The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-04
were forty governors and that twenty-one
were present. Mr.. Sahm said the number
included the presiding officer.


included the presiding officer.
COMMISSIONS ATTITUDE.
After the meeting Chairman Bennett, of
the mayors commission, said he did not
know that the commission cared to scru-
tinize the technical authority of the COM
mittees. but would rather consider the facts
and arguments presented. Other members
of the commission thought the commission
should not divert its work to investigate
such questions, but it was suggested that,
il the organizations cared to. they could
vote on the question. This, however, would
as ii is seeking facts rather than numer-
ical strength of opposing sides.
Mr.. Gordon. in his address, made the
point that Indianapolis 5obbers could ship
freight to Bloomington, H.. quicker than
Chicago jobbers could This was because
the switching and the hauling distances
asked II the solution of the Indianapolis
Embarrassing problem by elevation would
injure this facility. MIR. Gordon said it
would If the freight tracks were elevated.
because ii would, as he had been informed
by Mr.. Mansfield, of the Pennsylvania
Company, cause an increase in freight
rates of from to cents a ton.
Mr.. Gordon said he had particularly no
tced the Meridian-street crossing because
OF the estimated annual economic loss be-
cause of delays by passing trains reported
deaths at this crossing in the thirty years
he had been a shipper In Indianapolis
Many other deaths, he said, which were
charged to grade crossings occurred when
the victims were on the private right of
way of the roads, between crossings. He
said he had asked why the railroads did
not fence in their rights of way, but had
been told the city authorities would not
permit it.
SOUTH SIDE WOULD CONDEMN.
He declared the people OF the South Side
would emphatically condemn elevation If
they could see the retaining walls built up
seventeen or eighteen feet and filled in with
earth. except at street crossings. Besides
he had the word of Mr.. Mansfield that the
cost nearer twenty millions than the two
millions estimated by the Commercial
Clubs commission.
He laid particular emphasis his oppo-
sition to disturbance OF the freight house
district This he said had been the heart
OF the business life of the city. The rail-
roads were here before the industries and
to them the development and growth and
wealth Of the city was heavy debtor. To
disturb them meant to send the freight sta
lions away from the heart of the city, now
the big advantage to Indianapolis jobbers.
increase freight rates and impair the de-
progress. He said depression of the tracks
was hardly worth consideration in view of
the imperfect drainage and the impeachment
of Pogues run, but he thought safety
gates, well cared for, as ex-Mayor Tag
CART had recently told him. watched by
men who had not been ruined in the rail-
road service" and viaducts, and where pos
sible, tunnels, was a more satisfactory So
luton of the question.
Chairman Bennett asked Mr.. Gordon If he
thought the suggested closing of Meridian
street and the construction of a viaduct
in the alley east of Meridian street would
hurt the wholesale district. Mr.. Gordon
said he did not think it would affect it at
all.
Mr. Hawkins said the use of safety gates
as now provided was not exactly what was
contemplated in the Board of Trades con-
illusions. The board meant automatic safety
gates operated night as well as day by a
tower Waterman. DIR. jameson, of the COM
mission, asked if the boards committee had
considered the circumstances of obstruction
to travel at crossings, but Mr.. Hawkins
said he regarded this as an unimportan'
factor in the question.
The commission heard a plea from w
p. Manion, n South Side real estate man.
| for elevated tracks. The commission will
meet again Thursday when the South Side
Improvement Club will be heard.