Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-06-11

! BE Heard at Dos MONIES, June u.
! An investigation into the alleged in
crosse of hazard at the Third avenue
crossing Of the Chicago Great Western
railroad in this city by the erection of
the proposed viaduct over the tracks
. of the Minnea polls & ST. Louis and the
-, Chicago & Northwestern, was made
Monday afternoon by the members Of
/ the state railroad commission at the
Marshalltown Club. The two roads at
fected filed complaints to the plans as
proposed and the city council present.
! ed evidence to show that the hazard
was rot increased at the Great West
ern crossing by the proposed viaduct.
Clifford Thorne, OF the commission,
made it plain to the representatives OF
the two roads that the commission had
| power only 70 act on the proposed
plans and pass on their safety, ana had
not the power to suggest other plans
or to rescind the action of the city
council in ordering the viaduct built.
Hear Arguments at Oes MONIES.
! After hearing the testimony the
commission decided 10 hear the oral
arguments OF the counsel for the roads
/ and for the city, at Des Moines, Thurs
! day, June %. At the hearing the
! Northwestern will be represented by
James {. Davis, general counsel for
the road: the NJ. & st. l.. by George w.
Sewer, general solicitor, and the city
! by Senator C. H VanLaw.
City Presents Figures.
The city opened it's case by present
! ins a report showing the condition OF
traffic on South Third avenue by the
three ROADS for a period of three days.
The record at the crossing of the NJ.
| & ST. l.. and the Northwestern covered
| a period of thirty-three hours, and at
| the Great Western crossing period or
| thirty-four hours and thirty minutes
| From this computations it was shown
that As per cent of those crossing the
Northwestern and N. Z St. L. crossing
were blocked, and that but 1.s2 per
! cent were blocked at the Great West
err crossing. This report was pre-
scented to show that the hazard was
greater at the lower CROSSE NJ ihan at
the Great Western and therefore the
viaduct was needed over the two ROADS
and was not necessary over the Great
1 Western.
Many Witnesse. Presented.
The city presented several witnesses
to show that the viaduct erected ac-
cording to present plans with the
north approach beginning approx
rnately fifteen feet from the property
lire of Nevada street, did not add to
1be hazard at the Great Western cross
ing as contended by the railroaos.
These witnesses were r. W. McCreery'
George F. Kirby, W. W. Doolittle. Of
! fcer Charles Hurd and T. f. Adams.
sierd Presents Roads cass.
The principal witness for the ROADS
uas vice President and General Nam
aeer w. G. Bierd of the NJ, & st. l..
Mr. Bierd was emphatic in declaring
the north approach of.the proposed
viaduct hazardous to an extreme
He also insisted that the -south ap-
nroach should not be on a grace VI
more than per cent, whereas ene
plans called for an per cent grace. &,
Mr.. B!erd spoke also Of the financial
effect on the NJ. & st. L., and the III
convenience to patrons OF the roao ~
the erection Of the viaduct he oe
clared that his road would lose !oLl.
IS to 80 per cent OF Its local hreisn'
business by reason OF the coHstruc''o.i,
pointing out that the viaouct "ouiu
necessitate a haul up hill 1roHi hie
freight depot over the vleduce anu .het,
subject the draymen to a Secoho i'au
~ hilI after clearing the overhead
driveway. This he believSd would nave
The effect OF discouraging patronage
IF the VI B. st. L., and cause shippers
~ +ake their freight to other roads
Hazard Not REDUCED.
Nv Rierd said the plans Submitted to
his company were merely suggestive
and little could be gained from the
blue prints. THE viaduct," he SAID
..will not reduce the hazard but VIII
take It from one point and transfer II
10 another"
Mr.. Thorne interrupted him TO cal
attention to the figures submitted by
the city which he considered "oulo
show the hazard was reduced owing
To the much greater traffic at the
Joint crossing and the more genera
movement of trains, which danger
would be eliminated by the viaduct.
If the Great Western was included
said Mr.. Bierd, the cost to the NJ. & st
| L. would be greatly reduced. Tn
! scheme of not including the third roat
| was to his mind lily advised. and whii'
| he did not want to force the expens'
! on the Great Western he believed tina
| the viaduct as planned would prov
! unsatisfactory to the city and the tim
| would come when 1t would prove NOR
| hindrance than a benefit.
! Better Plan susssstsd.
It was the contention Of the road
that a heavily loaded wagon comin
north over the viaduct, at a time whe
the Great Western crossing Is blocked
would be obliged to stop on the viaduc
and conRest traffic or would be com
| PEELED to pull either to the right
left on Nevada street. A. the spac
from the end Of the north approach I
J the Great Western gates would be bu
. fifteen feet it was declared impossibl
to make a turn at right angles withot
upsetting a load. It was Suggested
however, that viaduct with an AZ
proacf farther TO the south would lei
sen the hazard but would likewise II
crease the grade From hnsnci'
standpoint it was declared Per Gel
grade would be more acceptable to II
i roads.
In summing up the case Mr. Biel
so;a +ha+ - ~ waN 0nly a matter