The herald., 1896-04-12
Turn the Light On to Dlssipste Wrong

Turn the Light On to .Dissipate Wrong
Editor Herald: That ETERNAL vigi-
lance is the price of liberty is as true to-
same kind of vigilance is equally neces-
sary for the protection of property from the
selfish greed of ,monopolies and scheming
through pIiable officials. The case in point,
calling up these thoughts, is the recent
change of grade on Lake street from
nothing at Ninth street to one foot lower
at Eighth street (only on west side.
through such change owners failing in Wig
ilance damages. have accrued to at least
four owners of lots and residences on said
street The lot on southwest corner OF
Lake and Eighth streets has a stone wall
undermined and left foot above the side
walk on Lake and several feet above down
Eighth street. The walls of three resi-
dence lots are damaged by being left from
three to seven inches above sideWalk: The
cement sidewalk in front of DR.. Harrison S
residence was left above grade, was torn
out and lost to him-all this for the bene--
1T Of owners of northwest corner OF
Eighth and Lake streets. Changing grade
has left the southwest corner about one
foot lower than the other three corners
All for want Of vigilance and and ef9rt or ito to
orial in your issue of Tuesday last you
it can do the bidding of a railroad monopoly
as shamelessly as it can ignore the exist
ence of a prostitution combine under the
and in doing so they seem to have no re-
gard for the interest of taxpayers or other
citizens. Let any franchise be asked for
1t is favored and advocated by some mem
bers of the council with the assiduous en-
ergy of q paid attorney on the threadbare
it is patent and plain that it is detrment
to the property owner and only for the
good of the monopoly and it's friends. A
fresh example of this anxiety for the pub
lie good is 1.-The Wiltshire franchise" be-
hind which the, Consolidated Electric
Railroad monopoly. ask for franchise
for belt railroad all around West Lake
park, and also, a franchise beginning at
the junction of Ninth and Lake streets to
Eighth street Sand this the The only part we we
satisfied with the two electric lines now
terminating at the park. but wish to de-
on the one block of narrow Iittlc Lake
street (and against the protest OF. every
residence owner in said block). and fer the
private gain that "The Consolidated Rail-
road monopoly may 'for the, public (o
good" transfer from their. Ninth street
line and run over the Traction company's
hem in said Traction road and gather all
the travel south of Eighth street as well
as north of it. The franchise for this one
square of line is clearly not for the public
good or convenience. for the simple reason
that any. one going to the park or into
the city from south of Ninth and west of
Pearl street has only one square, over ce-
'ment walks. to reach Eighth street. So
it is plainly only for the good of ''rhe
COnSOildated monopoly. we reel tnat
three electric roads centering at West Lake
park shall in all conscience be sufficient
to accommodate the public to reach the
belt line around the park and land tourists
at the Wiltshire hotel-that IS to be-or
al least may be. We do not believe that
any disinterested citizen would try to
maintain that an electric car curving
around the corner of a narrow street would
enhance the value or desirability of a resi-
drnce on such corner. The'elegant resi-
denre of Mrs. F. NJ. French on the corner
of Ninth and Lake streets would be great
ly damaged. and without the excuse of
any public necessity. for there remain sew
eral ungraded and unimproved streets west
of Lake street. through which said fran
cl1ise could be granted. and the Ninth street
line reach the Wiltshire belt line and the
Wiltshire hotel If 1t is at all necessary to
the building of said hotel, which we main
tain that it is not. We have spoken with
a large number Of monopoly-rdden citi-
zens since this matter came up. who are
free In their thought that it is high time
this monopoly business should cease, and
city council be selected and elected that
would be more interested in legslating for
the benefit of property-owners than for
monopolies, and we will make strong eff
fort to accomplish that end at our next
municipal election. and we will not forget
those who have ill-treated us. neither for
get those who have stood by the right in
the past. Sincerely yours for Justice.
LAKE STREET RESIDENTS.