July 16, 1929 – JSA to C.H. Lewis (Corporation Counsel)
Dear Mr. Lewis:
I wish to acknowledge your letter of the 19th. Since a conflict in traffic signals had a very direct bearing on this accident, it seems only fair that I should have another talk with Commissioner Golden before I take any further action, and will endeavor to write you in this connection in a few days.
Very truly yours, JSApperson
CC – Commissioner Golden
Dear Ted:
You have had so many suggestions on traffic signals that I have refrained from bothering you further and did not enter my claim at the time of the accident referred to in the above.
I am sure you will be glad to know that the City could at a very nominal sum install a flickering red light or other safe-guards at a few of the worst places in the city, which has been done in a number of other cities. I am sure you will agree that it is basically wrong to have a green arrow or a green light to go ahead and somewhere in the distance, mixed up with a lot of other noises and in close proximity with the railway a sound indicating that motorists should not go ahead. This last signal appears very infrequently.
I have it on good authority that the cost to safeguard life and property at Union and Erie Boulevard is less than the damage experienced in this one accident, and naturally I feel that the City is negligent in allowing both life and property to be endangered when such a small amount of money could be spent to safeguard it. This does not of course mean that similar expenditures would have to be made all over the city.
I will try to drop in and hand this to you in person since you may prefer to talk this over with me rather that be burdened with additional correspondence on this very troublesome subject, which has no doubt been very troublesome to you.
Cordially yours,