The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-19
Offer to Build Viaduct or Sub
way Under Certain
Conditions
CITY TO MAINTAIN AP-
PROACH AND ROADWAY
Would Extend Along Twcnty-Eighth
Street and Either Cross Over or
Under Network of Railroad
Tracks at Phat Point

The railroads and others interested last
night formally submitted to the City
Council a proposition for constructing
either a viaduct or subway over the
tracks on Twenty-eighth street The pro-
pcsal asks, in view of the difficulty in
working out the details, that the city hold
up it's plans for paving Thirty-second
street and First avenue until some agree
ment can be reached.
The proposal was submitted in the form
of letter from Chairman L. Sewer and
was referred to the finance, streets and
judiciary committees. Mr.. Sewers letter
reads as follows:
Birmingham, Ala, May Is. 1910.
To the Honorable Mayor and City Coun-
cilmen of Birmingham, Ala.
Dear Srs: In pursuance with the un-
derstanding had with the city in reference
to the construction of viaducts or sub
ways along Twenty eighth street and
First avenue in the city of Birmingham.
there was held at Louisville on the l2th
inst. a meeting of the representatives OF
the executive departments of the Sloss-
Sheffield Steel and Iron company ana OF
the railroad companies interested, name
ly The Louisville and Nashville, South
ern railway, Alabama Great Southern,
Seaboard Air Line, and Birmingham Belt
railroad for the consideration sof this
matter
On account of the unavoidable absence
of Mr.. A. H. Ford, president of the Biz
mingham Railway. Light and Power. COM
pany, it was found to be impractica pie at
that time to consider the question of
viaduct or subway along First avenue.
Thereupon the consideration of a viaduct
or subway along Twenty-eighth street
was taken up and carefully considered at
that meeting, and we were authorized 10
submit to your honorable body the follow
ing proposition:
1'hat If an agreement can be reached,
providing for an equitable division be-
tween the several companies interested OF
the expense of constructing yiaduct or
subway at Twenty-eighth street, that ne
gotiations be entered into with the prop
er CITY authorities on the following basis:
In lieu of the paving of Thirty-second
street which would not afford an unin-
terrupted highway and would at all times
be dangerous to the public, the companies
interested, recognising the value to the
public of highway protected against IN
terruption hereby make the following
proposition:
/. The city authorities to decide whether
viaduct or subway shall be construct
tween Twenty-fourth and Forty-second
In the event subway is built the city
to assume the responsibility for the drain
age, in addition to the proportion OF ex-
pense recited below -.1'sl
g. The paving of Thirty-second street
to be abandoned and said street to remain
as railroad street for railroad pur-
poses only.
g. The city to give its consent and full
assistance in closing ali other streets be-
TWEEN Twenty-fourth and Forty-second
streets In return for subway or viaduct
at Twenty-eighth street
Fourth-The city to provide and main
tain, free OF cost to the railroads, the APP
proaches up to property line of the rail-
roads ON each side. including contributory
or abutting property damages.
s. The companies to provide and main
tain. free of cost to the city. the viaduct
or subway over or under the railroad
tracks between the property lines Of the
railroads, and to connect same with the
approaches constructed by the city.
e. The city to assume and maintain the
roadway and sidewalks of either the via
duct or the subway.
We have but little doubt that II the city
accedes to the foregoing proposition. that
the railroad companies and others inter-
eeted can get together as to the distribu-
ton among themselves of the expense of
construction. The time has been SO short
and the details so considerable we found
that It was impracticabie at this meeting
| to agree upon this.
II the construction Of viaduct or SUBJ
way along Twenty-eig street upon the
foregoing basis would be satisfactory to
the city, we will say that we will take UP
with the railroad companies and others
interested, as well a. with the city author
tiles, the negotiations proper or necessary
to carry out the plan.
| We Will further say that II this PROPOSE
ton for tho construction Of a viaduct or
subway along Twenty-eighth street 10 &C