The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-09-26
NO OCCASION FOB ALARM
Messrs. EditorsI:.

day last reference is made to some
late railroad surveys in this city
wherein you assure the public that
there is no occasion for alarm in the
premises.
Now, with proper Difference,
beg to state that, while in reality
the public need not be alarmed in
consequence OF the probable con-
structlon of the proposed railroad,
yet there is ample occasion for OBJ
lection, one of which you have
pointed out, that of the running of
cars through the streets, which is a
very serious one, sufficient in itself
to excuse a vigorous protest on the
part of the inhabitants of streets
along which the road may be con-
structed.
Residing, as 1 do, very near to
Wall street, along which surveys
have been made, [ for one enter
tain very serious objection to the
| construction of such a road along
that thoroughfare. This objection
is based upon various reasons. The
street is q narrow one, and for a
portion Of it is already occupied by
a large water ditch, which is an
absolute necessity. Add a rail
road to this, and a teauti-
full street will be ruined;
property in its vicinity would be
deprecated in value; the lives of
hundreds Of people who are forced
hourly to cross the street, would be
greatly endangered, and the houses
fthe inhabitants constantly threat
ened with destruction by sparks
from passing engines, with no cor
responding benefit to the people.
THE HERALD expresses the hope
that the proposed road will be con
structed. Evidently this hope is
founded on the supposition that
when built, it will tend to a reduc-
ton in the cost of building rock,
but how does THE HERALD know
that such will be the result?
THE HERALD informs US that the
said stone quarries to which this
road is to be built are owned by a
company composed chiefly of rail
road men. The company which it
is understood is at the back of this
enterprise and will build the road, if
it is built, is managed by capitalists
who reside in Boston and New
York; they build roads to make
money, ignoring the interest of their
customers, fixing their rates Just
low enough to undermine the own
ers of wagon transportation. Such
l believe to be the universal custom
and, If carried out in the case of
transportation of rock to the city,
I presume they would drive out the
honest men with teams who at pres
ent haul the rock into town and
thus maintain their families.
If the same men own the guar
ries and the cheaper mode of haul
ing, is it not clear that they will
control the market, hold consumers
at their mercy and charge their own
prices for material furnished? We
all have some idea of what the
mercy of sOulless corporation
amounts to.
But even if the prices should be
reduced, of what benefit to the gen
eral public will the change be, if
our teamsters are thrown out of
work and the profits of the rock
business RENTED to Boston and
New York?
The HERALD, the Tribua1s, the
NeaOs, the Chronicle each have job
rooms, besides other job offices in the
city, where work is neatly executed,
keeping great number of men
employed at living wages. These
offices, suppose, are well supported
by the public, and hence they are
prosperous. | have been informed,
however, that job work can be done
at less rates in Chicago and San
Francisco than here. If this is the
case, some of the business men of
Salt Lake might save little money
by sending orders to these cities for
printing; but l submit the question,
Would it be fair for them to do so,
or would it be Of any special bene-
fit to the city?
If it would not, then the same
answer must be given in reply to
the question-will the public be
benefited by building a road which
will surely destroy the principal
business Of large number of men
| and teams, merely in order that
Boston and New York capital may
be proitably inVested2
This is one Of the questions which
will confront the members of the
City Council when they are asked
to grant the right of way for the
proposed railroad, and no doubt they
will give it due consideration. Be-
ing a friend to railroads in general,
and especially to the company in
question, / have a suggestion to
make, and it is also intended to
reach the City Council when, il
ever, it contemplates granting the
right of way for this road on any OF
the streets of the city.
1t is this: If the object is merely
to cheaper the cost of building rock
surely one way TO do that is 20 build
the road on the cheapest and best
route. In this case l suggest that
| if built at all, great deal of money
might be saved by extending the
track already laid from the Utah
| Central depot along South Temple
street to the middle Of the temple
block, east to Fort Douglas. Thil
| route is so much shorter and the