, 1890-09-18
THE CENTRAL AVENGE VA
nTrTn

Now that the election is over it is well
for the people of Cheyenne to once again
turn their undivided attention to the
material interests Of the town. The most
important question which now confrobts
the people is the construction Of the stone
viaduct across Central avenue to the
south side Of the city. 1t is estimated
that the cost Of construction will be more
than $4,000 and as The city hasn't this
amount of cash available, though II mas
an immense amount of valuable property.
it viii be forced to go in debt for the enst
OF constructing the viaduct
The necessity for building the viadust is
becoming every day more apparent. The
city no loager owns a surface right of way
over the Union Pacific railway tracks.
The company has been. Of course, in no
way arbitrary about its rights, but its
business is increasing so enormously Of
late aud the hitherto vacant portions Of its
yards are being so rapidly filed up with
buildings. that public convenience de-
mands that some action be speedily taken
in the premises.
1t is well known that the viaduct ter
inmates 10 a single approach GU the South
side. On the North side 1t terminates in
two forked approaches. one being reached
from the east and one from the west
The western approach terminates at Cap
ital avenue between the Union Pani6c and
Burlington depots, within a few feet of
the termination of the Burlington tracks,
Therefore. when driving up to this ap-
proach, which is the only one Of the two
hat can be utilized. one must face the
locomotives aud trains which stand on the
burlington tracks. The opposite APP
proach terminates between the tracks
owned By the Union Pacific and those
owned by the Burlington. TIE latter are
necessarily blockaded most of the time and
therefore this approach provides few op
~portunIties for safe passage with teams.
The Burlington road naturally expects TO
increase its traffic here. aud as the traffic
increases the danger and delay Of passage
over the viaduet from the east approach
will be CORRESPONDENCE increased. 1t is
perhaps possible that even alter the Bur
lington's northern extension is built that
compan will still continue to back out its
trains from IT'S Cheyenne depot, but
should it ever carry ont the first plan OF
securing an exit through the western part
of the city the usefulness of the viaduct
will practically be n thing of the past.
In the construction of the yiaduct the
immediate future as well as the present
should be taken into consideration. It
seems to US that the yiaduct as at present
constructed cannot fail to fall short Of
public expectation. So long as its main
approaches must be reached by crossing
railroad tracks, just so long will it provet to
that extent a failure. IF it is possible to
cover part of the railroad tracks it should
be possible to cover all Of them.
We believe this matter should still be
taken into consideration by the city coun-
ell Asst is at present planned we do
not believe the vladuct will fill the full
measure OF popular expectation or that it
will completely satisfy the taxpayers tor
the amount which they will be forced to
invest in It's construction, In a great
extent the matter was gone into blindly.
The people generally do not yet complete
" understand the true situation Of af-
fairs and until they do they should not be
put 10 debt to tho tune of $50. 900 and
more.
Everybody feels the need Of yiaduct
between this North and South Side but
nobody feels that the city should pay
out SO much money for something which
tails to completely hll the bill.