The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-26
ALL GRADE CROSSINGS
MAY! BE ELIMINATED
Council Committee Considers Recon-
struction Of Broad and Belvi-
dere Street Tracks.
HEARING ON THURSDAY NIGHT
Proposition Before Council for Two
Years Was Allowed to Lay Over
When Drawings for Proposed West
End Station Were Exhibited.

After repeated delays. the Coun-
ell Committee on Streets will this
week begin work on Alderman PulIer's
resolution directing the recon instruction
Of the Richmond. Frederick sburg and
Potomac and connection line trucks on
Broad and Belvidere Streets. so as to
eliminate all crossings at grade
hearing on this resolution had been
fixed for September 90, but was post
poned at the request of counsel for the
railroad companies. The committee
will hold n public hearing on the aues-
ton ut s o'clock next Thursday night
among the railroad men who are ex-
pected to be present are President Will
liam II. White, OF the Richmond, Fred
erickshurg and Potomac: Vice-Presi-
dent and General Counsel Alexander
Hamilton, of the Atlantic Coast Line:
lsppa Hunton, Jr., general counsel for
the Richmond, Frederlcksburg and po-
tomac. and w. D. Duke assistant to
President White.
HAS BEEN UNDER DEBATE
For MORE THAN TWO YEARS
The .controversysis of long standing.
1t came to focus about two years ago,
when q resolution was introduced in
the old Council directing an inquiry
into the advisability of eliminating the
grade crossings on West Broad and
Belvidere Streets. Shortly after it's in
PRODUCTION began the Union Station
agitation, ending in promise by the
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Poto-
mac and Atlantic Coast Line Railroads
TO erect $1,000. 900 joint station In the
West End.
1t was proposed to erect this station
on the Hermitage Golf Club site. The
construction OF this station would have
removed much of the objection against
the present grade crossings on Broad
and Belvidere Streets by diverting most
OF the traffic that now passes over these
tracks to stub tracks communicating
with the belt line. Elba Station, under
this plan, would have been abandoned.
and Byrd Street Station would have
been maintained for purely local traffic.
RESOLUTION HELD BACK
FOR UNION STATION
In view of the promised new station
In the West lad, che resolution aimed
at the grade nrcs 5ings was permitted
TO die In committee, and the agitation
was held in allegiance. Since the day a
magnificent drawing OF the proposed
the two railroads have made no
further official statement on the sub
-ject. and, as far as is known, nothing
has been done by the roads to make
good their promise.
The apparent failure OF the relief
expected from the West End station
has given impetus to the new agitation.
and II appears now that Il majority of
the Counctlmen are prepared to take
steps towards mitigating the grade
crossing nuisance The constantly in
creasing length of the through trains
and the growth OF the traffic over the
West Broad street and Bclvidere Street
tracks is charged with interfering with
pedestrian and vehicular traffic. and
menacing the life and limb of pedes-
TRANS
Numerous opinions handed down by
the City Attorney assert the city's un-
questioned right to dictate the manner
in which It's streets shall be used for
railroad and other purposes. The Coun-
ell, 1t is held. has full power to order
overhead or underground construction.
Such a right was upheld by the SUI
preme Court of the United States ina
South Bend. Ind case. in which n SINH
lar set of circumstances existed