New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-01
GRADE CROSSING TIE-UP.
Railroad Commission P0yoerIess to
RemOUe Danger at Fan CortIandt.

The GRADE crossing of the Putnam Division
Of the New-York Central Railroad in Van Cort-
landt Park has been pronounced most dan
gerous by the State Railroad Commissions ex-
pert, Charles r Barnes. He examined the
crossing after the Noakes automobile accident in
which Frank B. Read was killed and Miss
Noakes so badly injured that of her legs was
amputated.
In his report Ms,,s8arnes. who is in charge of
the local Office, dWells strongly on the constant
danger to the public from an unprotected cross
ing at such point. and recommends an over
head crossing. He calls attention 70 the fact
that the railroad proposed TO the city year
or more ago TO eliminate the crossing, but that
the company's offer did not meet with favor
by the city authorities. The report has not yet
been made public as the board busy with hear
iEgs in other parts of the State, has been un-
able to it. The purport however. was
given yesterday by Commissioner Frank NJ.
Baker.
He thought the board would accept the
port and pronounce the crossing dangerous but
said there would be no chance for its elimina-
ton for a year more. This shows most
strikingly the way the hands of the railway
commissioners were tied when Governor Odeil
vetoed the grade crossing appropriation passed
by the last Legislature. The funds for one
quarter OF the cost of grade crossing improve
ment which falls the State are p, acticaliy
exhausted. and until there is neT appropria
ton there will be none available
SCommissione- Baker, Who came TO the city
from Buffalo. said:
II the matter Is not taken up at Albany next
week. we will consider ii at Elmira on July II.
l cannot, however, hold out any hope Of its i'm
mediate elimination. In the first place, neither
the. city nor the railroad company has asked
the board TO eliminate the crossing. and one OF
the other should take the initiative. That point
is not serious the question OF finances.
We have no money available for grade crossing
improvements TWO weeks ago there was only
SJ4 800 to run the commission until the legts
lature meets again. OF that amount $lO,oUD
has already been appropriated and there
hearings scheduled which will undoubtedly ab-
SOrb the remainder.
II would cost, according to a rough estimate.
$4,000 TO make this park crossing safe. OF this
amount the State pays one-quarter. the city one
quarter and the railroad company one-half
If the city and the railroad we're ready WITH
their three-fourths would still be unable TO
order the Improvement.
In vetoing the appropriation which the legis-
lature gave us the Governor seemed to think
that we could use the unexpended balance which
is in the State treasury. This balance comes
about in this way. The council of a town votes
that grade crossing be eliminated. and we pass
on it favoraby. Then we make an appropria-
tion to cover the States share Of the expense
In the mean time new council is elected IN the
town or city and the grade crossing improve
mont is voted down. our unexpended balance
wa h the State Treasurer is increased. but the
money is not available Iof any Improvements
other than the for which II was voted.
The appropriation which the Governor vetoed
provided for S225 900 which would have been
available at once and $500 900 available at the
end Of the fiscal year. The Railroad Commits
sion asked for more than half million for
grade crossing improvements.
This Van Cortlandt crossing is not the only
one within the limits Of New York that Is
dangerous ! could point out half dozen that
the board pronounced dangerous as long as TWO
or three years ago. but the city has done nothing
toward abolshing them. The authorities VIII
not take the steps to obtain the necessary land,
and until they do the commission can do moth
ing. a particular instance of this sort is the
Manhattan-ave. crossing in Brooklyn. / con
slider 1t one of the most dangerous crossings that
I have seen, and It is strange that the city
tolerates II. It would cost probably 100000 10
eliminate it, as the property damages would
be heavy. but in public dangers OF this sort the
money cost should not be considered.
"A year ago offered to abolish this partic-
ular crossing" said Ira A. Place general counsel
of the railroad company. yesterday. Plans
were prepared and submitted to the Park Com
missioner He said that the plans were salts
factory enough, but that the city had no money
for the purpose