The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1882-04-13
THE SWITCH QUESTION.
a Division of Opinion ON the
Subject.

We heard many remarks and cOnsid- |
cradle discussion in different quarters |
yesterday on the practicability or rather |
ACCESSIBILITY of granting to parties the |
right to have sw tches from the main |
track of the Missouri Pacific and Narrow
Gauge roads on to private property.
Like the members OF the city council, !
We found the people divided in opinion
on the subject, some favoring, others
indifferent and still 9th r decidedly
opposed to the measure. Nearly all
those fayonng expressed themselves as
Ot the be1et that the streets on which
the railroads run are permanently in
!urcd more or less, and where the resi-
dents on the streets do not object to
these switches, and the parties asking
them give guarantee that the property
will at once be improved SO as to return
taxes to the city, give EN- loyment to
mechanics III construction and afterward
to statesmen, laborcrs, etc.-in other
words, be general benefit, there could
be no harm III granting the privilege.
All of that class who favored we,
however, found stoutly opposed
10 allowing switches to cross
the streets, thereby doubling the danger
Of accident to man and beast and max
ing the crossings more difficult for teams
to pass over. The Indifferent ones are
part of that class who live in portions
of the city where the railroads do not
ran along streets and they do not feel
any interest III matters of that kind that
does not have direct bearing on their
own property. Those opposing the
building of those switches are among
! the class, many of whom gave literally
to the railroads in order to get them
here, and for their liberality, have had
| their property damaged or are constant
! iy annoyed 10y the passing and re-
/ passing of trains. They claim that
| parties who want to start great enter
/ prises must needs have capital to DO it,
and capital being the great mOvin G
/ pO-er, they can go out TO the suburbs,
! pus up their mills, factories, etc, there.
and LET the railroad run switches out to
/ them. II Is claimed, and very Justly, too,
/ that persons who purchased lots, erected
! homes on them, gave OF their means to
/ build churches and schools around
! them, should not now be broken up by
! railroads or other corporations, institu-
| tious, etc. They admit, however, that
the road is down and running now and
the greatest part Of the harm is done and
can't be undone but they oppose switches
Oh the ground that because they gave
way III the first place is no reason they
should continue to do so in every sue
ceeding instance Thus different par.
ties of our citizens feel on the switch
matter, and 1t Is one which requires the
most careful handling. We believe that
all citizens will oppose switches crossing
streets, but rs to running between
blocks alongside the main track or on
private ground might be regulated by
the citizens on the street and the own
ers OF the property, and the council
would not be acting unwisely in consid-
erlng the feeling and expressions of
those on both sides most concerned
We have heard of none who favor
running of switches on other streets
thin those on which the road runs for
once such thing is begun they claim
there would be no ending, and cite the
numerous requests for privileges Oh
Jackson street since kellum IL Rotau
received theirs. 1t is clearly seen that
the entry OF the last two railroads has
forced upon the council a class OF legis-
lation not known here before. and
when the Narrow Guage gets to running
on this side there will be more OF il.
Saying the least these matters require
looking at from both sides calmly, but
as the Judge would charge from the
bench, where there is a reasonable
doubt the citizen should always have
the benefit of 1t as against the corpora
ton, whether it be railroads or other for
capital Is power and should not be al
lowed to crush those who are unable to
WELD it from lack of having it.