New Britain herald., 1925-01-27
PhinuiM Mews
AGREE TO SETTLE RAILROAD MATTER To Install Double Gates and
 Town Will Donate $250 Of Cost DEATH OF MRS. LEON LOOMS

Pythlan Sisters To Install-Falls and
 Breaks Ribs-Recovering From
 Illness--Forcsters Notes-PIain-
 vile Briefs.
 Representatives of both the town of Plainville and the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Co. met this morning In the firemen's rooms In the town hall in conference with regard to settlement of the question of widening of the West Main street railroad crossing. The outcome of the conference was that both par ties agreed to settle the dispute in an amicable manner. The railroad company agrees to widen the cross- ing by installing double gates, nov ing back the switch located there and the gateman's shanty and also to give to the town a small triangu- lar piece of property needed in fix ing the street lines. The town on it's part, according to the agreement as it is on record. will pay up 10 and not more than s250 towards the expense of the work entailed in the matter.
 The question of locating the gate mans shanty on either the south or north side of the crossing was left to the option of the railroad com pany as the town representatives, present felt that no material benc- fit could be derived from a change in the side on which tn shanty will stand and the railroad will place the shanty where the gateman will be enabled to see the best.
 At the hearing were among those present: Paul Sterling, assistant en- gineer for the maintenance of the right of way: J. F. White, trainmas- ter; A, E. Jaeton. assistant engin- eer, and Walter II. Ellis, the local station agent representing the rail- road and Selectmen Edward P. Prior and James Simpson, members of the town plan commission includ- ing John F. Lamb and Frank T. Wheeler. R. L. Seymour. president of the Plainville chamber of com merce, Burton Phelps, Henry Trunl- bull and others. Henry S. Wash burn acted as chairman of the meet ing.
 Selectman Edward P. Prior stated the towns position on the matter when he said that the public utili- ties commission had left the matter open for two weeks or until next Friday in order that the representa- tives of the railroad and of the town could get together in an attempt to settle the matter. He said that three different kinds Of protection were discussed, a tlashlight system which the selectmen think is out of the question; a flag man which is not thought to be enough protection and double gates upon which the selectmen were decided as being the best protection for the traffic both vehicular and pedestrian.
 Mir. Sterling speaking for the rail- road stated that the railroads opin- ion was that a fiagman was better than gates and said that the rail- road would agree to give the town the triangular piece of land in ques- tion, to move the switch and the gateman's shanty without any cost to the town, if the town would agree to do away with the gates and have a fiagman there.
 He stated that all north bound trains stop before reaching the crossing and the south bound traf- fic is very slow at this point. He said that the railroad company would clean up the entire affair If the town would agree to do away with the gates and have a tlagman there.
 He was asked if he would go on record assaying that a t1agman was the best protection for that crossing and he answered that he would go on record as saying that 1t would be as good as gates. He said that moving sign to an autoist would be more attraction than still gates.
 MT. Wheeler stated that he could mt see where a sign about two feet