City is loser every day while harbor is shut off by deadly level crossings.

For ten long years agreement by railways to viaduct plan has remained futile "scrap of paper," precluding industrial possibilities, preventing street car extension and making entry to waterfront exasperating and dangerous.

Is this to go on for ever and ever?

What is the viaduct plan for the abolition of the disgraceful conditions which obtain on the Toronto waterfront? This is the question being asked by thousands of citizens, roused at last from their apathetic consideration of this vital problem and banding themselves together to obtain relief from a situation which has grown intolerable. Public bodies and private citizens are being awakened to the need for definite action if the heritage of their fair city is to be preserved, and with this waking spirit comes a desire for more complete information, not only on the present evils, which are obvious, but on the means which have been devised to overcome them.

Viaduct agreed upon.

In 1913 an agreement was signed by the city of Toronto and the Harbor Commissioners on one side, and the Canadian Pacific and Grand Trunk Railways on the other. This agreement provides for the construction of a viaduct, employing the principle of grade separation which would allow complete access to the waterfront of Toronto without the danger of crossing the main lines of the railways. The agreement was later sanctioned by the Dominion Railway Board.

According to the 1913 plan, six tracks are to be elevated, these tracks to carry all the through traffic. Certain tracks for switching purpose were to remain at the street level east of the business centre, but all switching on them was to be done at night, except in the case of the handling of perishable freight. In this instance the switching was to be done by an engine carrying a special crew of flagmen, in order that the traffic crossing the tracks might be interfered with as little as possible.

At the western end the viaduct, according to the plans, beings to rise just west of Bathurst street, and reaches its proper level at York street. It then continues along the waterfront to the point where the railway tracks cross Queen street in the East End, then slopes down, reaching the street level again at Logan avenue, Bridges over the tracks would be built at Bathurst street, Spadina avenue and John street, as through this district the viaduct gradually rises. York street, Bay street, Yonge street, and all streets to the east as far as the downward slope, would be subways, passing under the tracks.

Safe and sane plan.

It can be readily seen from the above description that the viaduct would provide complete and free access to all of the important devel-

(Continued on Page 14, Column 6.)

Results