The Savannah morning news., 1903-08-07
THE GRADE CROSSING DANGER.

THE CIR AIDE CROSSING DANGER.
1t is difficult TO understand why It
is that the City Council is so slow in
dealing with the grade crossing dan
ger. Only a few days ago, at the cross
ing at the Seaboard Air Lines tracks,
on the Augusta road. there was
terrible accident, in which two people
We're killed and a number injured.
What happened at that crossing is like
! ly to happen at the crossings at Boil
/ ton, Gwinnett and Bull streets at any
! time. Indeed, the danger is greater
/ at the crossings on these streets than
/ at the one on the Augusta road for
/ the reason that the travel is very much
/ heavier
! On Wednesday, at the meeting Of the
| Council. a resolution offered by Alder
man Grayson and supported by AL
| derman Garfunkel, providing for I'M
mediate action in respect to grade
| crossings, was promptly sent to the
| Committee Of the Whole. Does this
mean that nothing is to be done in
respect to this highly important mat
ter? Is it the purpose of the Council
to pursue the do-nothing policy which
has characterized it's action so long
relative to this grade crossing matter?
1t certainly seems so. If there should
be an accident at either Bolton, Gwin-
| nett or Bull street, killing and injur-
ing a large number of people, one Of
| these days, and such an accident is
not improbable, Aldermen Grayson
| and Garfunkel could feel that no part
| of the responsibility for the accident
rested upon them. But what about the
other aldermen who took part in We'd
nesdays meeting and who voted to
postpone action? Could they feel they
had done their duty? Would they not
feel that they were to blame for fill
ing homes of citizens with mourning
and the hospitals with badly injured
| people.
We will not undertake to say how
long it is since the agitation for the
removal of these grade crossings was
begun, but it has been years. The
| Council and the railroad authorities
have conferred about the matter and
plans for remedying the evil have been
| discussed, but for some reason or other
nothing has been done. What is the
cause Of the delay? Surely there is
no Improvement that has been so per-
sistently demanded and none that
would be so heartily welcomed.
A subway could very easily be con-
structed under the Atlantic Coast Lines
right-of- way at Bolton street and also
| at Gwinnett street. or a double track
subway could be constructed under
| Gwinnett street. thus obviating the
| necessity of a track under Bolton
street. A correspondent in yesterdays
Morning News suggests that the street
| car route to Thunderbolt could be
changed. making it go by way of Lib
erty and Wheaton streets, thus avoid
ing the Atlantic Coast Lines tracks.
This, as pointed out in the communi-
cation, could be done without lessen
ing in the slightest degree the accomN
mediation provided by the street car
system in getting from one part of the
| city to another.
| 1t is evident to every well-wisher of
| the city that something ought to be
! done about grade crossings at once.
| The matter has hung fire. as it were,
| long enough. The councilmen are the
| representatives of the city and the
people look to them to provide protec-
ton for life on the street cars. In
neglecting to do this they are incur
ring a fearful responsibility.