The Savannah morning news., 1903-08-07
ALL FAVOR A FIGHT
ALDERMEN SAY THEY ARE oP-
POSED TO GRADE CROSSINGS.
AID. GRAYSoNS AGITATION
MAY STIR COUNCIL INTO ACTION
AFTER MANY DELAYS.

Acting Mayor Dixon Says Crossings
Are Dangerous and should BE
AboIished-He Drew Plan for the
TunneIing of GvVinnett street and
Gave II to COast Line Officials.
Nothing Has Happened, However,
Since President Erwin's Confer"
ence in Mny-AIderman GraysOn
VIII Not Let Question Sleep Any
Longer.
Grade crossings are dangerous and
should be abolished.
Members of Council who voted to
refer Alderman Grayson's petition con-
demning grade crossings to the Com
mittee of the Whole were frank to
state yesterday that they are in favor
of abolishing crossings wherever it is
practicable.
The aldermen who voted down AL
dermen Grayson and Garfunkel say
that they are perfectly willing to go
on record as opposed to grade cross
ings. Their objection, they said, was
to Alderman Grayson's preamble. AL
though, without exception, those seen
expressed themselves as being in IA
vor of doing away with the crossings
no plans were suggested whereby this
can be brought about. Something will
be done, however, and done shortly
too. From time to time, for several
years, the question has been agitated,
but Alderman Grayson intends to keep
the agitation alive and force action on
the matter.
Acting Mayors Idea.
Acting Mayor James NJ. Dixon says
that grade crossings are dangerous,
and should be abolished. quite a
while ago l submitted a plan for the
tunneling of Gwinnett street" said
Mr.. Dixon, and this plan was turn
ed over to the Atlantic Coast Line Of
fcials. Nothing has ever been done,
however. Engineers have been figur-
ing on the work, and it has been es-
timated that it would cost in the neigh
borhood of $4,000 to tunnel Gwinnett
street. President Erwin met the COM
mittee from Council on May II and
seemed reasonable enough, but moth
ing has been done since then. We eX-
pect to meet him again shortly"
The Acting Mayor has only consid-
cred Gwinnett street for the reason
that he regards it the most dangerous
of all the grade crossings. If this
street were tunneled the tracks of the
Savannah Electric Company on Boil
ton street could be abandoned, and
double tracks could be laid on Gwin-
nett. The real problem comes in de-
vising a scheme for proper drainage.
The street will be seventeen or eighteen
feet under the Atlantic Coast Line
tracks The scale contemplates a drop
of three inches for each hundred feet
from the crossing to Bilbo canal, at
low water. a distance of about 1000
feet.
What Complexities Scheme.
Even with this drop there is a chance,
it is figured out, of the water in the
canal overlooking it's banks at high
water. 1t is claimed that the engin-
eering part of the scheme to put the
street under the railroad tracks is real
ly what is eomplicating matters at this
time, and that nothing can be done
until the problem has been properly
| solved. In all likelihood it win be
| found necessary to elevate the rail-
road tracks. 1t is figured that if the
railroad tracks are elevated about two
feet all differences will be overcome.
In May when the city authorities had
conference with President Erwin the
desire was expressed to have the Gwin-
nett street crossing abolished and Wald-
| burg, Thirty-seventh, Thirty-ninth,
| Price, Habersham. Lincoln and Dray-
ton streets opened across the company's
| right-of-way.
| Mr.. Erwin took the matter under adj
Visement and, although an answer was
| promised in a very short while no ac-
| ton has ever been taken. President
Erwin has stated that he cannot un-
| derstand why other streets should be
! opened across the company's tracks
when the dangers of grade crossings
are pointed out daily. He has so stated
in letter addressed to Mayor Myers
Will Open Streets.
The streets that have not been Open
ed across the tracks are Waldburg.
| Duffy, Thirty-first. Thirty-second
| Thirty-third,, Thirty-fourth. Thirty
| fifth, Thirty-sixth and the streets run
| ming north and south that have al
ready been mentioned President
Erwin contends that the opening of
| these streets, or any of them, will
simply mean a larger number of grade
| crossings, something that the city is
supposed to be fighting against
Street opening, however is certain
| to continue into Collnsville and pos
| sibly with more grade crossings, even
| though there are not any street rail-
way tracks on them, the ordinance
! providing that no train shall go faster
| than eight miles an hOur in the citv