Year: 1879

A Question Raised Relative to the Cross


ing of Fort Street.


Rumors have been afoat for day or two
to the effect that difference had arisen be-
tween the city authorities and the Milwau-
kee & st. Paul road relative to the crossing
of Fort street by the Minneapolis short line.
The following letter from the city engineer
explains the origin of the trouble:


OFFICE OF CRY ENGINEER, AND ENGINEER OF


BOARD OF PUBLIC Works.


Sr. PAUL, MINI, April 2l, 1879.


Hon. WIN. DAwsoN-Dear Sir: The Milwaukee
and st. Paul Railroad company have made sur
veys for their new line of railroad from st. Paul
to Minneapolis with the apparent intention of
crossing Fort street with their tracks at the
level of the street. The law under which the
company expects to take land for, and to open
this line, requires them to make their grades at
the crossing of streets as the City Council shall
approve.


This street is likely to be more travelled than
any other leading out Of the city, and this line
of railroad may also be expected to have a
greater number Of trains passing over it than
any other railroad line passing through the city.
1t scarcely needs any argument to show the
Importance of having such a railroad crossing
bridged, on the ground of safety.


The chances of an accident, other things
being the same, increase in the proportion of
the number of trains and the amount of traffic
on the highway. If there should be forty
trains day and 400 vehicles crossing the track
in the same time, the risks of an accident
would be 200 times as great as at a crossing of
a country road where there are but trains a
day and 20 vehicles passing.


The line which is understood to have been
adopted by the railroad company crosses Fort
street Is feet north of the north side Of Grace
street and runs for nearly mile in or very
close to this street. This makes it necessary to
have grade crossings to at least ten streets run
ming from Grace street to St Clair street, all
Of which will become necessary to the use of
the property. The established grade Of Grace
street would probably have to be changed and
the grades of the cross streets fixed in a way
less advantageous to the property.


The line in question is not adapted to cross
ing Fort street by bridge either over or under
the street, which would increase the grade for
the railroad from 66 to about 80 feet per mile,
besides increasing the cost of construction.
But if the railroad company locates it's line so
son avenue to Randolph street the railroad can
be bridged over Fort street and over all the
other streets crossed without increasing the
gradient to more than 67 feet per mile and it
is possible to reduce this grade to about 60 feet
if the crossing is made at or near James street.
line street grades COuld all Oe nXed IN the way
most desirable for the accommodation of the
street and property.


The objection on the part Of the railroad
company is increased cost of construction. In
view of the number of streets to be crossed,
| and probably for economy also, it would be
| necessary to build the railroad upon trestle-
| work from 16 feet to 36 feet high across the
| plateau a distance of about 5000 feet. As such
| structure could be crossed anywhere by going
| under, would need no fencing and would occupy
less ground than any other plan for making the
railroad, there ought. to be large saving of The
cost of land and land damages to set off agains
the increased cost of building.


Very Respectfully,


J. s. SEwAL1, City Engineer.


Whatever may be done in the matter it is
to be hoped that the ridiculous trestle worl
proposed will not be adopted. We dom
need any elevated railroads at present.
| Assistant General Manager Gault, of tn
Milwaukee & ST. Paul road came up yester
day to endeavor to adjust matters. Th
I grade which the railroad proposes Is said tx
be three feet below the present grade of tn
street. They design to have station ther'
and stop all trains at Fort street. This will
lessen the likelihood of accidents.