, 1874-02-23
THE LAKE-FR0NT QUESTION.
Letters from G.. w. Miller md
". n. rnley.
Letter from, MIR. q. w. miller.

olh -Ao l%to utscHBbtoh or tic Inke-frona
question has not boon, iii my Judgment, nj
thoronsIh and comprehensive aB tho magnitude
mid Importance 'of tho subject doinanl> 10,
reHch'ng m inta!Iigont ald iudioious conclusion
10 ASCERTAIN tho valuo Of tho tAroe squares
sought by tho ttro0 failroads Is mat.
ter subseq,l cut and secondary to tho prior md
moro importanE q,tory, wlipthor 1t would lto prl1:
don't and advisable, In Wow Of prenont ciro,,n,.
stances and Future. doyolopmonts, to dispose oil
tic property TO those Companies at nil,
Tho financial aspect Of tho question Inns boon
confined 30 fnr, 10 tllo Nero aBcortninniont Of
the present yalue Of tho roaty involved, without
tnlng into consideration an inquiry whether I,
different disposition Of 1t won1tt bring
SUPERIOR racuN1ARY ADVANTAGES.
Poor timc md policy 90 soon after tho dc6truc-
Ion OF s20o. 900, 900 Of sa1uatleH, to attempt to
nx just price of ground III tho course Of toyol-
opment from tho rcco Instruction Of buildings and
business. It IL tim6' enough to incur 'aacri-
tccs when tho municipal oxchequor droops
go low that it's roploninf,niont by taxation bo-
comes immacticablo and intolorablo. Who would
undertake to compute tho yaluo of thoso threo
squares fyo Years honcb, WHOM the grosat hrbor
now building by tho Unitisd statoa for our nc
cou,molation Hhall haye Leen flushed, and the
strooss Auditing Michigan s,yonuo extended to It
and properly inpro,icd, ind when tho. cnlargo-
nscnt Of tio Canadidn catalB sl1nli BIZ >aimuta-
reously completed, With tho gratl Inauguration
of our Eurbpean commerce hid 'Aaiatfo tfanH-
shipments Would 'e3,o0000O bo' doemcl III,
oxtruvagant figure nts,loh q pdeiod for this
property? Ifnot, surely tho Finances Of this
metropolis could afford to await oyoilts 10 noar
at at hana repeo ith such peean1ary ronso
II tic Computes seeking these grounds arc
hurrfnr, with a
union depot, why not commence itB erection now
on THEIR OLD SITE,
stretching Home 500 foot from South, Water to
Kandolph atrooh afrording ample spa:o for, and
Hadly needing, silch MI Improvement aud ndorn-
mont? Il the ns,swer to this query TO- ho found
IN frantic otforlB to secure continuation of
"yeested rlghts" vouclsafed by the Lake Trout
nct2 y tis tho renson oG, ct a,a sic t9nac'o cling
elai1n," tho idoiticnl language Of Tie bill !?
