The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08
HARDING THINKS THE TOO DRASTIC ON VIADUCT City Would Be Relieved of Large Portion of Abutting
 Property Damage HOW OTHER CITIES HANDLE PROBLEM Says Closing of Second Avenue Would Not Be Hardship on the City.
 Should Be Handled Along
 Broad Lines, He Says

Interested only as a taxpayer and citi- zen. w. F. G. Harding. president of the First National bank. gave out an inter- view yesterday in regard to the viaduct negotiations. MT Harding expresses re- gret that the commissioners and the rep l resentatives of the railroads failed tc agree about the First avenue construc- tion. In reference to the abutting prop erty damages Mir. Harding points out tha, the railroads exempt the city from a large percentage of that cost. as compared to other cities. He indicates that he re- gards the closing of Second avenue in the area requested as fair as the avenue is not now used nor can it be used eX- cept by creating a more deadly grade crossing even than First avenue, and then only for four blocks. when the property of the Avondale mills will necessitate the turning of traffic back to First avenue or to Fifth avenue.
 MT. Harding says that there should be some public discussion of the very i'm portant viaduct situation with the end in view of getting some action, and that
 both sides to the controversy should give and take so that the people may be re- lieved from such dangers as beset them at First avenue.
 In discussing the matter MT. Harding said:
 Commission Too Drastic 1 have heard many expressions of re- gret at the continued delay in the con-
 struction of the First avenue viaduct, be- cause of the disagreement between the llfX SSio tha tives of the corporations directly inter-
 ested. Looking at the matter purely from the standpoint of a citizen and tax payer, l cannot but feel that the city commission is inclined to be too drastic in its requirements, and 1t seems that it would be well to have some public discus
 sion of the matter.
 Tt Is claimed that under the act of 1907, the city can force the construction of via ducts at the expense of the railroads. Section l of the act referred to provides
 that no viaduct, bridge or tunnel shall be constructed under this act unless said vacation of the street upon the comple- ton of said viaduet. bridge or tunnel throughout that portion thereof over, along or under which the said public inn provement is proposed to be constructed.
 This would seem to place upon the gov erning body of the city the burden of providing street for the viaduct. with out Interruptions or encumbrances With out questioning the rights of owners of property along the streets so vacated. a reasonable construction of the act would require the city to assume the damages to abutting property. The total frontag ge on both sides of First avenue along the length of the proposed viaduct is 4075 feet. The corporations interested in the construction of the viaduct own of this 2SS6 feet, or about 70 per cent and l am informed that they have offered to waive any abutting damages to their property, which would certainly be affected as much as that under private ownership. This would leave only about 90 per cent of the damages to be taken care of by the city.
 As If Is Done Elsewhere