, 1879-08-24
CHICAGO AND THE RAILWAYS.

Ao1meo Ior carrying OUT lQe pan WlI1ou
expectation OF profit.
CHICAGO AND THR RAILWAYS.
The Chicago t. Western Indiana Railway
Company is seeking the right of way for its
rond into the. city, aud an ordinance is pend
ing before the City: Council granting that
privilege. There is much opposition, and sev-
eral meetings have been held on the line ct
the route, at which vigorous protests havs
been made and much idle and foolish talk
lndulged in. At one of these meetings
remonstrance was agreed on. and
the people in attendance were invited to
accompany its presentation. To enable
the crowd to come down town, train Of
several cars belonging to the Pittsburg &
Fort Wayne Company WAS offerad, and, We
belieye, was furnished next day, From this
fact, and from the additional fact that an
officer of that Company has actively opposed
the granting Of the privilege, it has been in
ferred that the opposition to the Chicago &
Western Indiana is roally tbs work Of the
Pittsbnrg & Fort Wayne Company. While
this is denied, We believe, on the part Of the
Company, the Impression is likely to prevail
until publicly and anthoritatively repudiated.
The City Of Chicago is -ailroad creation.
It owes its greatness, its business, its vast
growth, and its worldwide trado to tbs
great railroads which have made it the
centre Of their traffic. The city has opened
its gates wide to every rnilroad that has ep-
piled for admission, and every railroad that
has bsen admitted has daily poured into
Chicago additional wealth, additional trade,
additional population, and has extended to
other points the trade and commerce which
have by such facilities been so vastly in
creased. The railroads have found it to
their interest to establish the largest coll
nections at Chicago, aud Chicago has been
the beneficiary Of all the commerce they
have created. Railroads are here in larga
numbers but is the. Common Council
prepared to say that no mora shall
be allowed. and that for all time the
City Of Chicago shall be closed to
any railroad additions? No railroad has
ever been excluded. that has applied, and
why should the exclusion policy begin now?
It has not been thirty years since Chicago
welcomed the first railroad that connected
her with the Atlantic, and it has been even
less time sinoa road from this city was
finished to the Mississippi River. Who ia
there that can say the railroad system Of
which Chicago is the centre is 6nishsd,-so
complete that not another road is desired,
and not another road shall be admitted? It
is possible that the railroad system centering
here is not complete, and it is to be hoped
that the business of Chicago, as the great
point, will yet require dozen,
twenty, or forty other roads in addition to |
those now entering here; aud it should be
the policy Of the city to welcome them all,
and to afford them every facility. /
If it be true that any Of tho companies
now having free entrance to the city is act
ive1y Or otherwise opposing the admission Of i
The Chicago j. Western Indiana, then the |
dog g-in-the-manger business should be re- |
buked. This road connects Chicago directly
with Canada and New England it opens new
markets to Chicago. and increased and
cheaper facilities for reaching them. It is
he establishment of a new through line, and
,very such line should have not only
,ordial welcome, but every facility extended
o it to begin business without delay.
If va understand the facts rightly the new
oad does not propose to enter on the Inns of
ny street. It proposes to purchase the
property over which its tracks are to be laid.
nd hes already contracted for 5000 feet of
he route. All it wants Of the city is the
light of way; and it is to be hoped the Couu-
il will grant it promptly, just as Ike grant
as always been made to oil other roads.
There is always in such cases suggestion
f blackmail. "a demand for money for the
riyilege Of coming In, and demand for
loney for keeping out. We hope the.
ouncil will silence all suspicion in this case
= promptly voting the privilege. Opposi-
on in such cases always confirms the gen.
raj impression that somebody desires to be
aid for promoting the public interest.