The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-11
Forum Of Tue People
Colonel Motion Discusses Viaducts
the Editor of The Age-Herald :

To the Editor of The Age!Herald:
 I have for. thirty years been deeply inter- ested in seeing the deadly grade crossings in Birmingham eliminated. Ten years ago, while a member of the Chamber of Com merce I threw what influence I had to the Honorable James Weatherly, then one of our three city commissioners, in his determined fight to force the railroads to build via ducts and underpasses as per plans made by the city engineer and an expert employed by the city. The question of endorsing the project came up in the Chamber of Com merce and on motion was indefinitely post poned. But, without the support and back ing of the chamber, MT. Weatherly succeeded in having two viaducts built and the plans for other viaducts and underpasses agreed on.
 Now the city commissioners are again try ing to have the grade crossing eliminated and the Chamber of Commerce has seen fit to bring in General Sibert to tell the city commissioners that he has better plans than any of the city engineers have had. General Sibert says that viaducts on Eighteenth and Twentieth streets with six per cent. grade will serve tbe purpose. MT. Julian Kendrick says anything more than four per cent. grade would not do. l am wondering how the fire engines would go over a six per cent. grade-perhaps General Sibert overlooked the fact that we have monster engines that ire quently pass from one side of the city to the other.
 To the last proposition from General Si- bert that viaduct at Twenty ty-fourth street will serve for some time, l take issue with him. A viaduct at Twenty-fourth street, Of better, one at Twenty third street, should be built. At Twenty-third street much lower grade can be~had and a viaduct there could cross all the railroads, including the Sea board tracks on Avenue A. But it is more i'm portant to provide underpasses at Four teenth, Eighteenth and Twentieth streets; and it seems to me it would be wise to al low the street car company to remove its tracks from Twentieth street and run over the Twenty-first street viaduct. This being done, I think very little depression, if any, on Twentieth street would be necessary for all vehicles to go under the elevated tracks as per plans adopted.
 It seems that no one remembers the writ ten agreement entered into by and between the city and railroads, adopting the plans, except Mir. Weatherly, who is positive that such contract was made. 1 feel absolutely sure Mr. Weatherly is correct about the con tract being made, for l well remember his telling me at the time that the contract was made and the only indefinite part of the agreement was as to when the other viaducts and underpasses would be built He said the roads wanted reasonable time and he agreed with them for the reason that the swar was on. labor scarce and material high.
 This talk about compromise is all bosh, Shame on the citizens of Birmingham who is posted and who knows the great danger to human life who would grant any further delay ill having the danger removed. Shame on any newspaper who would endorse such proposition Shame on the Chamber of Com merce for throwing the slightest obstacle in the way of the commissioners in facing the railroads to do what should have been done thirty odd years ago. am advised that some of our citizens have said that elevated rail road tracks would be unsightly. Surely such citizen, if he be honest, has never visited New York City, Chicago and other cities where there are elevated tracks on the most important streets.
 In conclusion, want to say that the city commissioners and the present city engineers would do well to follow the advice of Julian Kendrick, whom I regard as the ablest mu- nicipal engineer in the South and no better in the world. He was city engineer for Bir- mingham for so great time he knows more about the city than any other living man or dozens of men. Those who read his article. published in your paper of August 21, must be convinced that General Sibert does not understand the situation and did not study every feature of the proposition before he made his report. If General Sibert will read Mir. Hendricks paper I would not be sur prised if he acknowledged his mistake. An honest confession is good for the soul.
 This question is of such vital importance to Birmingham, now and in the future, feel that you might republish Hendricks letter and print every other argument favorable to the viaducts and underpnsses as per the Kendrick- Kirkpatrick Hawkins plans.
 T. Fl. MOLTON.
 Fairhope, Ala, September 6, 1924.