, 1880-10-10

To the Editor o. 1hs Chicago Tribune.
CHICAGO, Oct. 9.-Ther is to the people Of the
West Division in the street-rnilway movements
now before the City Council more than a a'mere
struggle between rival companies for the pos
session of certain streets. It IS a question
whether we shall havla hclthy competition for
the patronage of the people, securing proper fa-
cilities and accommoda ations or whether We shal
Civ over the largest and most populous portion Of
the city to the possession of single corporation
which, during an existence OF quarter Of cent
ury, has never shown any spirit Of conctiation
or fairness OF enderored, by the extension of its
lines beyond the points wher they would pay
large dividends, to assist in the development Of
sparsely- ly-scttled portions of the city. Alrcdy
the West Division Railway Company has tracks
upon West Randolph and Lake, Madison Hal
sted, Canal, Twelfth Clinton, Jefferson. Van
Buren, and Indiana streets, and Milwaukee,
Blue Islnnd, Ogden. and Chicago avenues,
spreading out its arms like huge octopus, Sock
Ing to inclose in its relentless grasp the entire
West Side. And now that rfvnl company has
appeared it seeks to close up Lake street so that
no competitor shal hav communication be-
tween tho business portion Of the city, from the
Chicago River to Twelfth street, and the West
Division. II it succeeds in this endevor, 1t can
then put on just az many or as few cars as
it pleases at its own sweet vii, giving us
seat-room Or compelling us to hang on
9y our teeth and eyebrq}w;s' };' as as We fts PAY
secures Luke and Fulton Streets, 1t certainty
ought to,.-we shall hnv struggle to secure pub
lie M s aaa aa
outlet for the passengers who ar now compelled
to endure the sights nnd discomforts Of street.
duuger to life md limb II brief, il the people
Of the West Division would not Civ themselves
over to u 9rasph1$, selfish. unscrupulous mo
a competitor to incorporation presided over by
the di5tfnguisht gentleman from Gaieua-
The truth is, there nr not, at present. suih-
cient number Of strcet-car lines to accommo,.
date the enormous and rapfdly-fncrcasing travel
between the two portions OF the city The time
is near ut hand when lines upon FUTON l.o'l
for Lake and Randolph ar nlrcdy. 50 badly
crowded that a sufficient number Of cars can
hardly DO put upon them; Spy. Il they can ,n ne,
his money upon nunremunerAtiv Understanding
to his own asscrtlon-thnt he cannot pay atten-
10 dydends thas BIS held
mium OF nearly 200 per cent and cannot be
bought at that! When that portion Of the. city
up as that pprtion between Ashland and West
ern nvcuues-n result certain to be reacht With
in the next ten ycnrs-efery street having 9
bridg vii av TO be given over to street cur travel
whether it be II busincs or II residene thorourh-
fnre. Remember ttAt from Stnte street to the
east line of Central Pa3k is diseane OF nearly
ulredy wei filled or likely soon to be, and that
greater or les TRANSPORTATION facilities vii he
demanded by the residents and people fnteresteds
and the grenter the West Division Company
show no disposition to grant rules to extend and
perpetuate its odiuus monopoly.
II is fitting that the movement to civ over
Lake street 10 the West Division Railway Conn
pany should hav Its origin with the notorious
Trask ganr. the first cnl for meeting for tnat
purpose having ben signed by the delectablc
Edwurd 4. himself. Nice company TO lead Capt.
Dobson DR.. Gray, F. S. Baird. ct I'd omne genus
about, aud tel them how much railroad would
injure their Fulton street property
1t Is especially edffyiuR at this time 10 see
Mr.. Baird and nther property-owners west OF the
further concessions to the West Division Com
pany. After having been it1sulted, and brow
beaten, and outraged, and denied just privileges
by that corporation, they now turn around
and lick the hand that strikes them This
is "rubbing it iu" with a vengeAncl
tine, n Nau' shat Il the % W.T. Division sion Railway
Company viii not extend its Lake-street track
west OF the belt railroad for the next five years.
unless compelled to. The experiene OF the past
few years ought to have taught Dir. Baird and
hi. neIghbors Il Lesson concerning the enter
prise nfu magnanimity of that corporation; but
it seems to hav ben lost upon them.
The City Council and the Mayor, as the guatq-
tans Of the public interest, owe 1t to the people
to see that sYo hay no further extension OF the
monopoly of the West Division Company-that
in providing means for rapid and economical
TRANSPORTATION between the rurious portions OF
the city, no one set Of men shal hay control OF
thetp to the exclusion Of honest and wtde-awake
competition. Let the people watch the course
OF their representatives In this matter, and, by
personal effort, endeVor 70 induce them to vote
IN tha riuht aida n. T. B.