Omaha daily bee., 1896-01-14
THE LOGICAL UNION DEPOT SITE.

In the hearing before the State Board
Of Transportation of the petition to
compel the railroads centering in Omaha
to provide adequate depot facilities for
the public, there was practically no
difference of opinion as to the justice
of the complaint. None of the attOr-
neys who appeared in behalf of the
railroads had the hardihood to contend
that the accommodations furnished to
passengers were what a city of over
100000 population has a right to eX-
pect and demand. On this point the
state board must be convinced even
beyond Il reasonable doubt. Its duty
to issue an order requiring each and
all Of the railroads that do business in
Omaha to provide c~ommodious and
convenient passenger stations is i'm
perative.
The only question over which there
could be any controversy is whether
the board shall order each railroad to
build a depot of it's own or shall take
the b~road-gauge position that the con
venience of the public demands a union
station in which all the railroads shall
have their terminals and connect with
each other. The right of the board to
declare the necessity for a union depot
and to issue an order for the joint oc-
cupancy of such Il depot on fair and
reasonable terms is supported by court
decisions defining the powers of state
boards of transportation. In the hear
ing before the board in this city it was
clearly developed that at least three of
the roads entering Omaha ave no
depot grounds of their own II could
not, except at extraordinary expense,
acquire the necessary grounds and
erect separate passenger stations COM
mensurate with modern ideas. These
railroads, at least, must join
with other roads that have right of
way privileges in this city accessible
to them. In reaching a decision, there's
fore, the board must take n practical
view of existing conditions and formu-
late an order that can be complied with
in reasonable time and afford the pub
lie the most ample passenger accom-
modations.
From this point of view two courses
lie open to the state board. 1t must
either declare in favor of the Mason
street union depot or the proposed
depot between Farnam and Howard
The completion Of the Mason
street depot by the old Union Depot
company is an im~possibility. The
vnnn xyyhinh itc station &c 10 |
are now in process of foreclosure
and even If they were not the depot com
pany has never acquired title to them.
1t is conceded, moreover, that the
Mason street depot is not accessible to
the roads that now use the Webster
not fulfill the demands of the public for
4 real union depot.
1t was pointed out by eminent
attorneys who appeared before the
board that the law empowering
The board to act had only one thing
view, and that is the public conven-
ence. The convenience of the railroads
IS n matter of secondary consideration.
It can not be successfully gainsaid that
he public convenience would be better
;ubserved by the proposed Farnam
street union depot than by any other
ocation. According to the evidence of
competent engineers and railway men,
t is the only depot site where all the
'ailroads entering Omaha can be
together. 1t needs no argu-
nent either to convince any rational
person that the FarnaIn street site is
more accessible and convenient to
he people, whether they reside in
omaha or are passing through the city.
The only knotty problem before the
board is whether 1t has power to order
he Bridge and Terminal company to
this depot for the general nc
of all railroads that now
inter Omaha, or may hereafter come
nto this city, and whether it can re-
luire the various roads to avail them
of this projected depot. The
argument of John L.. Webster on behalf
If the citizens of Omaha left no room
or doubt Oh that score. His conten-
ion that the Terminal company was
Is much subject to the jurisdiction OF