The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-06


 served that when the property or traffic carried by a railroad company is endangered, there are plenty of men and materials to make the necessary repairs, but when the trouble is at a crossing and inconvenience that en- danger only the public, that it iS all most impossible to get anything done about the matter. During the inter view he cited number of incidents to prove this point.
 HENDRICKS STATEMENT
 MT. Kendrick said, in part:
 T read with much interest an article appearing recently in the local press under the above caption, signed by c. H. Markham, president of the Illinois Central Railroad company. In this ar ticle Mr. Markham from the railroad $ point of view discusses very ably the misuse of the railroad crossings by the public, but fails to point out the misuse and improper maintenance of such crossing by the railroad com panies from the publics point of view.
 Each railroad track constructed across or along highway imposes an additional burden upon the general public using such highway. For many years past the railroad companies have been vieing with each other to afford the best possible accommoda- tions for their passengers and patrons. but, l am sorry to state, in many in stances the same consideration is not shown towards minimizing the burden of the public at railroad crossings.
 NOT COLLISIONS
 T do not agree with MT. Markham that serious collisions between railroad trains and vehicles at such crossing a Yrtn AirNoI e.
 mand for grade separation. The un- necessary and unreasonable blocking of railroad crossings by trains and the failure to properly maintain the high way across the tracks. in my opinion cause much greater demands for grade separation.
 Many streets are ordered paved, at great expense to the abutting property owners and the railroad companies, largely because the railroads -- have failed to maintain the crossing in a safe and convenient condition for traf- fic. And later on. grade separation is agitated for such crossing on account Of failure of the railroad company to properly maintain it's portion of the paving. In addition to the vehicular trafMc, the traffic created by one or more street car lines is also often to be considered at such crossing, and quite freQuently it is the duty of the railroad company, to maintain the street railway crossing If this is not oone in proper manner. the. pumping Of the street cars over the crossing tends to create more votes for grade separation.
 AN INSTANCE
 1T defect occurs on railroad track, which will interfere with safe traffic oyer it, experienced men ani suitable materials are immediately supplied and the defect remedied, while, in many instances, if railroad crossing becomes unsafe or inconyen- lent Tor public traffic, long delays oc- cur before suitable repairs are made and in most instances the paving is re- paired by common laborers with very poor results. Many railroads do not maintain in this city an officer clothed with sufficient power and supplied with sufficient materials and skilled Workmen to repair paved crossings promptly. and consequently letter of complaint from the> city is referred from officer to officer until sufficient funds are provided and materials are obtained for making the repairs
 II have in mind one crossing which was recently repaired. The railroad company had two tracks across one of the most heavily travelled highways in the city. Along this highway was also operated double track street car line at the rate of $50 street cars daily. It is tho duty of the railroad company to