South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-06-18
RailWdy Program
Long and Bitter Fight OUer Track
EIeUGtion Expected To ProOe City
Win, With Danger, Congestion OUer
Grand Trunk and New York Central Companies Expected
Meet Demands of City. Removing Tracks From Public
ThorOughfares- City Fund Appropriated

That pertinent ard important, and
At the same time deemed the most
necessary OF improvements 20 the
future expansion Of South Bend. Is
that OF track elevation.
Already years have been spent ia
preliminary negotiations. but the
not distant future holds out hope
FOR the realization OF the project.
The putting through 70 compile
ton OF such an undertaking IS recog-
nized as a most difficult and tedious
task. but despite the difficulties that
arise. the necessity OF such an I'm
provenent iB obvious. with new I'm
petus given the movement by the re-
cent announcement or A. r.. Erskine
and the origin Of the new city plan
ming commission. Il Is safe 90 predict
that city and railroad officials will
be preparing new estimates OF costs.
with a Wow 20 awarding contracts,
within another year.
Would Free Streets.
The present program calls fer;
(a) The removal Of the Grand
Trunk railroad tracks from Division
ST.. west OF and including Michigan
81.
% ParaIle1lng OF the Grand
Trunk and New York Central
tracks. from a point east OF Miami
St. 20 the Ford St. crossing.
Co Separation or grades from
Michigan 81 10 Chaplin st. inclusive.
Grade separation includes the
clearing OF tracks on Michigan,
Main. Taylor and Chaplin SITS. Prairia
Az. and Lafayette blvd. Because
plans are yet tentative, the elevation
program may yet include the Rush
81. crossing at Sample ST.. especially
II city planning contemplates the
widening OF Sample st.
Quarter-Nnlion Raised.
Plans were being successfully
worked out and there was sufficient
evidence OF a concrete solution OF
the problem but the war came on
and the government took over the
control OF transportation lines.
Since that time. nothing in the way
OF real progress toward It's attain
ment has transplred. The whole
matter has been practically held In
allegiance until recently.
But previous 20 the war, a special
statute proving for elevation OF
tracks ny the two railroads was
passed by the state legislature. pre-
liminary estimates had been Sc
cured, and based upon these esti-
mates a fund Of nearly a quarter II
a million dollars was set aside by
the city 10 take care Of its proper
ton OF expense. This much was ac-
complished.
Preliminary estimates obtained
contemplated the raising OF the New
York Central tracks only Costs had
not then appreciated, and this part
OF the undertaking was roughly cal
culatsd at approximately a million
dollars. On the basis OF the agree
ment between the corporation and
the city, the railroad company was
TO pay rs per cent Of the expense,
the city the remaining % per cent
The $25O,OOO track elevation fund
was then provided for and has since
been realized.
To Cost City 100000.
a later estimate Of costs prepared
by the New York Central engineers
calculated from the peak prices OF
two years ago. Indicated the cost &c
run over the 100000 figure. a
further readjustment OF costs. with
substantial reduction in prices foI
steel and concrete. the principal ma
terials going into construction, will
no doubt bring about a somewhat
lower figure than the second one OBJ
tanned.
But Il IS generally recognized that
no track elevation program would
be couplete which did not include
the removal OF the Grand TrunA
tracks from their present right-of'
way through the center OF the city
That the city viii be called upon &c
bear its proportion of the expense
for elevat.ng the new route IS GER
tain. No estimates have been pre-
pared in this connection. but track
elevation completed. with both the
Grand Trunk and New York Contra
lines paraIleling one another, &.
roughly estimated 20 cost nt least
S2.5OO.OOO. This figure. not TO be
accepted as correct. includes only
that portion OF the work par of the
cost Of which must be borne by the
city. on the 1925 basis. already
agreed upon. nearly 100000 would
be the cost. to De paid by taxpayers
provided for either by an increased
tax levy or issuance Of bonds, OF
both.
Recently Mayor Seebirt announc
ed that the cost 90 the city OF the
Grand Trunk project alone would
approximate 100000. on The fore
going basis of figuring. the New
York Central elevation would rur
100000.
y. Y. G. willing.
But SO muCh for costs OF NOR,
interest IN the status OF the neeotia
tions with the two railroad com
panies toward obtaining for th,
community this needed Improvement
Not long ago. the New York Cen
tral officials made Sc known tina
they stood willing at any time suit
able 90 the city 70 go ahead witt
elevation OF their tracks. Their las
meeting with the Board OF Publ,
works. IN December OF last year
witnessed the request Of and refus
al By the then Incumbent omcial
TO consider enl0rglug upon th'
original order 60 include SIX track
Cftv Engineer Anderson concurret
with the board that the cost 90 ID
borne BY the city should remain o.
a three-track basis, originally agreeC
upon. At this time, the railroad OF
nciais were advised Of the futiltl
OF making new estimates based ol
readtustment OF costs. pendinl
agreement between the city and IN,
Grand Trunk.
The Grand Trunk lines have. from