The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-01-19
Question Discussed By Council
Committees.
OLD STRAW THRESHED
MATTER WILL SOON BE DE-
CIDED.
Action Was Deferred Last Nigst On
Account of the Absence of James
h. Moyle, But Something Definite
VIII Be Done On Jan. 20, By the
Committees.

Another public hearing on the union
depot franchise question was accorded
petitioners and protestants last evening
by the city council committees on
streets and laws, but without accom-
plisaing anything tangible toward a IA
vorable report on the matter. On ac-
count of the absence at Fort Worth.
Tex, of Attorney James H. AIoyie,
counsel for the protesting west side
property owners. the latter urged an
adjournment till the 18th inst. But the
proponents and the committee objected
to further delay, and the evening was
devoted to hearing the old straw
threshed over again
Finally it was agreed, on motion Of
Councilman Hartenstein, and on the
urgency of Tuddenham. FernStrom and
Canning, that the matter would be
taken up for final consideration by the
committee a week from next Monday
night, when, if Attorney Moyle has
anything new to present for his clients,
he alone may be heard against the
granting Of the franchise. A report TO
the council the following evening will
he made
Protestants Ont In Force.
The protestants were out in force
again. but a representative lot of busi-
ness men and heavy taxpayers largely
outnunsbered them. The gentlemen who
lent their presence to the meeting are
some Of those who signed the monster
petition Of heavy taxpayers favOrinS
the council granting the franchise for
the union depot. Besides the railroad
representatives,, the business men pres
ent were NJ. H. Walker. G. NJ. DOwney,
G. NJ Scott. G. T. Odell, ". 5. McCOr-
nick Frank Knox, II. G. Mcmillan, W
P. Noble, D. c. Adams, ]. S. Cameron,
W. P. O'Meara, NJ. 3. Sowles, J. X
Shaw. c. H. Linck. J. F. COrker, W. H
H. Spafford. J. NJ. Ricketts,, J. F. Cor
ker and ]. A. GoOdhUe.
After P. L. Williams reviewed the
main features Of the proposed franchise
for the occupancy of Third South street
and for additional tTackage facilities on
Fourth West street for the Oregon
Short Line and Rio Grande Western
railways to and from the union depot,
the protestants had an inning. Peter
Reid talked generally against railroad
expansion.
7 J. Corum and James Thompson
wanted the union depot site moved a
block north and farther west, where,
as they were forced to admit, they have
property interests. They desired to see
viaducts &c much as a union depot
built.
]. E. Openshaw, D. J. jenkins and W.
A. Hodges objected to any more tracks
going down on Fourth West street.
Ephraim Jeffs. an old engineer
amused the audience by telling of the
horrors and noises from railroad
switching.
The benefits to accrue from a union
depot to the entire city were pointed
out by W. P. O'Meara. He predicted
that. as a result. all the protestants
would eventually have opportunities to
sell their land at high prices for rail-
road or warehouse purposes. In his
opinion the railroads should be allowed
to select the depot site.
Scott and odell Talk.
George NJ. Scott and George T. Odell
were of the opinion that no obstruc-
lions should be placed in the way Of
granting the railroads what they de-
sire in reason.
J. M. ricketts, faneied that the griev-
ances of the protestants were more i'm
aginary than real He expressed the
hope that early and favorable action
ter. which would benefit the whole city,
now that the railroads are willing to
build a union depot.
Mr.. Williams pointed out that only
one more track is to be put on Fourth
West street. and plenty of room would
be left for wagon traffic. Everybody, he
said. wanted to see the union depot a
reality. Even the protestants were for
it, but they could not agree as TO its
location, one wanting it here and an
other there, and no two had the same
objections. Mr.. Williams deprecated
the fact that three months had gone
by without opportunity to ccDmence
construction work in the spring.
As one who has to remain out late
at nights to make crossing over the
tracks safe. A. c. Morris spoke in favor
of the franchise on behalf of Third
West street property owners.
Councilman WhittemOre questioned
each protestant to their discontinue as
to their objections to granting the
union depot franchise. and drew from
many of them the fact that they want
ed the site moved farther west or north
nearer to their land possessions.
Councilman Robertson declared he
had heard nothing new in the way of
serious objections after four meetings
with the prOtestants. He opposed fur
Their delay in bringing the franchise be-
fore the council for consideration.
However. the majority voted for the
final consideration in committee on the