The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-03-19
ALL COMPANIES REPRESENTED
Evidence Is Taken to Show Need Of
Sideways at Various Crossings of the
North Western Road in Kenosha--
Many People Attend the Hearing.
(From Wednesdays Daily

(From Wednesdays Daily
The demand Of the people of Keno
sha for track elevation and more sub
ways was heard by the railroad COM
mission of Wisconsin today when Com
missioner David Harlowe of Madison,
presided over a hearing held at the
city hall. Commissioner Harlowe an
nounced that he was hopeful that the
hearing could be concluded in the day,
but there were more than g. hundred
and fifty people of the city on hand
for the hearing and there were lot
of them who decided to put their evil
dence before the commission. The
commissioner declared that an oppor-
tunity would be given for every one
to be heard regardless as to whether
they were represented by counsel or
not. Property owners on South
street, Garden street, Hansen street,
North and Limits streets were all
represented by attorneys. William G..
Wheeler, general counsel of the North
Western, represented the company.
Clark NJ. Rosecranz appeared for the
Wisconsin Gas and Electric Company.
John G. Slater for the city, and A. L..
prury for the towns of Pleasant Prai-
RE and Somers and for property own
ers on the various streets. Attorney
Henry j. Hastings appeared as an at
torney for the people residing on Han
son, North and Limits streets.
Before the hearing and during the
examination of the witnesses petitions
were fled with the commission asking
that the North Western company be
directed to put in additional subways
not shown in the formal plan, at South
street, Garden street, Lemon street,
Hanson street, Limits and North street.
In addition to this the towns Of
Pleasant Prairie and Somers sought to
have provisions made for four subways
in these towns. Pleasant Prairie de-
manded subways at Salem avenue and
at South Park avenue, while Somers
demanded them at Fairfield avenue and
the Birch road .,.t,.~..
No formal objection was filed by the
North Western company to the petit
tions of the city and there was little
cross examination on the part Of At
torney Wheeler, he seemingly being
willing to leave the matter to the judg-
ment of the commission. Commissioner
Harlowe stated that the commission
would demand that the city furnish
traffic statistics in regard to all cross
ings where subways were demanded or
sought by property owners. These
figures were furnished for a number
of the crossings.
Vice President Ashton and Engineer
Finley of the Northwestern company
were interested spectators at the hear
ing and they had much to do with the
explanation of the detailed plans for
elevation which were presented for the
examination of the property owners as
well as the commission. Many of the
property owners took deep interest
II the plans for elevation.
Mayor Dan 0. Head was the first
witness called by the city and his ex-
animation took up most of the morning
session of the hearing. The mayor
gave testimony to show conditions at
the various street crossings where the
city has demanded subways and he de-
clare6 that in his opinion there was
a real demand for subways at all of
these points. He went at length into
conditions at the north end of the city
and showed that there was demand
for at least two more subways along
the north end of the lines Of the COM
pany in order to meet reasonable de-
mands of traffic.
George A. Yule and z. G. Simmons
were called to testify as to the need
of the depression of the tracks at Main
street and Mr.. Simmons also made a
strong plea for elevation of the tracks
of the main line, declaring that it was
most important to the company as well
as to the people of the city.
The last witness before the noon adj
iournment was taken was County Clerk
Russell Fl. Jones who appeared to urge
the cause of the people residing on
South street west of the tracks of the
North Western. He declared that more
than twenty families resided on this
portion of South street. Statistics
made by the people residing on the
street showed that in single day sSl
persons and thirty-four vehicles had
used the crossing
With the opening of the hearing this