, 1879-02-16
Cosby Epistle Concerning General
and Social Events IN the
Cream City.
Revival of the Union Depot
Agitation in Some Quar-
terS.
The Saloon closing Ordinance Defeated
AHiut to the Officials Concerning
Gambling-Heils.
Weddings and Social Gatherings by
the Score, Etc, Etc.

4 UNION DEPOT.
Special Correspondence Of The TFtbune-
MILWAUKEE, Feb. 15.-The fact that an active
movement is in progress for the erection Of
magnificent Union Depot at the corner Of West
Madison and Canal streets, Chicago, for the
accommodation OF three great trunk lines Of
railroad, has had tendency, ip some quarters,
TO revive the agitation Of similar building
here Public interest in the matter some years
ago reached fever heat; but as the construction
Of the building belonged not to the taxpayers
but to the railroads, and as the latter we're slow
to more in the matter, the interest tagged, and
finally died out, except, perhaps, among
a few interested property-owners, who
imagine their fractional acres may some
day be required for depot purposes.
It was at one time thought that the Chi"
caro- d Northwestern aud Chicago, a!ilwau-
kee d st. Paul Companies might unite uoon
common plan that would prove equally adFan-
1ageous to both corporations, but this 1llnslee
hone was dispelled when the Northwestern
completed its airline railway connection 10
Fond du Lac, and, leaving its old-tlme terminus
op the South Side, erected handsome 1'1tle
passenger depot, sufficiently large to meet al
requirements for years, at the loot o1 "1seoh-
sin street. Then Fourth Ward people oec2lne
fopcful that the Chicago, Milwaukee q 81
Paul Company 7ould seek an equally cen
4ra} and accessible site on the NesI
Side, perhaps rs high up as sycamore
street, SO as to embrace the public square oe-
tween Third anl Fourth streeLs. 1t et.e
tc1ected. these interested citizeus began 70
draw imaginary lines for the purpose OF deter
1nfnipp how tile cars might De run into and ont
OF q depot at that point, with -as lattle t!ouo3e
and loss Of time rs at present, and fasat faefe =
-knt3$ $hnty3
be done by any Of the ordinary means in Tue
possession Of the Company, nor even by any
extraordinary means that might be devised
Therefore the subject vas dropped, and permit
ted to rest until the present TIME "nen Tue
Chicago scheme has aeain infused it, as
we'll as the old South Side plan, with
life, It is fact veil known to
many that the Chicago, Milwaukee, q st. Paul
Company years ago quietly purchased CONSIDER
able property on line between Oregon and
FloTjda streets, west Of Reed. This for the
erection of a passenger depot, it was then sald
II such was really the Intention then, IT must
have been abandoned because OF the 1abntous
prices demanded for other property required,
knowledge OF the design Of the railway mana
gers, and hoped to profit hy it. Since then the
Company has utallzed the ground purchased 10
a variety OF wars, TO such ap extent rs 70 a.
mot preclude the renewal Of the original design,
and few believe that thcy will ever erect a
passenger depot there The most aovan-
tamcops point for an edidce such as is
required is on the direct line north end south.
iasr east Of the E. T. A1lis CompanE's cxtcn-
slve machine shops, but to this the strong oo-.
lection of re1Dotcness presents ITSELF
As the matter stands, therefore, the Union
DeDot question stands thus: There are three
noinfs fired in the minds OF those interested
for its location. The t1rst, in the Fourth Ward,
is inaccessible, and cannot be reached except
at great expense. The second, west OF Reed,
land between Florida and Oregon streets, is
scarcely sufficient in extent The third, near
the E. F. Allis Compauy's machine shops, is
too far removed from the business centre OF
the cltv TO be available
Concerning the probability Of the erection Of
a Union Denot, tue writer will add that year
aro he called upon Manager Merrill for nlorma-
tion upon the subject, and was answered suo-
stantiaiiy IS follows: 1--WE need large pas
scn.cr depot bcre, and will undoubtedly erect
one Hut when and where am not prepared
to state. That is matter which l desire the
newspapers to let alone Tor the present at least
In nv oninion It does not belong to the public
until we are absolutely ready TO build am
free to admit that We have site in view Tor
depot building Of ample size aud handsome de-
sign, but Will say no more than this. and do
not care to have you mention what little have
said. In time we shall ger ready to build. and
when that time arrives you shall know all about
it.'s Undoubtedly the reader will regard this as
decidedly indefinite So does the writer.