Would tlloy thus prepare for hottor anil futltro
assertion and enforcement Of tho grants. fran-
chisos, md fees, on their bohalf,' coiitaihcd
Hut let liz examine further tho financial aspect
Of tho question. With tho completion Of our
Broat harbor and 1tp docks, and tho oxte9.non Of
tl'o streets hisherwara, the Canaaian 'canRls
naI,orol in, Clcngo would then l,o III position
20 dispose OF these su1nrou to tho best adynnt-
:ago; in fact, aho would bo compelled to COLI
siBu
to business purposes, beginning ut tho north
end. What would tic !, 300 feet Of north mid
south frontage Of these grounds, wanted now
by Tho railroads, be worth TO the bnsictss-con.-
mud nlagnilcortly, what would this and, with is
improvements alId personal ,aluablcs. bo worth
for municipal. tazation7 plaeo tho: total
Ut S15o~eoe yi''dnag q the s,s SvSr; 6
auuny and eouuousp to tho ss: cy rrsssury
whereas, for railroad purposes, MS contemplated,
this constant stream, Of roycl,uo would cease,
or rather neror start, as the grounds and grind
taxation" IN tho faco Of such figures porpetu-
ally maintained as an income, Low
rALTny AND INSIGNIFICANT
does tho sllnl Of 580U,00 become Eventually
snccumb TO tho pressure Of busneas, with like
results to tho clty's finances. But devote tile
three squares to lepot-pnrpoacs, nutl tho residue
Of tho lako-Parz is ruined aud blasted forever;
ed xtl, ita hro.4 leAi"e into tho ely
oxchclnor, would never l>e Witnessed, much less
realized in perfect frution by tho latest gonora-
tIOn. ~ ''f '.t.-
In the near future. ts,o people Of Chicago will
have to consider and determine another point Of
primo necessity and importance to their com
1nerce and prosperity; Tho General Govern
mcnt, ae hereoforo observed, will finish, in soma
tho city; our streets will bo extended aud i'm
proved thereto tho Canadian enlargement
Will bo completed simultaneously. Everything
would tl1cn scoln to DO in readiness for succosa-
fully inaugurating for Chicago
,1hEcr ront;tdN TRADE
on largo scale, but u cloud hanging on hor
onstor1l horizon may then DO. moasnrod in ITS
true hoaring. Tho railroads now occupying tho
Luke e-front-makin6, with the Baltimore l. Ohio
noad,. four monster tlunk-linca-will virtually
cut clieugo OF from this groat lnrbor, md
present. =" 80 '''-' ''-~ "''
AN 1SsurEnApLE. nAnn1En
to the conversion and improvements Of the Lake.
Park lands for mercantile aud commercial MR.
poses. Tlolr long, constant, mud numerous
trains OIL numerous trackA will then become
B1cll 4 serious obstacle to FREQ and safe comtnu-
nlcation with this harbor as to nacoHsitato Tho
adoption Of ways aud moans for tho Immediate
removal Of all, Intervening trucks betwcon tho
river and park-row.'- Chicago must GRO long
begin to consider tho most efficient measures to
abate such = fearful nennco and obstruction to
in that direction. How imperative; therefore, ia
Aor present duty to throw ovory safeguard
mo, Around interosts-of such tranacondent moment
'nr an magnia|a0, mf ons 20 coat, tH when tic
may not be, like Samson, shoru
of hor strength. and doomed to diEcomtlturo, ro-
morse, and shame: What -sightcdnosH
and consumnlato folly mud rcclslessless would it
ho to grant these mammoth corporations nddl-
tiona! footho1d on grounds tho total abundoif-
ment of which will soon become q muttor Of ~ :
pR1aiE NECESSITY AND STERN ENFORCEMENT.
1tuther lot lor dlAc0uraEo all permanent i'm
proyeMonts by railroads III that qaartor
A 'tquit-clan " deed from tho city to those
Companies, as dilcctod by tho I.uko-Front not,
would certninly commit Ior to Its proyis,ous to
that extent to cripple her at least in asserting
mud maintaining rights and interests which 1nay
be involved in subsequent conflicts and various
questions ariBing outof in consequence Of, said
provisions. Chicago cannot now afford to giyo in
l!ur adhesion to measure passed by NJ, infa-
nous Legislature through bribery and corr,lp-
tion, which nho llaa 10 ofton denounced III tic
strongest language. through hor pronH, mnYs-
meetings, and Council, 6ho must keep time and
stop i'll tlia mntter with tho onward march OF hor
commerce. growth. aml achievements, with an
aye single to that destined groatneBH atld glory
which hcr Typographical position entities lor to
attain.
Truo, this lazy has been repealed but
IT ~ QUESTIONABLE
"etherthlA ropeal carrioa wifi ittlo grants lore
in rndo in fee by tho sovereign atata of Illinois
to tho party OF tho second part :" in perpetuity"
wllon raid party lad ontorcd upon
Lilo Possession aua occupancy of snid
ssrnnts wholly Or partially, prur to tho ropcaling
act. Tho Iako-Front bill. though conceived ia
sln and brought forth III iuquity, may not be 10
morlbund NJ some PERSONS iinagine, that it can
nut DO nude to btrlko with olrsct after receiving
from the city an official recognition ana ratiiica-
Lion in seated instrument. Tho a8U0 Qu(] ppoci-