of Massachusetts, avenue the
tracks of the Lake Erie and the Monon are
above grade of intersecting streets from
three 10 five feet, so that elevation there
would not be attended with much change.
THE plan Is TO give fourteen feet head room
under the tracks. which Is deemed ample.
Except at MASSACHUSETTS, svenue the eleva-
ton problem through the northeast meets
with no serious engineering problem
The elevation OF the j.. NJ. a. l. track in
much the same problem as the northeast.
as most OF IL is now high above the grade
of intersecting streets.
The abandonment OF the Big Four tracks
through the northwest. while IL has been
contemplated by the Big Four. has not
been finally decided on. TIE company is
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