Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-02-21
THE STREET RAILWAY.
WHAT CITIZENS THINK OF IT.
Various Expressions OF Opinion OBJ
tanned bY Telegram" Reporter
in Regard 10 the Service.

When asked yesterday By TELEGRAM re-
porter foz his opinion Of the management Of
the street railways. City Marshal Greene
said: Il think hat the business Of the pres
ent company Is very fairly managed aud ia
regard 10 seeping the streets ia good shape
after heavy SHOWS it has done much better
than any OF the companies which preceded
It. Il seems 70 me that the company has
acted fair and square III the matter and
there has been some complaining done with
out just cause. There has been more snow
to contend with this winter than ever be-
fore and although, of course, the company
has not carted away as much as fell on the
tracks, they have removed large amount of
il and have hep. the cars running IN
pretty good shape. On Lagrave
street all that has been done 10
keep the street in passable condition has
been done by the company. They have
taken large amount cf snow out of that
street; have cleared the crossings and carted
away snow that was shoveled of from the
sidewalks. so that residents might be able
20 reach their horse-blocks. This is
more than was ever done by the
old company. | never saw the street railway
company carting snow in this city until this
winter. The company has also helped to
take the snow out of South Division street
and paid two-6fths Of the expense of clean
ing Monroe street and one-third on Canal
street. II would do very well TO put on
sleighs i. such winters as this could be fore
told, but generally better service is secured
with less expense by keeping the tracks clear
for the cars. On the whole think the com
pany has done all that could be expected
under the circumstances in which they have
been placed this winter"
Upon the same subject Alderman Peirce,
of the Third Ward. gave his views as follows:
Il haven't paid much attention to the matter
except in my own ward. In my opinion the
company has done all that could be reason
ably expected under the circumstances. l
think the interests of the five or six hundred
people who live well out of the city and de-
pend upon the Reed S Lake railway to get
down town. are entitled TO more cOnsidera-
ton than the few who own their horses
and carriages, and have been Inconvenience
| by the snow on Lagrave street. Although
the people of Lagrave street don't use the
cars, they should remember that the road
has been of great benefit TO property on that
| street. Twenty years ago that street had a
very unsavory reputation-was looked upon
very much as Almy street is now-and it was
not until after the road was built that ii be-
| came what it is now-one of the most popu-
lar residence streets in the city. The COM
/ pany has done better than the
old companies ever did, although it
has had more snow and more
miles of track to take care of. never knew
the old companies to remove any snow from
the streets unless it may have been few
| loads from the narrow part of Fulton street
near Henry -Fralick's residence. Never
heard that they were asked to do SO. The
idea of running sleighs when there is snow
is impractcable. People do not like to ride
| in them; they are uncertain, not to be de-
pended upon. There is always a time when
the snow leaves when neither cars nor sleighs
could be run. | am in favor of allowing
street railways to be built whenever capital
lists are willing to risk an investment. Ex-
/ perience in this city has proved that the pub
| lie for a large number of years at least re-
ceive greater benefit than the capitalists.
They greatly aid the growth of the city The
present company has already expended
! SlOO,OO0 in improving the different lines in
this city, and if given fair treatment they
will soon give the city system second to
none in the country. People who live near
/ the business part of the city should be will
! ing to suffer little inconvenience to secure
a first-class system of street railways. If
they will do so good -naturedlv they will be
we'll paid for it in very few years in the
enhancement of their property by the gen
eral development aud prosperity of the
whole city"
On being asked for MS views upon the mat
| ter Aldermen Parmalee SAID: The man-
, ayers of the company have acted fairly IN
| the matter. IL must be remembered that they
| have a great deal TO contend with. While
there are many unpleasant features in hav-
| ing snow hsaped mp IN !he streets especially
| in front of business houses citizens should
remember that the street cars are of great
benefit to- the public and they should not at
tack the company too savagely. Ii Il very
/ IMPORTANT that the cars should be kept run
I ming IN such weather as we have had this
winter. People should be patient and not too
| ready to complain. Good street railways are
| necessary for the development of the city,
and unless we give the company fair show
we cannot expect them To bnid and operate
lines in a manner that will benefit the whole
city"
Alderman Louis l.. Iauniere of the
Eighth ward was next called upon and ex-
pressed his views very forCibly es follows:
''Welg this has been very hard winter on
the streetraifaays and | have been willing
to help them all that was reasonable. bat
they Rave not done as we'll as they ought e
do. They have imposed upon the people of
the city. especially those Of the West Side.
and they should not be allowed to do SO any
longer. In connection with other aldermen
made arrangements GO have The snow re-
moved from West Bridge street and this
street car company was To furnish
part of the men and teams, bu'
they kept putting it of mt the