Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1937-03-25
THE UNDERPASS

| In regard to the underpass, I wish
on behalf of myself and the City Ad-
/ ministration, to bring to you some
| facts which caused the project to be
| constructed.
| The Administration believes the pro-
! ject worth while and had I not,
would not have spent over twenty-five
days out of the City comforting with
Government, railway officials and
highway engineers to get this project
approved. Practically all of my ex-
penses in connection with this SER
vice were borne by me personally.
AS far back as 1928, a desire had
been expressed for an underpass in
Henderson and in April of that year a
petition was filed with the City Coun-
I Gil as follows:
1--WE, the undersigned citizens and
tax payers respectfully petition and
! ask your honorable body to order
! the construction of an underpass
| under the S. A. L. railroad leading
/ from Charles Street to Garrett
| Street."
( This petition was signed by one hun
| dred twenty citizens who were among
| the most influential, prominent and
| the largest tax payers. They were
| statesmen, bankers, doctors, lawyers,
] druggists, cotton mill officials, mer-
| chants, tobacconists and persons en-
T gagged in many other occupations
names signed to this petition. This
| petition is on record in the City
Clerks office.
AT the May meeting of the Council
in 1928, the following ordinance was
adopted:
Whereas, the City Council finds
as a fact that the main line of the
Seaboard Air Line Railway Com
pany runs through the most popu-
lous business and residential Sec
ton of the City of Henderson. and
the tracks of the Seaboard Air Line
Railway Company and Southern
Railway Company practically di-
vide the City of Henderson in half
and cross the Street with eight 80
grade crossings.
That large number of pedes-
TRANS and automobiles are COM
PEELED to pass and repass over these
grade crossings each day. And on
account of the number of trains and
the amount of shifting that is done
over the grade crossings in the City of
Henderson, traffic is not only block
ed and the use of the public streets
restricted and seriously impeded,
but travel in the City of Hender-
son rendered dangerous to both life
and property of the travelling pub
lie on foot and in vehicles.
This Council further finds that
IS L. -%~
the safety and protection of the
lives and property of the citi ems
and travelling public of the CITY of
Henderson, N. c., that it is neces-
slty to have at least two underpass-
es under the railroad tracks of the
Seaboard Air Line Railway Com
pany and the Southern Railroad
company in the City of Henderson,
whereby vehicles of all kinds and
pedestrians can at all times pass
under the said railroad tracks in
safety.
Wherefore, the City Council of
the City of Henderson do ordain.
lst That the Seaboard Air Line
Railway Company is hereby ordered
and commanded to erect and build
at It's own expense, an underpass
under its main line and tracks from
the intersection of Charles and Will
liam Streets etc.
Vote: Ayes-Powell, Parrish, Bur
well, Clements Chavasse, Peace.
Hunt, Walters.
The ordinance also ordered the s. |
A. l.. Railway Company and the Sou !
thern Railway Company to build an
underpass at Spring Street crossing.
FOR some reason not known to the !
writer the two underpasses were not
built.
In 1894, President Roosevelt in his
effort to relieve unemployment had
congress to pass a bill allocating
FUNDS for a grade separation program.
This money was given the highway
commission of each state to be spent
Ior underpasses and nothing else.
Inc North Carolina Highway Com
mission in 1885 set aside to the s. A
=. Railway Co., for it's North Carolina
iiVlslon $621,OOO as it's part of this
una. therefore, it was necessary to
secure the approval of the railway Of
lclals first. The railroad companv.
nrough its Vice-President Mr.. w. 7.
'tanley, suggested to your Mayor that
Win the cooperation of the Citv of
henderson and the highway commits
ion, that an underpass might be built
henderson. It was then necessary
o secure the approval of the high
way commission, which was given
me location of the underpass. after
Tue consideration and investigation
vas made by the United States Gov,
rnment and the State Highway Com
mission engineers with the consent Of
he railroad company. -
When this project was being con-
loered by the railroad company it
vas endorsed in letters written ~ 49,