The record-union., 1891-07-06
THE ELECTRIC ROAD.
Mr.. Henry Writes a Letter on the
Subject.
Why the Central Street Railway Com
pany Want a Franchise on Sixth
Street. Instead of Farther West
VIII the Trustees Grant Its

The application of the Central Street
hallway Company for franchise to run
electric cars on Sixth street, from to p,
and thence up p to Twenty eighth, which
is backed by an almost unanimous petit
ton of the property owners along the
proposed line, has created quite a COM
motion in the southwest corner of the
city, and a controversy has arisen in
which considerable ill-feeling is being
manifested. 1t does not seem that there
is any good excuse for this strife. for the
situation is one which ought to be met by
calm reason and cool judgment. Hot
words can accomplish nothing The sit
uation is simple one and the Trustees
should decide upon the application of the
company on its merits.
The Central Company has applied for a
franchise to run on Sixth and on p streets,
because, as the directors argue. it will do
more business if the road is located on
Sixth street than if lit runs farther west
The whole city seems to concede that
such road would be great advantage
10 the city and especially to the residents
of the Fourth Ward But the people liV-
ing in the lower half of the Second Ward
and the officers Of the Museum AssOcia-
ton are very anxious that the road should
run through Second or Third street to Z.
This desire is a very natural one and
nobody Is found who will blame any
resident Of that portion Of the city for
DONG his utmost to secure road there.
But right here is where the trouble
arises. Mr.. Henry says that he has con-
ndence that the road will be paying one
II run through Sixth street, and that he
does not want franchise ON any street
farther west and viii not build road
h To-
southwest portion of the city are trying
to induce the Trustees to take the posi-
tiOn that if the company will not build
the road on Second or Third street il
shall not have the franchise at all.
One of the Trustees has been credited
with the statement that he would not
vote for the franchise unless it was
changed to read Second or Third street,
instead Of Sixth. He subsequently de-
MED that he had gone that far, though he
was strongly in favor of the road going
through Second or Third street. Trustees
Mclaughlin and Conklin happen to live
in the Second Ward, and naturally de-
sire the road TO run on one Of the last
named streets, but it is not believed that
they will allow their personal interests to
stand in the way Of the best interests of
the city.
Some pains have been taken to learn
the feelings Of the people generally in re-
gard to the matter, and the consensus of
opinion seems to be that it would be very
desirable to have street-car line run by
the Art Gallery and accommodate the
people in the extreme southwest portion
OF the city, If anyone can be induced to
build such road, but that it would be
gross injustice to all OF the rest Of the
city to drive away the capital which is
proposed to be invested in the new line,
which will undoubtedly accommodate a
vast number of people and add greatly to
the general welfare OF the city. As
the Central Company positively de-
clines to build a road furthar west
than Sixth street, the whole queS-
ton comes down to this: VIII the
Trustees refuse to grant it a franchise
which every citizen admits viii be Il great
benefit to the city, simply because it Will
not specially benefit those living in par
ticular locality and who desire road for
their accommodation.
1t is argued by some that the building
OF the line through Sixth street will for
ever cut off the southwestern portion of
the city from street-car accommodations,
cut that does not follow by any means.
Mr.. Carey has franchise on Third street
and his road should be built and then ex-
tended up o street to connect with his
system at Tenth. This would give the
Second Ward good service. If Mr..
Carey does not build and allows his fran
chlse to be forfeited then there is no doubt
that the Central Company would build a
line into that section if it could be shown
that the traffic would warrant it,
The RECORD-UNION has already pub
liShed all Of the arguments in favor of the
road going through Second or Third
street, as stated by the Directors Of the
Museum Association and citizens of the
Second Ward, and in this article simply
reviews the situation and points out that
there is now only one question before the
Board OF Trustees and that is whether or
not it will grant franchise for a road
through Sixth street to z and thence
through 7 to Twenty That ques-
ton should be decided upon it's merits
alone. VIII it be a benefit to the city 3?
DO the people along the line ask for it?
DO we want large amount Of capital in
vested in the city in extending the elec-
tric railway system? These are the
questions the Board of Trustees must
answer to-day by their votes on the fran
chise applied for by the Central Street
Railway Company. 1t is To be hoped
they will be answered wisely and in
manner TO serve the best interests of the
whole city.