that the cost of the proposed alterations and changes and elimination of grade crossings, including the purchase of the lands necessary therefor, be at the entire expense of the railroad company.

Said petition also proposed to alter the location of the line of said railroad northerly of Brookfield Junction station so as to change the radius of its curves, the width of its layout, the extent of its depot grounds, its slopes and embankments, to straighten and improve its lines and to add to the number of its main tracks.

The highway leading from Brookfield Center to New Fairfield is to be carried over the tracks and location of the new line of railroad constructing over the railroad a highway bridge having a width of twenty feet and a clear headroom of eighteen feet.

The highway next northerly of the highway leading from Brookfield Center to New Fairfield is to be discontinued and closed within the limits of the railroad location, constructing southerly from said highway a new highway on the easterly side of the railroad location connecting with the highway leading from Brookfield Center to New Fairfield.

All the work incident to these changes to be done by the railroad at its own expense.

TOWN OF COLUMBIA.

Safford's Crossing.

The New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company on the 12th day of March, 1910, brought a petition for the elimination of a grade crossing on the New England Railroad about two miles westerly of Willimantic, known as Safford's Crossing, in the town of Columbia, by constructing a new section of highway about five hundred feet in length northerly of the existing highway, and connecting with the existing highway on the northerly side of the railroad location at or near the easterly bank of the Columbia River, and connecting with a highway leading from Willimantic to Columbia on the southerly side of the railroad location nearly opposite the present railroad crossing, carrying said highway over the tracks and location of the railroad and constructing over said railroad a highway bridge with a clear headroom of eighteen and one-fourth feet and a width of twenty feet.

After various hearings, on May 18, 1910, we issued an order directing said company to make such of the aforesaid changes as lie southerly of the Hop River bridge, at its own expense, the towns of Columbia and South Coventry agreeing to raise the bridge over the Hop River to an elevation corresponding to the change in grade of the highway herein ordered.

TOWN OF SIMSBURY.

The New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company presented a petition for the elimination of three grade crossings on the line of the New Haven & Northampton Company in the Town of Simsbury near the Weatogue Station, which was heard at various times and decided on April 9, 1910, directing said railroad to construct a new highway on the southeasterly side of said railroad and carrying said highway over the tracks of said railroad on a bridge with a span of forty-three feet between abutments and eighteen feet in the clear above the roadbed of said tracks, and upon the completion of said bridge and said new highway and the connection ordered between the Simsbury and Avon road and the road to Canton, as directed in said order, the existing grade crossings of the Weatogue and Avon road at Weatogue Station and of the Canton road were each to be discontinued and closed on the line of the Company's right of way, the expense of the changes ordered to be borne by the railroad company.

TOWN OF GRISWOLD.

Upon the 15th day of April, 1910, the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company brought a petition for the elimination of two highway crossings at grade, on the Norwich & Worcester Branch, in the Town of Griswold, three-fourths of a mile north of Jewett City by discontinuing and closing within the limits of the railroad location the highway leading from Jewett City to Plainville and constructing a new highway twenty-five feet in width on the easterly side of the existing highway about nine hundred feet in length connecting with the existing highways on either side of the railroad location carrying said new highway over the railroad location and tracks by a highway bridge twenty feet in width with a clear headroom of twenty-two feet.

On May 6, 1910, we issued an order directing the aforesaid change to be made at the sole expense of the railroad company.

TOWN OF NEWTOWN.

Hawley, Houlihan, Crossing West of Tunnel and Brenan's

Crossing.

On the 21st day of April, 1910, the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company brought its petition asking for certain changes in the line of the New England Railroad Company extending easterly from the Hawleyville Station in the Town of Newtown to the tunnel, so-called, which changes involved the

elimination of four grade crossings of said line in said Town of Newtown known as Hawleys Crossing, Houlihans Crossing, Crossing west of tunnel and Brenans Crossing. Also to alter the location of said line of railroad between the points heretofore named so as to change the radius of its curves, the width of its layout, the extent of its depot grounds, slopes and embankments and to straighten and improve its lines and add to the number of its main tracks, as more particularly described in said application.

It was also proposed to alter the location of the line of the Housatonic Railroad Company, formerly so-called but now known as the Berkshire Branch, between Hawleyville and Botsford Station so as to change the radius of its curves, the width of its layout, the extent of its depot grounds, slopes and embankments, and to straighten and improve its lines and add to the number of its main tracks, to wit: to construct a double track between the points above mentioned and to eliminate all the existing grade crossings between Hawleyville and Botsford Station in said Town of Newtown.

