, 1875-11-26
LOCAL LETTERS,


To the Editor Of Tat chka7s Tribune:
Cn,cAuo. Nor. 25.--The Aldesmanio talk about
"rpAran sights in connection viii, tho salo OF
tho .lrco blocks Of tho LAke-Tront is simply a
part Of the game OF blufY which tho 4tldor,nanlo
| ring il playing. Whom tho Aldermen require
that tho railroads in purchasing the ground aiall
roBtgn all Fights they may havo acquired il tho
psst, or may yot acquire In tho future, as 10 Tho
water 'front.' they Offer simply tiicker; that Is,
thcy want to trado Rom cthsug-three blocks of
laud-for something which the railroads NAV
have in tho ehape OF riparian rights. The offer
OF tho railroads III not to trade, bnt to buy They
deed from the city for the property (Which IL ali
tho city can givo) without any sspula-
son ono way or tho other 70 to
riparian rights, II tho city has any rights In
that regard 1t will retain thou,t as tho iaiIroad
company does not Asl II to cede those rights
Ihe extent thereof ID : question fer future de-
termination. Some good lawyers hold that the
ripn1lan rights go with tho foe simple. and tho
cisy's ttle to this gronnd Was nsser In feo nln,-
Pic but WAS part Of . tract Of land givou by
the United States TO the Htato OF Illinois, and
aet apart by tbs Sta:o for public purpose. II
tho railroads buy tho property and any question
40 to s'patian rights arises. It vii! be question
as to part Of 1t, and between the railroads and
tho State a. to nuotiler part, II tho city sat ND
any riparian claims. 1t would hare 10 con-
tess them, not With the railroads alone but With
all these partics. II ia ridiculous. therefore,
to ask Of the railroads a ccssion of conttnesn.
rights which would be Of no benefit to tho city.
On tho other hand, the railroads will take
1uit-cleim deed witl,nnt asking tho city to code
any Of its rights outside tho pier.
1le objection Of Sir. 1ioyna for himself. and
on the part OF his clients, Ia not any bettos
founded than tho Atdertnanic point on tho RIM
RIM 1fshts. II tho railroads, after acquiring
these three blocks, should bo possessed of the
{rkk Hrd t7E~e &H "a -
docks and piers, aud slips, and building ware
houses, It IL not likey that they would drain our
oyer-cEowdsd river Of its oyoriowing commerce,
It ID not likely that they would bo ablo to
with the accrot1on Of Chicagoa commerce. Nov
and for some ycare pass Ill SORTS Of plans havo
boon devised for taking caro- Of tho excese OF
bus'noss which the Chicago River cannot &C.
ooinmodate. COW The danger is NOT. therefore,
Lakc-Front property will ruin nll tho dock
property IN Chicago, It is not likely, on tho
other hand. that tho United States Government,
which has established hArbor OF refuge In
Central Railroad to seize lie water fronsage b.
yond the tracks bordering on tho three blocks in
question but, II It should allow this, the rail-
road has the aamo right to do IL now a. IL will
have after buying the three blocks, for 1t al
ready Owls the strip OF land on Which
tho tracks are situated, and which
llas between the water and tho propor-
ty which 1t Offers to purcllaae. Having thts W.
ter frontage where thelr tracks sre tho railsoads
cou proceed now in tho Same way az they pro-
ccedcd north Of Randolph street, unless storpetl
BY the United states Government. Ths ocouire-
ment Of tho throe blocks lying nest Of their
tracks would give them no rights in this regard
which they hnve not nov.
There is vast difference, OF cousao, between
tho objection urged by tho Aldorman,c ring aud
BY Dir. Hoyno for his clients, In that tho former
only dnelso to nss riparian rights as meaos OF
blackmall, while the latter arc probably in car.
pest. But II tho property-ownera whom Mr..
llogna represents sevivo their opposition and
successfully doteat the purpose Of selilne thoso
three blocks. the responsibility Of depsiylng tho
CITY or s900. 600. which is aorely needed, Of
increasing The taxes 10 build Court House. and
Of continuing the present idle and uureuuner-
attEe condition Of their own property On Mich.
ighn avcnue, will bo upon their own shoulders.
u wlll be foolish thing to do, whether regard.
Cd from private or public posnt Of WOW. The
public certainly needs the $500. 900, and docs not
neeo the three idle blocks which l1e north OF the
Exposition Building. and are not even available
lot pAfk PhFposes. As to tho Michigan avenue
property opposlto these throa hlooks the etec-
tton or hna dap1t thcro IN about tho only thing
that can redeem 1t. Tho property il 1t p1ossnt
vAlneles6, both ns residence and al buslo prop-
cry. IL can never be resdencs property. but il
may be made good business property MANY yearn
sooner by the erection Of depot than II viii be
without the Improvement OF tho Lake Front,
f.AHF,FEoNr TAy.EsYru