Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-05-16

SUN IurCnor Wnen II Is necessary IOF
an eastbound train to sidetrack to let
train following pass, it has to pull
over Third avenue and then back up
again over Third avenue.
If any one in Ma@halltown is skepti-
cal as to the hazard to life and limb
which takes place at this crossing daily
an hour spent here will convince the
most skeptical that conditions which
exist are positively criminal. Only
last week saw a little fellow not over
6 years old barely miss the Story City
engine which was backing up into the
Yards. You may Say that the gates
were down and these children who
daily cross this track have no rights on
the right of-way, but when you con-
side that 10 per cent of the people and
traffic of this town go over this cross
ing and that it is the only practical
crossing from one side of the town to
the other for a large majority of people,
are YOU not overlooking the fact that
the peple have some rights and are en-
titled to some protection! Just as sure
as one day follows another. other ac
cidentS and loss of life will occur at
this point. Who then will be respon
sible? You may say the railroads. Yes.
the railroads are responsible. but so is
the city council and so are the people
of Marshalltown responsible. You are
responsible. and I am responsible. and
if the people of Narshalltown do not
protect their own. by the forcing, if it
can't be done any other way, protec
ton a this crossing they are just as
much responsible morally at least. for
the accidents which occur here, and
they are sure to occur. as the railroad
company themselves.
The merchants. the factory men. the
farmers, the shopmen the doctors. the
lawyers the minister's the bankers. and
every one in fact who lives here is in
terested in seing a largr and better
terested in seeing a larger and better
sition of this kind comes up, which
means so much to a large portion of
our people many Of us, in fact most of
us. are positively so short sighted and
so interested in our own personal at
fairs that it is impossible to set us to
give this vital question any attention
whatsoever. The last time the COM
mission called meeting here there
were probably fifteen men present in
the Marshalltown Club rooms. Many
said they could not go for an hour as
they We're too busy
wish it clearly understood that my
interest PERSONALLY: IN this viaduct is
not only as chairman of this viaduct
committee. but it is in the interest of
all the people who are daily paving the
p,llait, of th:c unfair unsafe a nd nm
just condition.
Railroads Are Evadins.
The Northwestern and NJ & ST L.
have said epeatedly that they We're
willing to build the viaduct if the Great
Western were included. and it would
almost seem apparent that the reason
for this assertion is that they are sat
istied that to include the Great Western
means no viaducI. Such truly is the
case. The additional property dam
ages the city must stand. together with
the fact that MarshalltoWn would be
compelled to erect at her expense the
viaduct from the south side of the
Great Western to the north line of the
Mort hwe,stern thereby becoming liable
for her proportion of expense OF APP
proaches as we'll. simply means as
school boy could figure out. no vladuct.
Does it seem reasonable to suppose thar
to include the Great Western either
the Northwestern or NJ. & ST. l.. would
wish to bear a heavy additional eN-
pense which they would have to DO II
they built approximately two addition
AL blocks Of viaduct. Think it over.
The Plan is Practicable
Thu scheme to build a yiaduct, and
it is perfectly practical is as follows:
Start the north approach from the
south side of Market street.-the grade
from this point to the north line OF the
Northwestern would not be to exceed
per cent or not to exceed the present
grade on Third avenue in front OF the
Y NJ. c. A. building. The only dam
ages the city would be forced to stand
ould be on the property between
Market street and the street north OF
the Northwestern The Northwestern
claim that this would interfere with
their track which run south of Stones
restaurant and behind the old coffee
plant In the first place there is prac-
tically no traffic on this line. and in
the second place the Northwestern can
come in from the west and not have
| to cross Third avenue with this switch
! The approach starting at the south
side of Market street would enable all
! teams and people to turn either east or
/ west on Market street and the condl-
! tons a block north at the Great West
ern would remain as they are today. 1t
/ is stated by those who are in touch
with the situation that 80 per cent of
/ the delay and all the hazard is at the
| crossing of the NJ. & st. l.. and North
western tracks Is there any reason
why we should not protect and eiimi-
nate 80 per cent of the hazard if we
can rather than to give no protection
| simply because there is 10 per cent of
the delay which will still remain?
| Furthermore, it looks as tho we were
going to have an up date gas and
| power company, as we'll as a street
railway system worthy of the name.
The park proposition is to be taken
! care of; the fair grounds proposition
and the factories in this district are to
/ be taken care of. The district and the
people across the creek are to be taken
| care of if the viaduct is built and the
people across the creek and the people
/ who work across the creek appreciate
tine convenience and necessity of good
transportation just as much as tho
they lived and worked on the north
side of the creek, and the only way
fthey can have this transportation and
what is justly coming to them is by
| having a viaduct.
| I wish to say in conclusion that this
'v!aduct proposition becomes, as far as
the people who live across the creek
and who work across the creek are