The Savannah morning news., 1903-08-23
UP TO ENGINEERS
THEY MUST FIGURE OUT TUNNEL
ING OF GwINNETT STREET.
GRADE CROSSING GOES,
BUT MATTER OF DRAINAGE is
TROUBLESOME PROBLEM.

Highly Probable That Something
VIII BE Done Before Next Session
of COuncil-OId Plan for Deck
Girder Will Have to BE Abolished.
TunneIing of Atlantic Coast Line
Tracks Means Expenditure of
About S5O,OOO-Street Will BE
About II Feet Below the Railroad
Trncks-FinaI Conference VIII BE
Held Very Shortly.
1t is probable that something
will be done this week in the grade
crossing agitation and that before the
next meeting of Council there will be
a conference between President Erwin
of the Atlantic Coast Line, President
Baldwin of the Savannah Electric
Company and the committee Of five
aldermen.
Answers will be received this week
from President Erwin and President
Baldwin. 1t appears that something
definite will be done very shortly now,
looking towards the building of tun-
mel under the railroad tracks at Gwin-
nett street, thus abolishing a danger
Gus grade crossing. This will most
likely mean the taking up of the tracks
of the Savannah Electric Company on
Bolton street. east of Abercorn, and
the double tracking of Gwinnett street.
1t has been figured that it will re-
quite an expenditure of about $4,000
to bring about the abolishing of the
Gwinnett street crossing. From an
engineering standpoint the matter of
tunneling the railroad crossing is quite
a problem, and no feasible plan has yet
been agreed upon, although the ques-
ton has been studied carefully by rep
resentatives of the railroad company,
the street railway company, and the
city government. The action of City
Council at its last meeting, however,
means that the matter will be brought
to. a head in a very short while.
Where Difficulty Arises.
The old plan, which contemplated
deck girder, will have to be abolished.
1t appears that it will be impracticable
to use any but what is known among
engineers as a through girder. The
real problem comes in devising a
scheme for proper drainage and with
nah Electric Company would be so far
underground that it would be neces-
sary to keep a pumping plant in oper-
alton. The street will be seventeen or
eighteen feet under the Atlantic Coast
Line tracks. This scale contemplates
a drop of three inches for each hun
dred feet from the crossing to the Bill
DO canal, at low water, distance OF
about 1000 feet.
Even with this drop there is a chance,
it is figured, of the water in the canal
overlooking it's banks at high water.
The engineering part of the scheme to
put the street under the railroad tracks
is really what has complicated and de-
layed matters so long. In all likeli-
hood it will be found necessary to ele-
vate the tracks of the railroad com
pany. 1t is figured that if the railroad
tracks were elevated about two feet
all differences could be overcome.
What Change Would Bring.
Besides abolishing the two most dam
gerous grade crossings in the city, for
the Bolton street tracks of the street
railway company would not be used.
the construction of the tunnel will mean
the Identifying of the longest unbroken
east and west street in the city.
The entire width of the street will be
used, and the street railway company
will be allowed to run double tracks
where they are not now down on the
street. AS payment for this considera-
ton the company will have to agree to
take up it's tracks on Bolton street,
certainly from Abercorn street to Hab-
erSham.
The tracks between these streets are
about an inch higher than the street
and have all along been an obstruction
and an objection. 1t may be that the
tracks from East Broad street to the
Baseball Park will not have to come
up. These questions, however, will be
decided after a plan for building the
tunnel has been adopted.