, 1873-09-01
CLARK STREET AND THE ROCK ISL AND RAIL.
ROAD.

General Superintendent Riddle, Of tho Chicago.
Rock Island Pacific IsaroAd, statos, in regard Is
compel them to vacate TINT thorouRhfaro, that tho
twenty years ago but thoy would bo willing to yacate
tie street II tlty could buy tho property they would
need At anything nko reasonable agufo. The Mich
!gan Southern Railroad which also formerly run on
the property III the Of that atrcct and laid their
track thcre. At that time several reaeatato specl-
Norri believing that liz ROCK island i,oad aso IN.
tended TO move, bought up a the property thoy could
acluirc and now hold 1t at o1orbisant figures. Clark
Twontysccond street. because Tint HtrUet md Iii the
surrounding ~ property Is owned by the Company
Chtcago Tribune.
To the Editor af The Chicago Tribune:
s1n: The above statements, 10 far az they re-
Into to Jcnks, Moyors and Norris purchasing
after thoy learned tho Michigan Southern Rail-
1oad had concluded to leave Clark street, are
wholly wrong. jerks l,as owned his lots about
eighteon years; Norris purchased at tile sale by
tho Canal TruRteos, about twenty yoars ago.
And in asuorting that thoy ask oxorbitant
figures for their lots, do not think Mr. Riddle
Btates tho truth. No application has ever boen
made to oithor Jonks. Meyers, or Norris by
any Of tho officers Of the Railroad Company to
purchase or rent their lots. The President Of
tho railroad has repeatedly promised to loaye
Clark Btroot, both to committees Of tho citlzens
Interested, and to individuals owning property
along tho Htroot. h1r. Norris was induced to
build, and has spent about $40, 900 in improye-
nonts on hH lots, which hu would not have done
but for tue promise OF the President of tho rail-
roal that they would take thoir track out soon,
and tho promise Of Superintendent Hull that
they woro to moyo tloir track Immediately from
tho Btreot. 1onrn that proof Of thia fact will
be forthcoming ut tho proper tilne.
Ftbn M{rHf{rnIh I~1,
tttlo to the land 90 foot woBt OF Cark gtreot and
the right OF way ACROSS tho streets (of which tho
Rock Island Rairoad own q half.interest), by
misrepresentation, both to the citizens of whom
whom thoy obtained tho privilege to orosB the
BtrootB, stating the traok was to DO taken from
Clnrk street, which Nus ono Of the principal in-
ducomonta for tho grants.
Superintendent Riddle appears to have Bo!eot-
cd Jonks Norris, and Meyers out of tho many
sufferers OIL Clark Hsreet, for what roaBou know
not, unless because tloy nro tbs purBoua who
have oftoner boen doceiyod, and who have Buf-
officers Of tho road. Mr. Riddle appears to
think, because the ltailroad Company lnyo had
tho uHo OF tho street for nearly twouty years
without paying therefor, that 1t is hard for thom
to be Obliged to loaye y now. 1 presume hc
Obliged to pay anything for lind for their own
uso,-tlloy running, ah ho would giYo ,,B 10 ,,l,-
dorataud. wllnlly for tue benetit of tho public.
I proHnnie A0 would think It hard for the com-
pany to purchase, or be Obliged to pay ront for,
tho ground oil which their watch and switch
houses stand, as tho city autloritios have taken
no notion to move them 10 TINT teams could paBs
along the street. Individuals arc not allowed in
any way to obatruct tho Btroot, but railroad
may with impunity. Mr. Riddle talks as though
1t waa right, regardless OF tho intcrest Of III
dtviduals, for tho Company to take possession
OF amt hold all the property tho Company mood,
elHe it would mover take without compensation
iss noighbora property. aud rent its own to pri-