The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-08-27
THE ROCK RAILROAD.
A Few Words Against the
Road by an Interested
Citizen.


Internal nuisances are, in a part
icular way, the bane of every city,
county, state and nation. Why
such pertinacious hostility to the
Rock Railway does exist is no great
mystery. 1t is true that for some
months the projectors have been
trying to get franchise for the con.
strucsion of a road which has q
name suf1 1iently repulsive to cause
people along its proposed route to
object to the granting Of right of
way through or on any street in
the city. II the members of the
Council would not grant them the
right over and along the north
bsnch why should they ask for ons
Of the best streets for its
cOnstruction2 Now, those who are
interested in this scheme claim that
the traffic will support the road; as
a property owner on that street /
would like to ask what traffic ?
Surely not the passenger traffic, for
this same road, If constru oted,
would parallel street car line to
the eastern boundary of the city on
the north, aid another for seven
blocks on the south. And these
same roads were constructed, at
least they were srted, by the same
person who stands, apparently, at
the head of The sandstone scheme.
The number of people who would
patronize the road during the day
would be small as compared with
the patrons of any other line, for
while the street cara north and
south of this anticipated road have
all the eastern part Of town to draw
from, the Ice rail load would have
but Ole street from which to expect
patrons. The freight traffic must
then be the nail upon which hangs
the scheme.
They propose to haul freight only
at night. What pleasing. soothing
thought this must be to those who
dwell In peace along the proposed
route? Now it makes no difference
what animal power is used to haul
freight at night whether it be
horses, mules OF oxen, neither of
these can be made 10 pull we'll with
out a certain amount of coaxing
whether the persuasion is in the
form of words or blows it matters
not; either one means distur bance
of the peace and quiet o. the prop
erty owners snd jewellers on that
street. Besides, what ASSURANCE
have we, when the r0ugh,r edges of
freighting- along the street with
animals are worn down, that the
festive locomotive will not come
laundering past our doors, that side
track and Us will not be spread out
ke webs along the street? Who can
say, with the proposed depot at the
eastern portion Of the town, that a
cottage in TIE : CANYON railroad
company has no right to go to their
depot, either by steam or mule?
suppose now that this rock, brick
and superior lime bubble were an
assured fact, had been In operation
for eight or ten months, as per char
ter, and all at once the people along
the coveted street were to hear the
snort and fizz of q locomotive up the
street, who would stop itp The
superintendent Of the road would
say with a twinkle in his eye, GOuI
depot is On Twelfth Street east, and
We must get to it; We have a right
to 60 there and We are going" In
the language Of Vanderbilt, HThe
public be id"
The road is to be smooth, rail;
level with the street, &c., just as
the street car tracks would be kept
when it was young. Now wherever
there is a street car track there we
have the worst road and crossings
in town. Why should we hope
for better things from the
Rock Railroad? One Of ths
provisions is that the city be al
lowed to haul a certain amount OF
gravel over the embryo road. The
city has already in operation one OF
the best gravel roads in the country
and is perfectly Independent in that
respect.
Second South Street is the only
through street Wa have near the
center OF town; 1t is the only one on
which we depend for nice drive
and for this it should be reserved
The writer, for tn past eleven
years, has lived further east than
your correspondent "Lex," and has
neve, yet suffered for coal, lumber,
rock, lime or ice; neither do L ex-
pect to no thanks to the philan-
thropicsl cheap rock end go forth
railroad. Suppose they cross the
town on Seventh South Street, al
ready graded level as far SIS Eighth,
Selahl
do not blame those who have
over grown haicheis to grind for
fay 1ripg this rosd, but they surely
can attach no blame to those who
anticipate injury by its construction
on the street GeSiied.
liz j. mistake to suppose that
those VINO oppose it are interested
in the cable road, IS stock takers.
"Lex" should be abba to prove thie
assertion Of bis, which l very much
doubt. Whether the street belongs
to those who own property on it or
not, they certainly have a voics by
reason of their possessions. and
Il u \ ~.