The Detroit times., 1914-01-07
SEP ARATION OF
GRADES COSTLY,
SAYS Raj. WAY
oCoptinurd FROM PaEe OneD


no agreement exists i'm the present
ease. 10 viii be up 10 the railroad
commission 90 name the conditions.
Cor1ovat on iounsel Lawson sug
gcsted ID Commissioner l.aWto Il.
Hemans that il ought TO be mp TO the
common council 20 determine the
number OF streets Co be closed So
thar interested property owners could
be given adequate hearings. Nearly
every east side alderman was present
In fhe meeting IN the private inter
ests OF constituents owning property
Ia The territory which may be az
fected
The railroad commission has lur
isdiction TO fix the line OF grade, de-
termine the cost and apportion the
expense said Commissioner Hemans.
II /, mp 10 the council 10 make any
necessary arrangements 10 hear the
objections OF property owners"
l.. e. Stanley attorney FOR The
Grand Trunk. lid not deny Commits
sioner Hamans statement that he
understood the company was submit
tins plans and estimates for the pur'
pose OF proving the excessive cost OF
eleyating the Dequindre-st. tracks.
aud later admitted that. in his oplR
ion, IL would be financial impossible
ny for either the city or the railroad
10 carry out the proposed plan
To reiute the testimony introduced
by Corporation Counsel Lawson in a
previous hearing 70 prove the lmpera.
tive need OF grade separation along
Dequindre-st To protect life at the
Affnrnnx 2funlnN nrnHlIp Oh
w v Butler. claim agent for the
Grand Trunk. as the first witness.
Mr. Butler. reading from the com
pany $ records. stated that from Aug
l. 1908. 20 Aug l. 1912. A period ot
four years. - persons met their death
on the Dequindre-st. tracks. only three
being killed az the crossings. The
Lake shore records for the same
period show that the IKE Shore
trains travelling over the Grand Trunk
track killed Is persons, five at cross
ings
Tho records OF the coroners Office
show 90 deaths as having occurred
along the DeQuindrest tracks in the
last seven years.
Fred j. Nauyoks. special agent for
the Chicago Belt Line railroad, testt.
fed that trespassing on the TRUCKS in
creased after the railroad had eic
waited about so miles of track in ths
heart OF Chicago On cross-examina
tion Nauyoks admitted 10 Commits
siOner HemRns that the elevation OF
the tracks was great aid 10 the con
gested street traffic and a time-saving
Improvement FOR The railroad ccm
pany.
Louis Nolan superintendent OF
terminals for the Grand Trunk. testi'
fed that az least 600 persons travel
on the railroad tracks daily between
Gratiot-aye. and the Lake Shore june.
ton
4 think IT would be an expensive
mistake to separate grades on Dequin-
dre.st as far as safeguarding life is
concerned said Supt- Nolan. The
people won't stay of the tracks no
matter how carefully they are guard.
ed
He admitted TO Corporation Counsel
Lawson that two-thirds OF the daily
train movement at the Gratiot-aVe.
crossing occurred during the morning
and evening rush hours.
Attorney Fred \ Behr. representing
80 shippers along Dequindre-st., asked
10 be given an opportunity 10 examine
the tentative plans and 10 submit
proofs supporting the contention OF
the shippers that better regulation OF
the highway would obviate the neces-
sity OF separating the grades. when
would be costly TO the shippers.
The hearing was adjourned until
Thursday morning. Feb. II, when all
persons interested in the Dequlndre-st.
grade separation matter will have an
opportunity to be heard In the coun'
ell chamber before the railway com
mission and the new council commit
tee on grade separation.
Railroad Commissioners Lawton ].
Hemans and c. s Cunningham heard
the testimony. Wednesday morning.
Mayor Marx was an attentive listener
during the entire hearing.