The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-02
General Demand for Gates at
 Grade Crossings
AGE-HERALD IS ENDORSED
Aldermen Approve Its Efforts to ob- tain Protection to Life and Limb at Grade crosslngs-some
 Want Bridges.

The question of grade crossings IS still an interesting topic on the streets and the public seems to be aroused to the dangers of the situation and the neces- sity for prompt action. Several mem bers of the board of aldermen who were seen yesterday expressed themselves as being in favor of the city taking steps to have gates installed at grade cross- ings, Alderman Ileidt going so far as to say that he endeavored to keep the members of his family from riding on the Twentieth street cars, so dangerous did he consider the Twentieth street crossing.
 Following are some of the expressions heard yesterday:
 Alderman c. c. Heidt T have felt for some time that the dangers at these grade crossings was so great that l have tried to keep the members of my family off of the Twentieth street cars and have urged them to use the Highland avenue cars, which cross the Twenty-second street bridge. These grade crossings are extremely dangerous ,and am in favor of having something done at once. The Age-Herald is right in this matter. I feel that we aldermen have neglected our duty. Something ought to be done and done at once to protect the people. There are so few men at the Twentieth street crossing to protect the lives of our citizens and the great number of strang- CTS that visit the city that everyone must see the necessity of doing some thing at once"
 Grade Crossings Dangerous.
 Alderman W. R. Gum: "Ahere is no question but that grade crossings in city like Birmingham are very danger ous Something ought to be done, and gates are probably a good idea. l would like to see bridges over more of these crossings, but unfortunately we haven't got them. At the present time I thin-i that gates are the best solution"
 Alderman A. Stockmar: "I think that gates would work satisfactorily on nar- row streets but at a crossing like Twen- tieth street I do not think they are the proper remedy. The only way it seems | to me to lessen the dangers at this cross- ing would be to stop the shifting of l freight trains at this point and allow
 none to cross except through freight
 trains and passenger trains" | Alderman J. F. Graham: Grade cross ings are of course dangerous, and on all narrow streets gates would work satis- | factorily. On broad crossings like that at Twentieth street, I do/ not think gates
 would be the proper thing
 Alderman J. R. Copeland: ''These grade crossings are undoubtedly very dangerous and I think something ought to be done"
 Approves Aee-HeraId's Position. Alderman D. R. Copeland: T heartily approve of the position and course of The Age-Herald in this matter of grade crossings. We are getting to be a big city and it is absolutely necessary that the people have some protection from such dangers. They have gates in little one-horse towns and I don't see why we can't have them here. Not only are grade crossings dangerous when trains arc hauled across. but they are especially so when cars are kicked across the street as at Eighteenth. street near Powell ave- nue. This is against the city ordinance but it Is done constantly.
 At twentieth street think there ought to be bridges for foot passengers. and drays and wagons should be required to go over the Twenty-first street bridge and street cars over the Twenty-second street bridge" John W. O'Neil: I am heartily in favor and have been for years past of having all the railroad crossings in the city pro- tected by gates. I had a horse and wagon torn to pieces and a driver injured by the railroads not having gates at the Sixth avenue crossing.
 J. D. Collins: think our city is of suf- f1cient importance to have gates at the crossings, as is done in other cities. Vladuct Needed. J. H. Estes: I think we should have gates at all the smaller crossings, but viaduct or sub-roadway should be placed