The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-07-13
THE RAILROAD PROPOSITION,

found employment In these two indus
tries must now seek new fields in dull
| times when workmen are begging for q
chance to labor. Notice the condition OF
our streets on week days. A more than
Sabbath quietness prevails. These are
| the present conditions. Shall We make
| them permanent or make an effort to re-
| store little activity? 1t rests wit. the
city council to give an answer.
The movement on the lake front give more
promise Of good things for the city tina n
any other movement inHugurated with
II the history of the city. It will result III
doubling the present capacity of the coal
docks and will not only restore but en-
large that business. 1t is certain to re-
store our trans-lake line with guarantee
Of such volume OF business that absn-
donment Will not be possible. It will
give us new lines of business and will
center interests here which are powerful
III increasing the citys growth. In the
face OF such possibilities and in contrast
with present depressed conditions 1t
would be crime to fling away the OPP
portunity to better ourselves. II the city
council should fail to improve the oppor-
tunity now offered 1t Will be guilty of a
crime against the city and will be held
responsible for the evils certain to follow.
The members cannot escape the respOn
sibility. They are asked to give up moth
ing which has value, and nothing is OF
consequence when played against chance,
even.
The situation Is this simply: Railroads
never accept anything conditionally.
They are in position to decline any
thing which has q condition attached
One city will give absolutely what the
other will give with reservations, and
railroad companies do not wish to estab-
lish any precedent which would in the
future hamper them with conditions. So
far as the present enterprise is concern
ed the city council may as well refuse to
vacate at all as to Yacate cOnditionally,
for TO- or 20, or 40 years. Any condition
defeats the measure. There is no use in
speaking Of the sufficjency of the con-
cessiOn with the time limit attached as
we are not IN position to make terms.
We can either accept or reject and re-
lection is Just as effective by means
of partial concession as if the refusal to
vacate was absolute.
One thing more: Delay is dangerous
The proposition is not to be kept open
for an indefinite time. The city council
must decide quickly whether it will de-
prive the city of this splendid opportun-
ity TO give it prosperity, or whether the
question will receive the consideration
which business mea would naturally
give proposition of this kind which can
entail no loss and may be a source Of
great gain.
OF what use is the lake front now to
any one? OF what use can it be for an
eternity OF time unless some use is made
of it? The vacating of the stubs of streets
can keep no other railroad company out,
because other companies could make no
use of them for right of way, as they ex-
tend nowhere. For heavens sake haven
we streets enough in Manitowoc for the
business we are doing or the exercise we
are taking? Can any man suggest what
use these stubs are now, what use they
will be unless the city should grow? Can
any one tell how the city can grow if we
persist in the policy of sitting down on
every enterprise that promises to amount
! to something?
There is no use of talking about what
use these streets will be when the city
has population of 10000 1t will not
have population of 10000 nor of 5000
IN few years if the policy governs which
now advises refusal of every concession
| to any projected enterprise.
If the vacation of a street in use for
business purposes was asked there would
| be some sense in refusal, as then some
valuable consideration would be asked.
| But IN the present instance there are no
streets except such as are so IN name, and
| the probability is they will remain as
| nominal streets only. Are they such
things of beauty that we are so intent
upon preserving them? Are they used
to such an extent for the purposes OF
traffic that We refuse to permit them to
be used to enlarge the resources of the
city? Would these stubs be snbservine
their purpose better by lying idle and
unopen, as they now are, or by being
used IN enlarging the prosperity of the
city? What are the purposes Of
streets, anyway?
1t requires 10 of the IA aldermen elect
ed to vacate these streets. If the streets
should be vacated and things remain il
statu quo, what harm Is done? No change
has been made and those who long fol
unrestricted gaze upon this reach of sane
may gaze to their hearts content with
out hindrance. IF the lake front should
be put to such use as to materially en-
nance the prospe rlty of the city those
who voted to vacate may look with pleas
ure upon their work. If the ordinance
to vacate is defeated then hose men VIII,
defeated it will certainly have the oppor
tunity Of gazing upon the barren LAX
front,-for such it will remain,-and O
hearing many unpleasant things con
cernIng their action. Manitowoc will Ian
guish under such policy and the cit
: fathers will have city after their ow