, 1874-05-31

sheytnc Of experimental financial legislation re-
yiyal CT interest in al the legitimate channels Of
trade, not the least result Of which Will be t1hieited
In this market.
CORRESPONDENCE.
wADABu AVENUE srREET-RAILwAY.
TO tbs Editor qf Tbs Chicago Tribune:
SIN: street-railwny on Wabash avenue from
Lake street to Twenty second street is, perhaps,
more important question than a cursory view
of the subject would seem to indicate. At all
events it should not be decide dafirmatively With
out proper investigation and due consideration.
It must bs remembered that Wabash avenue is
100 feet wide between the points named, and is,
to all intents and purposes, the broadway OF
the city-the grand link connecting the large
and constantly increasing populous district south
of Twenty-second etreet With the business cen
tre Of Chicago and the West and North Divi-
sions :hat it is constantly sought and
monopolized by vehicles Of every character and
description public and priyate engaged in traffic
aud travel, pleasure and business. from every
portion OF tho city, and is destined ero long to
become thus occupied and used, and crowded to
it's utmost capacity. It has thus grown to =
great public highway, not only on account Of its
capaciousness and eligible situation, but from
the stern necessity Of the case State and Clark
st1eets-main thoEoughfaFes-have been taken
Tor etreet-railways, which have pretty much
monopolized them, at least 80 as to compel
traffic and travel to concentrate on Wabash
avenue in order to escape the annoyance, inter-
ference, collisions ETC.. OF street-railroad tracks
and cars for all time to come, ns has been fond
1y anticipated.
But now it seems efforts are making to change
this admirable arrangement. Wabash avenue
must also be taken for strect-railways according
on, who seem to think that this innovation and
intrusion should bs left solely to their caprices
.as b LII
thoroughfares under public ownership, ,super-
vision, and custody, represented by the iegisla-
tive authority OF the city, centered in the Com
mon Council thereof. These gentlemen, or pc
that their land fzontages on No
any more or superior rights privileges,
OF immunities on, in, or to this roadway than
other citizens whose lots and residences are sit
uated elsewhere within the city limits. And they
certainly know, OF ought to observe, that there
are thousand other citizens to one OF them
selves who use this avenue for pleasure. traffic,
and travel, and resort thereto because the road
is broad free from cars and tracks, and is about
the only highway running north and south 10"
lett for their convenience and accommodation.
The public, therefore, have rights and interests
in the determination OF this question, which
cannot be ignored or rsubordinated- Wabash az
enuo, between Lake and Twenty-second streets,
is ~ miles long and 100 feet wide Forty feet OF
this wealth are occupied by the sidewslks, ieav-
ing GO feet roadway. The proposed railway
double-tzack-win consume some 20 fest; the
strip adjacent to the sidewalks for standing ve-
hiclcs and horses will consume at least 10 teet
more, thus contracting the roadway to rs feee
for clear sailing. Hence the conclusion Is fnev-
table that the question Of constructing double
track railway on this magnificent thoroughfa1e
involves the destruction. of it for the uses and
purposes for which 1t is now taken, and to which
it is destined at no distant period to
be crowded to its utmost capacity.
The street-railroads having driven this immense
travel and traffic to this capacious avenue on &C
| count Of their monopoly Of two other main ar
teries, now grayely propose to the good people
| Of Chicago to aeize its only and !ast footnolo
and that, too, without particle OF necessity ~
State and Clark streets afford them ample room
and accommodations for the present and all fu-
But what are the reasons assigned for this
proposed movement It il said that II. 0o0 feet
Of land abutting on the avenue have been ropre-
sss ssats4 sy .na a'Ha osHsrs sisq saa esssed
tho Common Council, asking an ordinance
for this purpose. As before remarked these
gentlemen's voices should reach no further nor
haro any more weight than that OF other clti-
zens ia tho determination of matter Of the
gravest Importance TO the whole CITY, Ine8e
gentlemen imagine that, if some twenty feot OF
this street we're taken for railway, their lots
would be sooner needed for business houses.
HOW this will help business on Wabash avenue
anv more than the State street cars one square
/ west help It now, is one Of those peculiar mys-
teries which is hard to understand, especially
when it is considered that the state esreet uacAs,
owing to their connections, will continue to
have superior facilities in this respect over
tracks running from Lake to Iwenty~eecona
street on tho avenue. It ls nothing to algas
from State street car and VALE one sqaaie
east to transact business on Wabash avenue.
Hence the Inter has already al the advantages
| clnimed from this source from parallel con
| tiruous, and tributary street. Within stones
throw those petitioners have the very grant sheJ
eo1f1arAtipp OF the tfG-
mendous benefits RccrulnB TO their properly
from the immense transit and travelling business
constantly increasing on this avenue IN conse-
uuence Of the absence OF the very thing they
saen1 90 anxious TO place permanently thereon.
The truth is, and might ~ we'll be.proclalmed,
| Wabash arenue south of Harrison street will
| mt bo needed for business houses for many
years hence, and north Of this point tho initia-
| ,naneut and fourishing business quarters must
necessarily move slowly but surely. This growth,
iii ths trucks and cars removed from State
street thereto would In no "lse hasten.
| Il business on State street south Of Adams
| benefited by the railroad thereon 1s Madison
street thus benefited west OF the river, or
Clark north Of the river? We're not all
cur business M streets maae e. =, epen their
peculiar location and wants Of populous vtcini-
ties There is district whose business is greatly
benefited from the street~railways converg1ng
thereto and diveEglng therefrom TO ana from az
narts Of the city, bounded by the lake. river, and
| Adams street. But how much OF the present
traffic and travel now concentrated on Wabash
avenue would be driven thereffom IN conse-
quence OF thi. proposed innovation and intrusion
| r1non thoEoughfare scarcely now commodiouB
| enough to accommodate it conveniently and
| safely. leaving out Of the calculation future
! wants and pressure from this sou[cef Ana
where will it go7 State and Clark streets,
contiscated and monopollzed BY the railways
seeking now tho wides: and best Of all the high