Telegram-herald., 1890-07-19
A THREATENED SUIT
Can Canoes Cut be Condemned oy
the CifyT
THERE IS 4 DIVERSITY OF OPINION
President Davis says IL Must be pene by
Legislstioa--Ths Steamboat Company
Makes kiek-M4sy Worse Eeit.
k1ist in oFa1d Rapids.

A serious question has arisen over
the s0-ca He'd Canoes cut or The old
steamboat channel, which may prove a
puzzler 10 the Board of Health and
city attorney. Despite the telegram
received from Congressman Belknap IN
response 10 the memorial sent 10 the
United states Congress, there are many
who say that the city can not legally
condemn il as a nuisance and cause 1t
to be filed up.
Senator Stockbridge is not as decided
in MS answer as Congressman Belknap
was as the following dispatch received
a few days ago will show;
"F. b. WALLIS-Gen. Casey says the
Government never claimed jurisdiction.
expect Secretary Proctor home to-
night and will confer fully with him
and repo rt. Don't think any legislation
necessary, but If so ii shall be had as
speedily as possible.
''FRANcIs b. SToCKBRIDGE."
Since the receipt of this telegram the
Board Of Health and city attorney have
been undecided as TO Whist move to
make. They are waiting for further
information from Senator Stockbridge.
81 do not think Canoes cut can be
filled IN without legislation" said James
y. DAVIS. chairman of the Board of
Public Works, yesterday. al have a
strong reason for speaking as do. In
tue first place Canoes cut Is navigable
stream. In fact, II is the main channel
of the river, and as such the city has
no jurisdiction over it. The rapids
could never be made navlgable, and f
Canoes cut were filled up, what would
| be done IN case the Government ever
makes an appropriation for the im-
provement OF Grand river? Why
Canoes cut would only have 10 be
! dredged out again. | rcmemt e. the
time when the Old ship channel ran
past where Sweets Hotel is now. THIS
was years ago, and the boats used 10
| land where the Barnard House now
stands. Since then however 1t has been
! gradually filled up and built upon, un-
I'll all that remains is the small slip now
used by the Grand Rapids Transporta-
| ton Company. And, mark me, If the
| city takes upon itself to condemn and
! 90 away with the cut, the trdnsporta-
ton company Will have good suit for
! damages"
"The city cannot legally close up
Canoes cut, and If they do We will GER
talnly begin q suit for damages" said
Muir d Crowley, proprietors of the
| Grand River transportation Company,
TO the TELEGRAa-llERALD. ''It would
/ virtually rum our business and we
would have good grounds for action.
| From time immemOrial Canoes cut has
| been a navlgable stream. 1t is part of
the Grand river and the main channel
at that. We do not think, however
that the council Will be so foolish as to
attempt to close 1t up.
"The closing of Canoes cut was never
agltated until the Wealthy-ave. bridge
question came up" continued one of
the partners. at was then that howl
and din arose about the channel being
nuisance and filthy place. This
was done simply because it would cost
considerable TO maintain draw in the
bridge. The council would refuse to
! appropriate money TO build a bridge
when 1t would require an attendant
constantly to attend the swing. Several
men have property that would be en-
hanced in value il the bridge was built.
and consequently they are agltating the
closing up OF the cut.
"Why take the garbage grounds on
the end of the island. The stencil from
there is ten times worse than from
Canoes cut. There they dump all
kinds of rubbish. If you should visit
there now, you will find swill, rotten
meats, dead dogs, and in fact enough
to cause an epidemic. 1t is left there
for weeks at time, and when the
wind blows from the right direction,
the stencil is almost unbearable. When
a sufficient heap al garbage is collected
it Is burned, and then the smell is even
worse than before. The smoke is
blown all over the city, and it is a Won
der that there Is not more sickness than
there Is now.
1--WE have q business here tnat has
cost time and money to build up. 1t
has Just reached that point where we
arc clearing something above expense.
! and We do not intend losing all we have
/ without making a fight. At present
We receive cOnsignments of goods tna'
go all the way to Milwaukee and West
| ern points,
The writer made an examination OF
| the cEt and, while It is in a dcplOrahlo
I cond ton, Il IS not so bad as IT has been
pictured. A little money expended
/ on improvements would remedy
! all the trouble. The chaunel
is about n half mile in length
and 90 10 20 feet ia width. There Is an
outlet, but practically no outlet. ThI:
causes the water 10 become stagnated
( and necessarily the odor arising Is not
the most pleasant imaginable. Several
years ago an attempt was made tC
remedy THIS evil by building tunnel
al the north end, connecting with the
water IN the rapids. Il was made g
small though that 1t Is practically use
less.
The distance between the north end
Of the cut and the rapids = only 90
feet. The land that Intervenes could
easily DO cut away. - as to make z
canal that would furnish a continuous
fi0w OF water through the old sliE
and then there could De no complaint.
made By anybody. There are greater
evils hy far in Grand Rapids than
+ Canoe cut.
A vlsit was made t0 Wallin's tannery
but Mr. Nallin vas iu the East H.
so1 said. however, that Canoes cut wa'
A nuisance that should he done away
I with Immediately. He sad hs fafhei
would probably vet Washington z
looS into the matter before bis returr
home.
Health Officer Saunders. when cues
toned, sad be did rot care 90 give az
'xpress,or. as be DID not want % h
I quoted te sc0uted the idea 81 con
nectng the cut and the rapids with
I canal.