On the 28th day of May, 1910, we issued an order authorizing in detail the foregoing changes in the lines of said railroad and the elimination of the grade crossings on the lines so changed, and approving the taking of such lands as were found necessary for said changes and alterations, at the sole expense of said railroad company.

TOWN OF NEWTOWN.

The New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company brought a petition for elimination of a grade crossing located about one hundred feet westerly of the North Newtown Station on the line of the New England Railroad by discontinuing and closing the portion of the existing highway lying within the limits of the railroad location, and constructing a new highway westerly of the existing highway about eight hundred feet in length and twentyfive feet in width connecting at each end with the existing highway and carrying said new highway under the railroad location and tracks through a bridge with a clear headroom of thirteen feet and a width of twenty-five feet between the abutments.

After various hearings, on May 6, 1910, an order was issued by us directing the foregoing changes to be made at the sole expense of the railroad company, with an amendment on May 12, 1910, specifying more particularly the grades of the new highway to be constructed.

BRANFORD STEAM RAILROAD.

PETITION FOR ELIMINATION OF CROSSING IN NORTH BRANFORD.

On May 12, 1910, the Selectmen of the Town of North Branford presented to us the following petition; viz.:

"Your petitioners are Selectmen of the Town of North Branford. The Branford Steam Railroad Company purporting to act under the authority of a resolution amending the charter of the Damascus Railroad Company, passed by the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut, on July 16, 1907, the objections of the Governor notwithstanding, has located its railroad across the main highway in the Town of North Branford, at grade. In view of the fact that the local authorities of North Branford have already approved the location of the Shore Line Electric Railway Company in said highway, and in view of the fact that said highway is used by automobiles and horse drawn vehicles to a great extent, we are of the opinion that public safety requires an alteration of such grade crossing of the Branford Steam Railroad Company and respectfully request a hearing by your Honorable Body in accordance with the provision of Section 4 of said amendment of the charter of the Damascus Railroad Company and the passage of an order that said railroad shall be carried over or under said highway."

The foregoing petition was heard by the Commissioners on May 18, 1910, and was continued from time to time until June 20, 1910, and on June 30, 1910, we issued the following finding:

"This petition is brought under Section 4 of the amendment to the charter granted to the Damascus Railroad Company by the General Assembly in 1907, which section reads as follows: in the event that the railroad commissioners shall determine, at any time, after hearing, that public safety requires an alteration in any grade crossing and shall order said railroad to be carried over or under any highway, the entire expense of such alteration shall be borne. by said railroad company.'"

"For reasons more fully given in the approval of the location of the Branford Steam Railroad Company (See page 14) we believe that this petition cannot properly be brought by the petitioner at this time (as neither the Branford Steam Railroad Company nor

the Shore Line Electric Railroad Company are yet built and in operation on said highway). We cannot, therefore, accede to the mandate of the General Assembly specifically authorizing the constructing of the steam railroad at grade at this point without at the same time dismissing this application."

TOWN OF WINDSOR.

Kennedy Crossing.

The New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company presented a petition dated May 26, 1910, asking for the elimination of a grade crossing known as Kennedy road about one mile north of the Windsor Station, by carrying the existing highway over the location and tracks of the railroad, constructing over the railroad a highway bridge having a clear headroom of eighteen feet and a width of twenty feet as more particularly shown on plans presented at said hearing, which was held on June 13, 1910.

On July 1, 1910, we issued an order directing said company to make the alterations and changes described in said petition and approved the taking of such land as was found necessary for the elimination and change of said grade crossing, the whole to be done at the expense of said railroad company.

TOWN OF NEWTOWN.

On the 22d day of July, 1910, the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company presented a petition to this Board asking for the annulment of the order issued by us on February 1, 1893, concerning changes to be made in two highways in the Town of Newtown crossing the tracks of the Housatonic Railroad Company and the New York & New England Railroad Company easterly of Hawleyville Station.

The petition was heard by us on July 27, 1910, when after hearing all the parties, we ordered the finding of this Board, dated February 1, 1893, to be annulled as said orders have been superseded by subsequent orders of this Board concerning the same crossings.

TOWN OF NORTH WINDHAM.

Camp Station.

The New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company brought its petition dated July 30, 1910, asking for the modification of an order dated June 24, 1909, requiring the construction of a new highway passing under the tracks of the Providence Branch