Charlotte Insists Train Tracks be Lowers at Station, Sept. 6,1926

Charlotte Acts to Get Tracks Lowered. . . Having Ordinance Drawn to Force Southern to Lower Tracks at Station

Charlotte, Sept. 6—Acting upon the instructions of the Charlotte city commissioners, Claud A. Cochran, city attorney, is now prepariang an ordinance making it mandatory on the southern railway system to lower the tracks at the Southern passenger station, thereby eliminating existing grade crossings at Trade street and adjacent thoroughfares.

Through the provisions of the projected ordinance, traffic on Trade, Third and Fifth streets would pass over the tracks of the railroad on bridges, and changes would be made in a number of other thoroughfares.

The decision to pass an ordinance practically forcing the lowering of the tracks came on the heels of the announcement by the railroad officials that a $50,000 system of train sheds would be constructed immediately.

City officials refused to say whether or not they looked on the railway’s announcement as meaning that the railway is planning to sidestep the grade crossing question.

It was interpreted in some quarters, however, that the action by the city was taken as a reminder to the railway that the city will insist on action in the matter.

Mr. Cochran had a conference with high Southern officials early yesterday. Later, he conferred with the commissioners. What bearing his conference had on the action in regard to the ordinance requiring the railroad to lower its tracks could not be learned.

It is certain, nevertheless, that the instructions he received were sudden. There had been no previous intimation that such a course would be pursued.

Following a conference between the commissioners and railway officials early in July, the latter asked for time to survey the tracks with a view toward determining whether lowering or raising the tracks slightly—the latter alternative necessitating streets passing beneath the tracks—would be most feasible.

The date set for the conference following this survey was August 23. The railway announced that the survey had practically been completed several days before this date. The city attorney learned on the 23rd that the figures on the survey would not be ready for about five days. How soon the figures will be ready for the commissioners was not known.

From page 6 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Monday, Sept. 6, 1926

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