The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-19
PLANS FOR A TUNNEL
GRADES CROSSINGS WILL BE DIS
CUSSED TODAY.
PRESIDENT ERWIN HERE.
CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD AT
THE CITY EXCHANGE.

Atlantic Coast Line, savannah Elec-
trio Company and City VIII Come
to Some Understanding on subject
of Grade COMMUNICATIONS viii BE
Suggested for the TunneIing of
Gwinnett Street-DrainaEe Prob
lem VIII he Discussed and Engin-
GERS VIII Give Their Opinions.
At the City Exchange to-day some
thing definite win be done towards
the abolishing of the grade crossing at
Gwinnett street.
President Erwin of the Atlantic
Coast Line reached the city last night
from Richmond, President Baldwin Of
the Savannah Electric Company has
notified Mayor Myers that he will be
present at the appointed hour. and the
members of the Grade Crossing Com
lnittee of City Council have also been
notified.
After many agitations on the sub
ject. and innumerable postponements,
it appears that some conclusion will be
reached. The old plan, which con-
templated a deck girder, Will hardly
be considered 1t appears impracti-
cable 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 the director of public works is of
the opinion that it will be found nee
essary to have a pumping plan, to be
nut in operation under certain cir
cumstanes.
Seventeen Foot Tunnel.
The street will be seventeen or eight
cen feet under the tracks of the At
lantic Coast Line. This scale contem-
plates a drop of three inches for each
hundred feet from the crossing to the
Bilbo canal. at low water a distance
of about LOCO feet. Even with this
drop there is a strong chance Of the
water in the canal overlooking its
banks at high water during an excess
siVe rainfall. At such times it would
be necessary to resort to pump and
it may be found necessary to elevate
the tracks of the railroad company a
little. 1t has been argued that if the
railroad tracks were elevated about
two feet, all differences would be over
come.
Besides abolishing the two most dan
gerous grade crossings in the city, for
the Bolton street tracks of the street
railway company will have to come up,
the construction of the tunnel would
mean the identifying of one of the
longest unbroken streets in savannah.
The entire width of the street will be
used, and the street railway company
will be allowed to run double tracks
dnNVn the street.
AS payment for this consideration the
Savannah Electric Company will have
TO agree to take up its tracks on Boil
ton street. The tracks on this street
between Abercorn and Habersham are
about an inch higher than the street.
and have all along been an obstruction
and an objection. The street railway
company may be permitted to put down
tracks on Gwinnett street from Aber-
corn to Habersham.
Must Consider Future.
President Baldwin of the street rail-
way company has said in discussing
the subject that some thought should
be given to the future, and Mayor My
ers feels the same way on the sub
iect. I'm reaching a conclusion" said
Mr.. Baldwin, 1--WE must look into the
future and take into consideration the
fact that there are more streets yet
for the city to open. 1t is matter
that requires a great deal of study.
We should go into the matter care
fully and with thought of the future.
1t is not, and never has BEEN the pur-
pose of the Savannah Electric Com
pauy to delay negotiations. The en-
gineers have been working hard in an
effort to devise some feasible plan for
tunneling Gwinnett street.
"Gwinnett street should not be con-
sidered alone, however 1t should be
remembered that there are quite a
number of streets that cross the rail-
road, and that will have to be taken
up by the city sooner or later When
a plan is finally agreed upon it should
be with some thought of what the flu
ture is to bring. A glance at the city's
map will show that the growth is
southwark and eastward and that it
must continue in these directions. This
means that eventually the railroads
will run through the center of the city.
! think that mistake was made in
the abandonment of the old Belt line
bridge on Habersham street. AS the
city is growing 1t will only be a matter
of time when the street railway will
have to cross the railroad tracks where
this bridge was once located"