All hands working, but little progress on crossings danger.

Railway Board Commissioners and city representatives come together.

Plans in two months?

Hon. Frank B. Carvell, Chairman of the Board of Railway Commissioners for Canada, told R. C. Harris, Commissioner of Works in Toronto, at the sitting of the board yesterday in the City Hall, that he hoped that he would hear something from Mr. Harris in four weeks regarding the progress of the conferences leading to plans for the elimination of the level crossings on Bloor street west.

Mr. Carvell asked Mr. Harris to tell him how negotiations were progressing, and Mr. Harris said that the task had proved bigger than he anticipated. He hoped to have something to report in about four weeks, he said, in so far as the city was concerned.

Agreement only.

Mr. Carvell said that there was an impression that the railway companies and the city had been ordered to have these plans ready. That was not so. There was an agreement among the parties to have these plans ready. He said he hoped that the two railway companies and the city would lose no time in arriving at something that can be placed before the board for decision.

Ald. Fred McBrien, who, was A. Greenhill, President of the Ward Six Ratepayers' Association, was present ready to plead the cause of grade separation, asked if it was possible to fix a definite time within which the plans were to be made ready for submission tot he board.

Plans too big for hurry.

"You can't prepare plans for a million-dollar transaction and hurry the thing up as fast as you like," said Mr. Carvell. The board, he said, had laid down the principle that these crossings were dangerous. He did not think the time had come yet to say: "You must have plans ready by a certain time." The board would expect an answer from Mr. Harris in a month, "and we will keep this matter going just as rapidly as possible."

Ald. McBrien again urged setting a time limit, suggesting two months to give plently of leeway over the tentative suggestion of one month. Mr. Carvell replied that one simply could not unduly hurry plans of this nature. If the board ordered the plans to be ready they would be ready, but perhaps not completed. He accepted it as a fact, he continued, that the officials of the city of Toronto were pressing the matter as fast as they could.

"But what about the railways?" asked Mr. Greenhill.

"The city has charge," said Mr. Carvell.

Not only danger spot.

Mr. Greenhill asked if the board had power to order an extra man on duty at the gates on Sundays and other days at 5 o'clock to help look after traffic. Mr. Carvell said the board had that power. If only for the safety of the people then , urged Mr. Greenhill, "let us have that much until the plans are ready." Mr. Carvell replied that this crossing was not the only place in Canada where there was traffic congestion. "Don't think you are the only place," he said. He suggested that Mr. Greenhill take this matter up with G. R. Geary, K.C., Corporation Counsel, and if Mr. Geary thought further protection was needed he could come to the board or go to the railways.

"We are pressing the matter," said Mr. Geary. "We are pressing them at every point."

"Mr. Harris, we hope to hear from you in a month as to what progress you have made," said Mr. Carvell, and that ended the sitting.

Mr. Harris is expecting to enter into further conferences immediately with the railways. It is likely, if tentative plans are agreed upon, that the board will hold a special sitting in Toronto, probably in August.

Other matters dealt with.

Application of the town of Mimico for a highway across the tracks of the Canadian National Railways was granted, on condition that the town paid for the construction.

The application of Brant county for an order directing the G.T.R. To construct a proper undercrossing [illegible] the St. George or Dumfries road was decided by the board ordering its engineer to make a report, which report will be submitted to both parties.

The former order respecting the apportionment of cost of the subway construction on Bloor street east or Danforth avenue remains unchanged, the board decided.

Railways: G.T.Ry.

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