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Home My WebLink About08/23/1937 Board of Public Safety Minutes 132 � � MEETNtG August 23, 1937 � � � Regulnr meeting of the Bo�rd of Public Safetp tvas held on 11�onday, August 23, 1937, at 9:00 A. 1�1I. Mr. Woodward was absent. �ginu-tes of the previous meetin, were read and approved. Rsquisitions in the Police Department numbers 806 to 811 and in the Fire Department numbers 03811. to 038i6, inclusive, were approved. Claims in the amount of' �406.09 , from the following suppliers, were approved and ordered paid, also nayroll of' the earious departments amounting to �19,257.66. Hibberd Printing Co. �61.50 Scherman-Schaus-Freernan Co. �77.78 Frank S. Andrews 24.45 Scherruan-Schaus-Freeman Co. 4.72 Frank S. Andrews 25.92 Elkhart Brass i.�fg. Co. 3.30 Wash A Bill Ca. 13.03 Richey Radiator Service 3.00 C. H. Hanson Co. 3.5J Kaylor HolMan Co. 2.50 Edwards Tron 4Vorks 5.2? City V�ater Vdorks .45 Scherman-Schaus-Free�nan Co. 15.59 National Comp�.ny, Inc. 140.09 Harold A. Whitmer 25.00 ELECTRICA� DEPARTT�IF�T - P.4r. �,ualls �resent: Matters pertaining to the operation of the �lectrical Department were diseussed with Mr. Qualls. FIRE DEPARTT�IIlVT - Chief Freeh present: Matters pertaining to tne o�eration of the Fire Depart�aent were discussed with the Chief. P4LICE DEP.ARTivIE�Ti T - Chief Lane present: The Chief submitted a cor�nunication addressed to hiTn by City Traffic Ehgineer Ernest Mill.er with reference to a request of the South Shore for installin� stop signs on Olive Street, Birdsell Strset and Hydraulic Avenue. Mr. i�liller's recor�endation is as follows, and a copy of this was ordered sent to the South Shore Railroad Company asking far their further suggestions. "I have investigated the request of the South Shore Railroad Comnany for installing stop signs on Olive Street, Birdsell Street and Hydraulic Avenue where the South Shore Railroad crosses these streets. I find that at the Olive Street crossin� we have illuminated signs which read "Stop R.R. ". These signs have a red reflector in the center which is illuminated at nibht. At the Birdsell Street crossin�, we have Chicago T�/Iotor Club railro�d signs, �rrhich read "Railroad Crossing Stop". This sign is of the warnin� tyne. At Hydraulic Avenue there is no control at present. The accident experience at tnese crossings during the past three years shows that the only collisions with South Shore trains occurred at the Olive Street crossing. Here we had two accidents. One occurred in 1936 and one in 1937. Both accidents oceurred when motorists going north on Olive skidded on icy pavement and into the South Shore train. Obedience to the signs at Olive Street is very poor, because the regulation is too extreme. That is, we are asking on an average of 130 motor vehicles every liour on Olijre Street to make a complete stop at the rr�ilroad crossing, when onl�r two trains cross this street every hour. To install regulation sto?a signs at this crossing would not obtain any better obedience after a short time th�n the signs now in use. My recommendatian in the matter would be to remove the word "Stoptt from the present signs at Olive Street and to install stop signs on Orange Street at Olive. The South Shore Railroad runs east and west down the center of Orange Street. This would mean that the Sou�h Shore train as wel]. as motor vehicles on Orange would be required to make a eomplete stop for traffic on Olive Street. 1�3 � Another method to reduc� the possibility of accidents at the Olive Street crossing would be for the South Shore Railroad Company to install automatic flashing signals at this crossing. This would warn motvrists on Olive Street of the approaching train and require them to stop. There is very little traffic on Birdsell Street, and visibilit,� at this crossin� is fairly good, so no change at this crossing is necessary. At Hydraulic Avenue and LaSalle Avenue stop signs should be installed on Hydraulie Avenue, as visibility at this intersection is very poor. This stop sig� would serve two purposes. It would require motorists on Hydraulic to stop for vehicular traffic on LaSal].e as well as for the South Shore trains an LaSalle Avenue." Traffic �gineer Miller reported a traffic hazard at William and �donroe Streets an.d suggested that the stop signs be changed, removing the sign from the southeast corner of William Street and placing it at the northeast corner on �fonroe Street. The Board coneurred in this recommendation and ordered the change made, but in addition requested Mr. �Ziller to investi�ate the interseetion of Willi am Street and Z�Iadison Street where the same condition exists. Surety bond in favor of Officer Leonard Krulewitch was approved by the Board. V�rEIGHTS & PIIEASURES DEPARTIt�Il�TT - PJIr. Burns present: Mr., Burns submitted his report of the activities of his depart- ment for the week o�' August 21st, shovring 165 inspections made. This report is on file in the office of the Board_ of Public Safety. The meetin� adjourned� at 10: 30 A. M. � ^ Chairman ATTEST: Clerk