The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-01
A BAD CROSSING.
County Commissioners
Should Remedy 1t.
Contract Was Made Between the
County and the Seaboard Air Line
to Remove the LincoInton Road
in 1903.


few days ago several persons narrowly
ayerted a fatal accident at the Sea-
board Air Line and Louisburg county
road crossing, about a miles and halt
northeast of Raleigh, near Crabtree
| Creek. This was only one of an in
Vulnerable succession of accidents al
that point where death has been the
companion of scores of people, and
seemed to be defeated in his grim
i purpose only by mere accident, and at
other times by ii troublesome precau-
ton that wastes considerable time,
that of leaving horse and wagon, OF
| buggy, and walking out over the track
! to watch and listen to ascertain If a
train is coming. Not long ago a
farmer driving into the city was cross
ing at this place. when his wagon was
jolted by the tracks and bale of cot
ton fell across them. He had barely,
| with almost superhuman energy,
pushed the huge bag off the track
| when a passenger train dashed by.
| There is a deep cut just at this place,
which makes it impossible for persons
either coming to or going away from
| the city in vehicles to see if train
is approaching from the north. and
| only by good luck, fortune, or destiny
no one has as yet been hurt; but rail-
inevitable sooner or later. yes a series
! of them and it would be far better, Il
| gentleman said yesterday, If the
county and the railway remove this
road from so dangerous a place, than
to be compelled by legal proceedings
to pay heavy damage claims.
Mr.. Len II. Adams chairman of the
Board of County Commissioners, was
seen yesterday and asked if he knew
of the contract, existing since 1908,
| between the county and the Seaboard
! Air Line Railway relative to this cross
| ing and the one at Pilot Cotton Mills,
the extended Halifax street. Mr..
! Adams replied that he had heard or
| it, but had never read it, and was not
| cogniZant of its provisions. When in
| formed by the reporter he said that
| il would be impossible for the county
SUPERINTENDENT of Roads to do this
| work in several months, and 1T was
| very probable that the work could not
| be done this year. The Superlnten-
dent is constructing roads throughout
the county. and he has been given sew
| eral months work to do.
The contract was agreed upon by
the county and railway company about
| four months after the complaint
against the railroad was filed with the
! State Corporation Commission by the
! county The answers were filed, the
| hearing completed and the decision
| was about ready to be announced,
when the proceedings before the
commission were stopped by the
agreement reached by the two parties
The Contract
For the information of the Board
| of County Commissioners and those
| who are demanding that this road Cone
| of the most popular driveways in the
| ~ Of hi n n N o =
( feature, the contract between the
county and the railway is published III
| full.
1t is as follows:
| North Carolina Wake county:
This agreement, made this Deem
Der, 3rd, 1904, by and between th2
Board of Commissioners of Wakt
county. party of the first part ana
the Seaboard Air Line Railway, par
| ties OF the second part,
| "Witnesseth:
| THAT whereas. petition has been
made before the North Carolina Cor
poration Commission by the parties of
| the first part for raising or lower
| ing of the crossing of the Louisburg
road and the lines of the parties of
| the second part
and whereas, it is the desire of the
| parties Of the first and second parts
! that the matter in dispute between
| them shall be amicably settled with
out further proceedings before said
commission.
'1t is therefore. in consideration of
| the mutual agreements herein con-
| tanned agreed, that the party of the
first part shall have the. right to tun-
/ mel under the roadbed of the Seaboard
| Air Line Railway at a point between
| the present Louisburg railroad cross
/ ing and Pigeon House branch for the
purpose of making an under track
| crossing of said road That the party
| of the first part is to furnish such
! labor as may be necessary for max
f, ing the excavation in said railroad bed
| and for building the protecting walls
and bridge over the county road. That
said Seaboard Air Line Railway is to
| furnish all material for making the
| said retaining walls and bridge and
| for any other structure that it may
| be necessary to erect. 1t is under
stood and agreed that the party of the
| first part shall not be compelled TO
| furnish any expert workmen or LABOR
| ers other than such as they have con-
fined In the work house of the county
| or at work upon the roads of said
| county All work that 1t may be ne
cessary to do in tunnelling the road
| bed Of said railroad shall be done
under the supervision and direction or
said railroad ana at It's FISK. II II
! further agreed that the said party OF
| the first part shall bear all the eX-
penses OF changing the highway from
| its present location, including the pur-
chase of the right-of-way. grading and
matchmaking such portion or the
road as it will be necessary to change.
1t is also agreed that the party of the
| first part will permanently abandon
| the present crossing of the Seaboard
Air Line Railway at Pilot Mills on
Halifax street extended, and take sucn
action as may be necessary to legally
accomplish this result. The said party
of the first part shall pay all the ex-
penses of such abandonment and If
extending the highway from Pilot
Mills crossing to and under Peace
street. the right to which crossing the
said Seaboard Air Line Railway here
by gives, and then the party Of the
| first part consents and agrees that the
| Sesboard Air Line Railway shall have
the right to close forever said Pilot
Mills crossing. That If an iron bridge
/ is to be erected. the party OF the first
part has no mechanics or persons
| competent to do such work, and the
parties of the second part are to furn-
ish at their own expense sufficient
| to nil nj