Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-04-08
RAILROAD SPENDS
MILLIONS TO SAVE
TIME AT MADISON
Cutting Through Highland and
Filling in LowIand to Elm
mate Curves.
Especial to the Evening start

MADISON. April Sit is probable
that within the next few days the
railroad committee of the Borough
Council will notify the authorities of
the Lackawanna railroad that the
people have shown beyond a matter
OF doubt that they will not stand for
the closing of Ridgedale avenue. and
that they wish a better division of
the property damages. and also to
know the approximate amount that
the work will cost the borough. a
number of taxpayers, however ex-
press themselves In petition as being
opposed to the town paying any part
of these damages.
Madison property owners and tax
payers oppose the closing of Ridge
dale avenue strenuously, and have
done so ever since the proposition was
irst made by the railroad. All resi-
dents OF this highway state that they
use the road a great deal, and that
its discontnuance would prove q det-
riment and q disadvantage TO them.
Some more progressive citizens are
clamorinE for provision for cross
ing between Ridgedale avenue and
elm street. They say that even now
the distance between crossings at
that point is too much, and that the
growth of Madison in years to come
ought to be taken into consideration.
No Crossing for Half-Mile.
If Ridgedale avenue is closed there
will be distance of about a half mile
between Madison avenue and Elm
street, which will then be the only
Madison streets that cross the tracks
on the westerly side of the centre of
the town. 1t has been proposed in the
past to continue Ridgedale avenue
through some undeveloped property
to Woodland road, and it is probable
that this plan will mature in the near
future. 1t Is coLitended that If Ridge
dale avenue is closed that there will
be little use of making such move.
The railroad objects to any plan by
which il will have to raise its grade,
on the ground that the additional eX-
pense would not be warranted. If 1t
was required to raise the tracks all
through town 1t would increase the
cost of filling and concrete work, and
If ii was compelled to raise its grade
ON the westerly side OF Ridgedale
avenue the filling would exceed the
right of way there and cause trouble,
as we'll as expense.
Stumbling Block in Madison.
Meanwhile the company is continu-
ing its work of the elimination of the
curve between Madison and Chatham.
The work will cost millions of dollars.
Last year the D., L. and w. spent
approximately 100000 for the prop
erty for it's new right of way. Work
has been going on ever since, with
the exception of when the heavy
SHOWS in March prevented labor of
any kind. 1t is the opinion of legal
lights and engineers alike that these
vast improvements win be dead
letter, as far as any degree of profit
is concerned, until the contract has
been completed with Madison for the
elimination of grade crossings here
They cannot cross either Union or
Sampson avenues without the consent
4 of the Council, although they now
= fdve-ttemporary tracks laid across
these streets The work will be COM
pleted this fall.
73-FOOt Cut.
One of the features of the improve
ments in the elimination of the curve
Is the seventy three-foot cut on the
former Seaman estate. With the aid
of a huge steam shovel, the workers
have now nearly completed the cut
A small donkey engine and train of
dump cars are taking the soil from
the cut and carrying it to another
portion of the cutoff, where it is
necessary to make a steep elevation.
The dirt is being removed from the
cut and taken to the elevation at the
rate of $500 cubic yards a day. n
large gang of men has been working
steadily since the beginning of opera
lions. 1t is estimated that the cost
of the work on the CUTOFF will far
exceed the cost of the new right of
way.
To EIectrify the Road.
An engineer of the railway said to-
day that there Is no doubt but that,
after the elimination of grade cross
ings all along the line has been COM
pleted the road will be electrified.
Grade elimination in Convent, above
Madison, and Chatham, which Is just
below, is fast nearing completion. The
accompanying pictures show an orna-
mental arch over Lafayette avenue
in Chatham, which is well under way
and will be completed within the next
week. This work is much more beau
tiful to look at than the ordinary
iron-span bridges.
S35, 900 station for Chatham.
Chathams new station is now fast
nearing completion. The walls and
much Of the station proper nave been
finished, and the contractors are now
working on the shelter on the north
side of the tracks. A subway will
connect the station with the shelter.
This building is being built at a cost
of $4,000.