The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-05-18

construction down to Fourteenth, as an open sewer from the Fourteenth street underpass on further as an un- derground sewer and assess the cost to all property draining Into it.
 The railroads might more cheaply do the actual excavating as they could use the material in making the fills on their respective tracks west and south ot Fourteenth.
 When completed with due regard also for use of trucks and autos, it would seem to De available for better access to freight houses, team tracks, parking of cars. passagesOf traffic east and west, thus relieving First avenue, Morris ave nue, Railroad avenue and Powell ave nue of at least some heavy truck traf- fife.
 Right now Birmingham should take steps to regulate this truck traffic as to streets to be used, width of trucks and speed limit.
 As to how this excayating is to do done and how used afterwards, should largely be left to the railroads, as it is their property.
 With viaducts at Twenty-fourth. Twenty-second and Twenty-first, un- der which all freight houses, warehouses, team tracks east of Twentieth could be served on present track levels, there would seem little need of switching across Twentieth street by day or night.
 Going each from Fourteenth under pass, all team tracks, warehouses up | to Eighteenth could be served on pres ent track levels. From Eighteenth to Twentieth they could be served on sub stantially present track levels, during the hours, say from midnight to a. m. Flagmen could thus safely guard against all reasonable danger, between Eighteenth and Twentieth,
 Freight cars for all team tracks and warehouses on the Louisville and Nash vile west of Twentieth could be han dled on the elevated tracks, passing through the passenger stations at such hours as such tracks were not needed for passenger trains and come down to present grade level about Fourteenth.
 Depression at Twentieth Street Under these suggestions, viaducts or uhderpasses will not be needed at Twentieth or Eighteenth. Twentieth
 
 elevated tracks, rising as it comes out from under the overhead tracks. Foot passengers, traffic and street cars on Twentieth would cross under the elevated tracks on same street levels.
 It is estimated that this dip, street wide, would not be more than three or four feet deep at lowest bottom. The present street levels will likely be reached by the time the dip has risen south to Crane company's, and to the ladies' waiting room of the Louisville and Nashville on the north.
 In handling this Twentieth street matter the Birmingham Electric com pany could we'll afford to bear a large portion of the cost.
 In addition to the safety equation, they would save the cost of upkeep of frog crossings of railroad tracks.
 In time it is likely that a traffic officer will have to be placed at Eigh- teenth, Nineteenth, Twentieth and Twenty-fourth to handle traffic on this newly opened driveway.
 As to cost of construction:
 Let the city and railroads build the Twenty-fuOrth street viaduct and Four teenth underpass on a 50-50 basis. If this Twenty street viaduct is rebuilt in a permanent manner, extend ing from property line to property line so as to furnish increased and safe traffic for vehicles and foot passengers, it would seem possible that the Louis vile and Nashville and Southern might jointly absorb two-fifths, and the. city one-fifth of its cost, exclusive of such cost as would pertain strictly to track construction and operation.
 The Birmingham Electric company would then have to absorb only the re- maining two-fifths.
 All future maintance and upkeep should be borne by the Birmingham Electric company.
 If not materially widened the Bir- n1ingham Electric company should bear the entire construction cost.
 That antiquated wooden trestle has served it's day.
 The newly organized Electric com pany could well afford for safety, ap- pearance and good will to speedily join in erecting handsome, permAnent and safe yiaduct.
 Our good friends. who own property along Nineteenth, and who made such strong and correct claims as to great increase in their property values, if Nineteenth were opened up across the railroads, might study the above sug- gestions, and if they seem practicable, then in some pro-rata joint way, lend the city a substantial sum at 4 per cent, or even less, to be applied to the city's share of these suggested improvements, until the city can better finance the loan.
 The same would seem to appeal to owners of bushes property on Four teenth, Eighteenth, Twentieth and Twenty south, and on avenues between same.
 As the Louisville and Nashville are expendihg vast sums in this distrist and elsewhere, it would seem reasonable that property holders, who would be tremendously benefited, would rally to the help of the commissioners and take the eity's short time paper at a low rate of interest.
 Increased Values
 The greatly increased value of their respective holdings and increased rents would much exceed any loss of inter- est they might sustain in diseounting the citylS notes.
 If our own people would absorb these notes. 1t would relieve both city and railroads Of possihle aFhbarassmenf and