Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-06-04
NO MORE THAN TWO.

In Ia treatment oi the petition loi
one Of tho local street railway com
pauits 10 be allowed to lay aud operate
Rllne Of rails on streets already ocou'
pied by the other company with two
linrs Of rails, the News hopes the CITY
Council will be influenced by neither
fear OF nor favor 10 either the petition
ers or the protcstanis, but will oon.
slider the question from tho high
standpoint Of public convenience and
general welfare. We shall leave to
others the discussion Of tho prior rights
Of the company which wouli bs la.
jured II this petition were granted; and
also the rights Of the petitioner aud IT,
patrons 10 facilities Ia and through the
business heart Of tho city. These
aspects Of tho case have been and no
doubt will be- thoroughly argued by
those respectively interested. THIS
paper will merely undertake 10 speak
for what II regards as the rights Of the
Inhabitants Of this city aud particular
ly OF those whose property comes
within the district where the proposed
innovation IL suggested.
The breadth aud spaciousnoss Of the
plan on which Salt Lake city was
laid out has won for us probably more
praise than any other one feature
Of our town. Tho idea Of the founders
was that there was room Tor large
city, aud that In the very nature Of
things large city would be- built. No
narrow, contracted policy huddloi the
settlers all ON one street, or gave them
aofampod building spot on any street.
Health ns well as beauty suggested
room and plenty OF II -ro9m for water
courses, for trees, for sidewalks and
drlyeways, room for flower gardens
aud lawns In front, and for orchards
aud vegetable gardens 10 the rear.
AZ the streets and walks were wide, no
also were ths city lots-not too
many Of them TO block-iarge though
the latter might be. In all this there
was alatesmAnshlp, sound policy, good
sense; II has made Salt Lake city
famous tue world over for beauty,
regularity, cleanliness, and the evil
dunees VI home-like comfort aud thrift.
To be- sure, recent years have wit.
messed some departure from the origl.
nal plan; city lots have been cut NJ
aud pAfcelled out among many fam,
lilies, a few blocks have been biseclel
by streets and alleys, buildings hay,
been wedged Ia closely In the bushes,
center, and have been pushed high
into the air; and there have even been
propositions TO reduce the width Of
the streets by giving 10 the abutting
property title to tho land out 10 the
sidewalk line. Happily the latter idea
has not prevailed; It Ia truly to be
hoped that II never will.
Now, street cars are great Conyen,
ienoe-an all.impouant aud inui,,
peusAble part Of a live oity's makeup
None appreciates more than the NEWS
what those enterprises have done ioi
Balt Lake CITY, nor more fully Tealizra
the obligation the people arc under tC
them, AZ the same time, we submit
that our streets were not lnil
out for street car lines alone;
aud we are bound to say tina
IN appr0puatlng choice residence anl
driving thorughhros, the local com
paulea have gone quite a. far as thry
should have been allowed TO go, and
good deal further than the best publ,
sentiment would have warranted. Tn
result 10, there IL hardly an lmportau
street upon which one may drive with
out contact with the rails--hardly ON
where the peaceful quielude Of ih
home Is not disturbed by the enrly an,
late tumbling oftho ponJor5us convey
nuces, the ogasplrss whirr ami buzEin
Of the electric line.
We shall be- told that these structure
may not apply 20 purely uusinea
streets. But VIZ iusist that in d measur
they do apply. ANA 70 certain Of on
beet lhoroughiares have been iuilre
In the manner indicated, We doom
0pportulo aud proper 10 raise warn
log voice before any VI them shall b
quite ruined, We have no streuN
wile That ,hey will not be spoiled D.
three on more lines OF ruiIr; two ~
quito sufficient Tor tho hr0aIest nn
busiest Of them-elther Tor the wolial
ofghe street itself aud the proper,
upon II, Or for tho lraiiic. The aggte
siye, enterprsing spirit Of the railwn
companies has done much for US ia
We ought to bs, and are, thaukf
ioP but there are certain lin
iA beyond which this spin