Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1921-06-21
C|TY'S FIGHT
ON CROSSINGS
Outline of War on Dangerous
Crossings Since 1918 is
Brought Up

The calamity of last Wednesday
afternoon. which occurred at the
Market street crossing of the Central
Railroad tracks and cost the lives
OF nine of the city's firemen, is the
strongest argument which has been
presented thus far to the Public
Utility Commission for the elimina-
tion of all grade crossings in Perth
Amboy. With three railroad com
panieS having grade crossings within
the city limits over which hundreds
Of vehicles and thousands of persons
cross daily, Perth Amboy is threat
ened with more grade crossing ac-
cidents of a similar character even
if not so terrible, in the future ii
something is not done at once to
alleviate conditions.
At the present time there are four
grade crossings on the line over
which the Central Railroad, the
New York and Long Branch Rail-
road and the Pennsylvania trains,
to and from points south of this city
pass. The Lehigh Valley Railroad
has two grade crossings and the
Pennsylvania Railroad to the old
State street depot has two. These
do not include sidings in various parts
off to various industrial plants at
different times. These are not to be
considered in a class with the cross
ings over which a large number or
trains, many of them expresses, are
passing daily.
The aldermen at a special meeting
held about three hours after the ac-
cident occurred last Wednesday
night took steps to have the Public
Utility Commission take immediate
action in forcing the railroads haV-
ing grade crossings in Perth Amboy
to eliminate them. The police re-
ceived instructions to flag all trains
passing through the city, forcing
them to go no faster than ten miles
an hour. This work was continued
until 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon
with success. The engineers are now
placed on their honor. 1t required
the services of six policemen. two
working at one time on eight hour
shifts, one located at Market street
and the other at Washington street.
1t is pointed out that the citys po-
lice force is not sufficiently large
enough to permit of this system be-
ing continued indefinitely, as other
parts of the city are losing the GUS
tomary protection of the pollce
while this special duty is continued:
If the trains again start to speed
some other steps will be taken to
stop them.
The EVENING NEWS is printing
today a sketch, showing one sugges-
ton for the elimination of the Smith
and Market streets grade crossings
which would not cost large amount
of money, according to estimates
1t was not necessary to have such
a tragedy as occurred last week to
awaken in the minds of the city
governing body long before this
time the need of grade crossing elm
ination. Back in May 1913, when
Ferd Garretson was mayor the first
steps were taken to force the rail-
roads to protect life and limb by
having them elevate their tracks
through the city.
Resolution Adopted.
At a regular meeting of the Board
of Aldermen held May 5, 1913, the
following resolution was unanimous
ly passed by the "aye" votes of
Aldermen Wilson, Seaman, Hilker,
Kutcher, Clark and Sandbeck:
"Whereas, petition of the City
of Perth Amboy. signed by the may
or on April /, 1918, and attested by
the city clerk requesting the state
Board of Public Utility Commission
ers to order the elimination of GER
tain grade crossings of the Central
Railroad of New Jersey and the Le-
high Valley Railroad Company with
in the corporate limits OF the city of
Perth Amboy. together with maps
and other data and information per-
tinent thereto. was filed with the
State Board of Public Utility Com
missioners on April 7, 1913, and,
Continued on page ~