Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-04-24
R. R. CROSSING.
HEARING TODAY
Nothing Brought Out to Show
That Forrest Smiths Plans
Are impossible
BOOZ FIRST ON STAND
Is Followed by Smith--Many
From Perth Amboy Before
Utility Board
Booz FIRST ON STAND
By STAFF CORRESPONDENT

BI SIArf OOHNItL1oH OND
NEWARK, April 24-Although
railroad engineers have claimed up
10 today that the Perth Amboy rail-
road elimination plans drawn by
Forrest L. Smith in the interest Of
he Western Improvement Associa-
ton of Perth Amboy, are imprac-
ticable and impossible from. their
standpoint. none of the testimony
taken at the hearing here today
showed same to be impracticable
D r impossible.
The hearing today was the first
at which testimony has been taken.
President Harry v. Osborne OF ihe
Public Utility Commission presided
At the session. Mayor William C..
Wilson, all of the aldermeu With the
exception of Albert G. Waters. SEN
ator Morgan Larson, Forrest L.
Smith Louis p. Boox. Jr. end about
thirty or forty residents OF Perth
Amboy, mary from the Western Inn
provement Association were IN at
tendance, in addition to. chief engi-
neers and counsel for the rail-
tsoads.
About II o'clock the hearing start
ID. Louis P. Booz, Jr.. special engi-
neer secured by the city OF Perth
Amboy to look after the interests OF
The city in the elimination undertake
ing. was the first witness called. he
was arked why he objected to the
plans submitted by the railroad and
replied that conditions could be bet
tered by increasing the depression OF
the railroad and lowering the street
bridges.
Mr.. Booz spoke in favor of lower
ing the bridge over washington
street. also less depression at New
Brunswick avenue under the Lehigh
Valley tracks and increasing eleva :
ton of the Lehigh Valley tracks at
his point. He declared the railroad
plans are an impediment to traffc
and business extension.
President Osborne asked Mr.. Booz
what provisions could be made for
draining the deeper cut and the
Perth Amboyan replied that the
bitches could be widened and drain
age easily cared for. This witness
was cross-examined by Counsel
Holmes of the Central Railroad
Company
The next witness called was For
rest l.. Smith. He said he had drawn
up his plans because the railroad
plans damaged the city considera-
bly,. The principal traffic carrying
streets, New Brunswick avenue and
Washington street, would be handi-
capped with high bridges and deep
cuts, he said. and it would cost the
city a great deal of money to recon-
struct curb lines and sidewalks.
He explained his plans in detail
regarding the construction OF eleva-
tions for the Central and Lehigh
railroads with Washington street in
between same. Mr.. Smith told how
his plans call for s feet depression
instead of 16 feet. The New Bruns-
wick avenue crossing of the Central
railroad. he declared, would be down
to grade and the Market and smith
street crossings would be elevated
slightly.
Mr.. Smith declared that the Le-
high Valley grade from State Street
to Washington could be established
at IL feet to the 100 feet or .S9 OF
l per cent. He said the present
grade is about, Z. This change, he
pointed out, would decrease the
drawing power of the trains or
would necessitate more power.
President Osborne informed the
different witnesses that 1t is not
what the railroad wants but what 1t
can do. He said Perth Amboy has
to be taken into consideration just
as much as the railroad.
Forrest l.. Smith was asked what
experience he had as an engineer
and he replied twenty-three years.
He said that he had had former ex-
perience laying railroad spurs, but
not main line work. and that this
was his first experience in grade
elimination case.
Attorney Holmes representing the
Central Railroad of New Jersey
made it known that the Smith plans
would increase the cost Of the work
S750000
The next witness was Emil koyen.
who testified that the railroad plans.
l. adopted, would materially depre-
ciate property values in Perth Am
boy. He maintained that the high
bridge at Washington street and ths
deep cut at New Brunswick avenue
would cut the city in two parts and
that these two streets were. two or
the principal arteries of travel In
the city. Valuations in the western
portion of Perth Amboy would drop
fifty per cent. Mr.. koyen thought
He also spoke of the deep cut at
New Brunswick avenue with refer
enee to the probability of it being
frequently flooded and difficult 20
drain. When asked If he knew of
any particular instance whera prop
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