New-York tribune., 1911-09-01
NEW R. R. CROSSING PLAN
Queens Would Spend All Avail
able Money on Five Points.
CITY TO PAY 0NE-F0URTH
President of Long Island Railway
Says Company Has Eliminated
265 Grade intersections.

A plan for the elimination Of five Long
Island Railroad crossings In the BoFous"
Of Queens as a single piece OF work was
presented yesterday at a hearing oeioTe
the public Service Commission, calied .
consider the general elimination OF grace
crossings along the main line OF the rali-
road II was agreed both by che interesIsu
citizens present and the commissions ell
gireers that the railroad was rieht III
declaring that the crossings at hehnet'
Wertland, Greed and Madison avenues
should le changed IN the same manner as
the more important one at Hempstead
Turnpike
There was a difference OF opinion, now
ever. between the property owners and rep
rescntatives of the company as to whether
the crossings should be elevated or de-
pressed. The company is for elevating
them. while tie citizens, led by H. T.
Salisbury. Of the Queens Civic League, ar
gued FOR depressed crossings
II was announced at the opening OF the
hearing. which was neld before Cominis-
sioner r.ustis that plans were well under
way for a final agreement on the "hoie
matter. II a settlement is reached 1t VIII
mean the expenditure of practically all OF
the 81, 90 600 now available In New YORK
for such changes. Under the law hail OF
the cost VIII be paid by the company and
quarter each by the city and state.
| The hearing yesterday was taken up by
the presentation Of plans and figures en-
| bracine the i've crossings named a. one
| lob The crossing al Farmers avenue,
which is a mile away from these FIVE points
was not included, II was said as the dis
tance gave sufficient room for grade TO
be built from a depressed to an elevated
crossing.
II the company is allowed to put the
changes through on this basis, 1t was
pointed out, Richmond County will be de-
Irived of its share OF the public money
for the changing Of crossings.
Ralph Peters. president Of the Long
Islard Railroad Company, made the follow
ing statement yesterday as TO grade cross
ing elimination on Long Island:
| believe the Long Island Railroad Com
pany has done as much within the last ten
years as any railroad IN the country IN
the elimination of grade crossings ara
street and road crossings at grade.
Statistics just compiled show that mere
are 962 points on Long Island where puoIlc
streets and highways intersect the tracks
Of the com pany. OF this number l6l cross
ings have been eliminated and put under
| grade and l04 over grade, making to'a'
of 265 crossings abolished. The money m
volved In this work amounts to approx
mateiy slJ.000,000. The annual interest
charge on the investment Is S'5o'ooO, ana
IL reurasents work for safeguarding the
needless public, and not work that improves
the operation of the railroad or produces
additional revenues. except as insurance
against damage.
In addition TO this the company main
tains fagmen and gates at 169 crossings.
and fagmen without gates at 81 crossings.
making total OF 23O crossings protected
by men on the ground to warn the pubic
of approaching trains.
TC sum up, we have 26j crossings elimi-
mated, 30i crossings protected either 10y
fagmen and gates or iiaBHen ana oells
which leaves 1893 crossings protected only
by the usual signs specified by the Rail,
road Commission. Sixty-ive OF the S9'
. crossings protected only by signs are OF
branches of the road where no passenger
trains are operated and only an infrequent
freight service maintained.
| In addition to the large amount or money
invested in elimnations the company nas
} added ifty-four crossing gates and sew.
enty-fve crossing watchmen in the lss'
four years. Work is now under way whicf
will eliminate about twenty more cross
ings dt cost of over 100000
II would mean an initial investment OF
$685. 900 and add approximately SjO,0O
; year TO the payroll to cover every crossing
with gates and iagmen. The company Is
doing all that it possibly can In this direc-
ton with the revenue derived from It's
present tariff of rates. While the lega
! maximum rate is three cents a mile. the
average rate received from all passengers
handled by the Long Island Railroad is
only IA cents a mile. This is due to tie
large use OF mileage books. special tickt Is
and commutation tickets
Neither the legal maximum rate nor Tie
! mileage rate can be increased: therefore
TO produce the revenue necessary TO prN
tect all crossings and TO continue the worn
| OF elimination. the rates on about 50 pei
cent of the traffic would have 10 be raised
| at least q per cent. Why should the traV
eller on the railroad be made to pay more
in order to protect the traveller on th'
highway? The trains must run on fxe(
tracks at reasonable speed. The traveller
on the highway has freedom of routes am
{ an opportunity of stopping. Being In small
numbers they should be made TO stop an
give preference to the larger number o
travellers.
. The Legislature should enact a law re
ouiring drivers Of automobiles and othe
vehicles to stop and make sure that tran
is not approaching before attempting t
, | cross the railroad tracks.