, 1880-02-15

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THE LAKE-FR0NT GROUNDS.
The City Council, at the meeting on Mon
day last, while laboring under special ex
citement, passed an order authorizing the
erection of one or more armories on the
Lake-Front, north Of the Exposition Build
ing. This action was hasty and inconsider-
| ate. The officers and friends Of the Second
Regiment, and OF some Of the other military
organizations Of the city, demanded this ordi-
nance. The most that the Council could
grant, and all that 1t did grant, was the tenn
porary" occupation Of the land, with the stip-
ulation that it should be vacated upon de-
mand.
The military must depend upon voluntary
contributions by citizens for the means to
erect these armories- No armories ought to
be built but such as may be worthy the city
and worthy the organizations. To expend
from $4,000 to $4,000 for proper and
suitable buildings for temporary occupa-
ton would be n wanton waste Of money,
even supposing it could be raised for such
purposes. It will be far easier to raise $500
in the shape Of subscriptions to build a
handsome, complete armory building for
the permanent occupancy Of the regi-
ment than it will be to raise SIS to erect
building that may have to be torn down in a
short time. To give this ordinance Of the
Council the authority Of law would have the
effect Of postponing permanent armory
building for the Second Regiment Indemnity.
It would be an injury to the regiment In all
its hopes to raise the money to Build the
armory. The public do not want that prop
erty occupied, OF its transfer obstructed in
any way, and the very class OF citizens who
will give the most money to aid the regiment
in building a suitable armory on a suitable
site will refuse dollar to put the building
on that ground
The First Regiment has an armory which
is credit to the city and to the regiment
Certainly the Second Regiment can find
suitable lot in some other part Of the city,
which can be purchased, or leased with the
privilege Of purchase, on which to erect an
armory even more convenient and creditable
in all respects than that OF the First Regi-
ment Let the officers and friends OF the
regiment select the ground, estimate the cost
of the building, and present their appeal to
the public and it will not be unheeded.
Most people prefer to help those who help
themselves. Let the Second Regiment find
some proper site in the West Division; let
the other organizations select sites in the
southern and northern parts Of the city. In
all these localities they can find convenient
and proper sites, and when they have done
so and exhibit disposition to help themselves,
there will be no lack Of others willing to help
them.
The City Council must remember that time
and the fire have wrought such changes
with the whole Michigan avenue district as
occupation Of the Lake-Front for a union
depot, that will be an ornament to the city and |
improve that whole neighborhood, which has
become an cyesore and reproach to Chica-
30. The railroads desire the property, and |
are only prevented taking action to obtain |
It because of inability to agree as to which
shall be the proprietor Of it, |
with the power Of excluding other companies.
In the meantime, sthe property remains idle
and unproductiye, and, in its present state,
destroys the value Of all surrounding prob
erty. It Is the duty Of the Council to dis
pose Of that property to the extent Of its
ownership, and if any one railroad
company seeks to play the dog in
he manger, and exclude other companies,
hen 1t is for the Council to negotiate with
whatever company or companies will pay
he highest price, giving to the purchaser
whatever means Of access to the land 1t may
iced. In the meantime, the Council should
olerate no improvements or occupation that
will interfere with an immediate sale OF
ransfer of the property to cash purchaser.
The Mayor, who is friend Of all the mill
ary organizations, and who doubtless will be
lad to cooperate in any measure to promote
heir interests, will undoubtedly see that to
pprove this ordinance would be wrong in
tself, would be an embarrassment to the city,
nd in the end would postpone, if not actually
efcat, any permanent provisio ion for an
rmory for the Second Regiment or other
Military organization. No money would be
iven to erect an armory on that site, and the :
arren permission to build, without the .
leans to build, would be mere mockery.