The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-09-03
DOWN ON RAILROADS
Or Any More Of Them on Fourth
West Street.
A CORRESPONDENT SPEAKS OUT.
Some of the Unpleasantness of Living by a
Track Set Quilt Does Not Enhance the
Value of Properly, etc.
To the Editor of THE HERALD:

To the Editor Of THE HERALD;
Last evenings Ne,Ds contains an editorial
on the Utah Western franchise that is truly
remarkable for that paper, and reads mucf
like Tribune article on Mormonism The
published minutes of the meeting OF the
city council at which Hon. John W. Young
spoke regarding the franchise he desired
to obtain on Fourth West street, make hin
s,say that ''his plan was sanctioned bythree
fourth's of the people on the street IN
question" Your correspondent was not il
the city at that time, but from his know
ledge of matters connected with Fourth
West street, he was quite sure, on reading
said statement, that it must be very incor,
rect. Since arriving in town your cores
pendent has been informed and believes,
that the people on Fifth West street and on
North Temple. street commonly known as
Jordan street, were much agitated over the
prospect of the Utah Western getting a
franchise over one of those streets and
stirred up to head it off those streets If pos
sible Then IL seems that two individuals
were hired to circulate the petition asking
for a franchise for the Utah Western on
Fourth West street, which appears to have
Deen done DN luOTUukulS SllLIllS up IAS
people on Fifth West street and on North
Temple or Jordan street, frightening them
with the idea that they must sign the petit
ton for the Utah Western to go on Fourth
West street to keep it off their streets,
That is, the individual circulating the petit
ton on North Temple or Jordan street,
would urge the necessity of signing lib
orally to keep the Utah Western off that
street, and the party working on Fifth
OF HEn rld manic there as
to the possibility of the Utah Western be-
ing inflicted on that street, unless the peo-
pie there signed speedily and fastened 1t
on to Fourth West street. Thus it seems
that the two streets named were pltted
against Fourth West street. lt-hardly APP
pears to be brotherly or creditable on the
part of the signers on Fifth West street or
North Temple or Jordan street to take a
course to show trouble on Fourth West
street, that they did not wish brought to
their own door, and that too in the face Of
the fact that Fourth West street has al
ready been so afflicted by railway nuiSan-
ces. But they seem to have been so ter
ribly frightened, that in their terror they
lost all sight of propriety, the animal IN
sticts of self-preservation only remaining
to assert themselves. 1t is said that each
of the two individuals in this job got S25,
and ten cents for every signature obtained,
which, if true, no doubt led to an exhibit
ton of energy worthy of better cause.
Fourth West street, from the Utah Cen
trail depot nOrthward, has been much
damaged and the property along 1t much
deprecated by the Utah Central railroad.
The land is so springy that passing trains
Jar houses half block away on either side
of the track, and of course the more trains
that pass the more are houses likely to be
damaged, saying nothing about danger to
people on the street, children especially
And then the switching opposite or along
the block cornering with North tt mple and
Fourth West streets is almost too annoying
70 the inhabitants ofGthe east SIDE of said
block for human endurance, especially dur
ing warm weather when windows ought to
be open for air. The switch engines throw
a great deal of SCOT and cinder dust onto
the houses and yards in that vicinity, so
that il is difficult after washing clothes to
get them dry before becoming much sOiled
by said dirt. And then the everlasting din
of said engines makes healthy sleep about
impossible, which is doing much towards
breaking down the nerves of the people
there One old gentleman, Gideon H. G.
Gibbs, has been particularly unfortunate
He made his present home on virgin sod in
IS4S Later il was deemed best to turn the
surplus water of City creek down North
Temple street instead of allowing it to run
in its three or more natural channels
throughout the city. The new ditch not
being lined up with rock, the high waters
of enc season washed down much gravel,
etc, and filled up the lower part of said
ditch, precipitating the angry floods on to
private property. MIR. Gibbs, with many
others. had TO work in the cold torrents
without gum boots, as they were not to be
had in those days. to keep the channel
open as much as possible, TO prevent houses
being washed away. That exposure caused
him long, tedious sickness, apparently to
the verge of death and resulting in his be-
ing a cripple ever since. And now the Utah
Central, with it's Internal din and dirt,
prevents his getting needed rest, and his
property is so deprecated in consequence
of all this that he cannot well sell out and
make a home elsewhere. Can anyone
reasonably expect him, or those more or
less in his situation, to view calmly the
prospect of further trouble of the kind?
Talk about progress, must it be gained by
grinding all such people out of existence?
The Utah Central management could do
much towards abating the nuisance, by
switching on its own landkand using the
street for its main line, if 1t must hold its
grip on that portion of Fourth West street.
Trains running through cause much less
trouble than switching.
Regarding the petition for reconsidera
ton of the matter in question, presented to
your correspondents knowledge, and in
formation which he believes, no parties
were applied to for signatures living far
Their than half block on each side of
Fourth West street. That was deemed to
be fair But by taking the time to
thoroughly ventilate the matter, it is
Thought that the signatures of great
many people residing in the Sixteenth and
old Nineteenth wards could be obtained, ON
the principle of doing what they could to-
wards protecting their fellow citizens
against the oppression attendant upon one
sided or soulless progress. In circulating
said petition, some things came to light that
appeared TO indicate how the Utah Western
petition had been managed. One feeble old
lady nervously inquired whether the petit
tion then presented to her was TO help
John W. Young's railroad, saying that she
didn't want to sign anything helping it, and
acting much like a child yet Smarting from
former burnt fingers A widowed lady
stated that an individual having much the
appearance of Bible agent, called at her
place and desired her to sign the petition
asking the coveted right OF way on
Fourth West Sereet She declined, |
stating that as she only had life interest |
in the property likely to be affected, she
doubted the propriety other signing, wher2 J
upon said individual Strengthened up and |
with look of oWl-like wisdom stated that !
he was a lawyer, and if she wouldn't sign a.
petition in favor of the Utah Western fran
chise, he would advise her not to sign any !
thing against il. It would now perhaps be !,
In order to present his bill for advice given.
With blind look, in which open counten-
anced, benevolence and lofty condescenslon
blended, he remarked that some
might consider him inconsistent, as he hal
Opposed Johnny w. laying railroad on
the street" he lived on. But" said he.
''sister -, the street l live on IS very de-
sirable for residences, while yours is only !
AT for warehouses and the lil1e.''