The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-19
VIADUCT PLANS HIT STONE WALL AT CONFERENCE City Officials And Rail Representatives Fail
 To Agree PLEA OF CARRIERS FOR CASH DENIED l.. & N. Gives Detailed Objections To Munic-
 ipal Program

An admitted 1mpaSSe was reacned, for the time being, in the underpass situation, when the city commissioners and representatives of the Louisville and Nashville railroad and the South ern railway met in conference in the city hall Tuesday.
 The railroads called on the city to bear half the expense of the work pro- posed, the total cost of which is placed at S2,50O, ,00O.
 Birmingham has not $1 .250, 900 for such use," Commissioner w. E. Dick son said, land would not so use it, if that sum could be raised"
 In regard to opening up Nineteenth street for through south and north communication at Railroad avenue, w. L.e Mapother, president of the Louis vile and Nashville railroad, is quoted as saying that his road would fight such proposition to the last court, that such an innovation would be the last thing the Louisville and Nashville would think of doing, for it would di- vide, and thereby, practically ruin the reads. station property.
 Prorated Expense Proposed Birmingham, through its commission CTS, proposed that the expense of raising the railroads right of way to permit underpasses at Fourteenth, Eighteenth and Twentieth streets be prorated, Bir- mingham bearing an approximate 20 per cent of the cost. It was cited that the city had paid 20 per cent of one established viaduct and 25 per cent of another and was willing to assume a similar obligation in the present in- stance. To this basis the railroad rep resentatives are said to have objected. kol AhnA the roads pay 50 per cent of the cost, saying the. Louisville and Nashville was willing to pay half the cost of the un- derpass work affecting it's property. R. B. Pegram, vice president of the Southern railway, would not agree to l that, saying, only, that such proposi- tiOn would be taken under discussion. Other railroads were not represented at the meeting, the particular plans be- ing considered affecting the Louisville and Nashville and the Southern prac- tically entirely. .--.-..- In counter to the underpass project, the roads proposed that the problem be solved by the construction of viaduct at Eighteenth street, followed in time by others. Mir. Mapother intimated that while the road would strenuously Op- pose Nineteenth street underpass, there would not be such imposition to the Nineteenth street yiaduct.
 Greater Expense Involved
 In the financial discussion the rail- road officials brought out the point that while, as they saw it, the proposed un- defpass system would entail an expendi- ture of $2,0O0,0O0, this covered only the stretch of few city blocks, and did not provide for the miles of grade rais- ing to meet the elevated portion of the lines in Birmingham.
 As submitted, the proposition of the city for the underpasses did not meet with the approval of the roads, but both the Southern and Louisville and Nash vile made it clear that they were open to study of what they would consider a more feasible plan. Again they made it clear they had no intention of at- tempting to block the proposed improve ments, but did not approve the method of improvement put forward.
 Both railroads assumed the attitude of citizens of Birmingham, saying they had made enormous Outlays in the city, were inaugurating additional outlays and were planning to go forward with Birmingham in it's development, but re- served the right to regard great expendi- lures on the part of the roads from the standpoint of the roads as well as from that of the citizens.
 Despite the failure of agreement on the plans put forward they have been taken under reconsideration by all parties at interest to see if inconve- niences and other objectionable features may not be eliminated
 With Mir. Mapother at the conference were l.. L. Morrison, special engineer, and John Stone, attorney. Mir. Pe- gram was accompanied by Frank Dominick, attorney for the Southern, and R. D. Tobien. resident engineer.
 Birmingham was represented by the city commissioners, with the exception of Mrs. Echols, who was ihdisposed and at home, and by w. J. Wynn, city at- torney, and A. J. Hawkins, city en- gineer,
 The suggestion of a solution by via ducts did not take we'll with the city, | it being believed that q viaduct on Eighteenth street will result in Twen- tieth street never being equipped with an underpass.
 Although the situation, as presented, resulted in the reaching of dead wall, all parties agreed that the failure of the proposed ways and means to be adopted did not end proceedings. All parties at interest have taken the vari- ous propositions put forward under con sideration and when they are worked out another meeting will be called.
 Having studied the compiled plans submitted them the railroad men filed with the city their criticism of the proposition, which the city officials in turn will study.
 The major portion of the business district of the city of Birmingham has been established and built up along and convenient to the railroad properties between Fourteenth and Twentyfo streets. It is readily apparent that any radical disturbance or change in rail- road grade or location in this zone, upon and along which passenger and local freight facilities and private in
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