Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-03-14
ORDER SUBMISSION
Of NADUCI Plans
Railroad Commissioners Ask
the City to Prepare Detailed
Plans and Specifications
DECISION THEN TO BE GIVEN
DECISION THEN TO BE GIVEN
Plans Will Cost in the Neighborhood of
From $500 to ,ooo-counciI Will
Probably Act Monday at Adjourned
session-The Afternoon Meeting
LACK of Teams Around the Square"

While there will be no erect result as
the outcome of the meeting of the rail-
road commissioners here Friday, the
viaduct matter has been brought more
nearly to a focus, and it is thought will
yield returns in a few months. After
against the proposed viaduct, which oc-
lcupied all of the morning session and
continued until late in the afternoon,
the commissioners decided, before pass
ing upon the necessity CT the proposed
improvement, that the city furnish
them with detailed plans and specifica-
Itions covering the cost Of construction.
The railroads would then be given an
opportunity. to file additional argu-
ments or objections, TO which the city
might have chance to reply. The
commissioners thought this might
either be carried on by corresponds
ence, or they would if the council so
desired it again visit the city, and the
arguments could be made here. 1t is
VERY probable this latter plan will be
edopted, and it is thought that the city
council will authorize the preparing of
the plans at the adjourned meeting on
Monday night.
After Colonel ]. NJ. Parker. who
Ionened the arguments at the beginning
of the afternoon session, had concluded,
Assistant General Manager r. II. Ash
ton, Of the Northwestern. spoke for a
short time. He said the company had
been watching Marshalltown and it's
growth for the past fifteen years, and
lie was unable to see the necessity of
yiaduct over the lines near the depot.
He went on to state that he visited the
town quite frequently, and so far as
he was able to judge he was of the
opinion that fewer farmers We're COM
ing to this city in vehicles now than
there We're fifteen years ago. He based
his Judgment, he said. ION the absence
of wagons tied around the city square.
If. he stated, the proposed viaduct was
intended largely for the use of residents
of the rural districts, he failed to see as
great a necessity now as several years
ago
-.
Erdall, Of the Great Western, spoke
very briefly, saying that he was not at
all familiar with the situation, and Wis
tied the city to get at the facts in the
case. He suggested, however, that if
the yiaduct was to be used, and was
intended largely for the use of farmers,
he thought an overhead bridge at the
Third street crossing would answer the
1T ~ ~
comparatively light for the railroad
companies, and he thought 1T would
answer the purpose, as the route was
but a few blocks farther from the BUSH
ness circles.
Mr.. j. l.. Carney advocated delay Of
decision in the matter until both the
city and railroad companies should
have additional time to more thorough
ly investigate the matter and ascertain
more nearly as to the exact cost.
Says Estimate Is Too Low.
City Engineer William Bremner ex-
planned how the estimate had been ar
rived at. and stated that the figures
obtained from local concern had been
based on such a structure as is ordi-
narily used on a highway. He stated
the figures given Were $40 per running
foot, or about 100000 for the Center
street viaduct. He also said that at the
time the estimates We're obtained the
firm from which they were secured was
willing to take the contract at that
price.
Chief Engineer II. G. Kelley, OF the
Iowa Central. followed Mr.. Bremner,
and explained at some length that in
N a of ha ~
ter street structure and the fact that it
might at some future date be used by
railway traffic, the compa-
MES could not afford to construct any
thing short of what was used over
for their heaviest engines. He
thought, so far as he was able to Judge
that the price of $40 per running foot
was for temporary structure, and not
such one as the companies would be
justified in erecting. He went into
some details in his remarks, and was of
the opinion that the completed cost
would pe more nearly double this
amount than otherwise. He referred to
d portion of the ground where his COM
pany had twelve tracks wing so closely
together that supporting posts could
not be placed between them without
greatly endangering thu lives of both
employees and passengers. The cost of
this span alone, he said, would be fully
half of the proposed estimate. He ia
vored postponement ard serious con-
sideration by the city, and they should
prepare plans setting forth the exact
cost OF such structure.
Van Law Hits Hard.
City Solicitor Van Law made the
closing argument and aimed some very
pointed remarks at the Iowa Central.
on the suggestion thrown out by Mr..
Sewers that the city might suffer by
pushing his matter too hard. He
went on TO say that all the council de-