The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-21
Consolidated Well Backed Up In
Its Request For Extension of
Tracks in QuinSigamond Ave
nue., Shrewsbury
HEARING HELD BEFORE
SHREWSBURY SELECTMEN
Members of Clubs on the South
End of the Lake on the ShreWS-
bury Side and Property Owners
in Favor of EIeCtriCs to Avoid
All the Delay in Steamboats,

The proposed extension of the tracks
of the Worcester Consolidated Street
Railway Company in Quinsigamond
Avenue, on the Shrewsbury side of
Lake Quinsigamond, was the cause of
a lively hearing yesterday afternoon
before the selectmen of Shrewsbury, in
their Town Hall. The life of the meet
ing was due to the large number Of
people who are interested in the eX
tension and who want the road
built, the only difference of opinion be-
Ing as to which side of the road the
tracks shall be laid on and how far
the tracks will be laid in the avenue.
The petition of the company asks for
a location in the avenue to a point
about a mile south of its junction with
Shrewsbury Street, while some of the
property owners want the company to
go further and build the line to a point
opposite the entrance to Quinsigamond
Park.
The street railway company was rep
resented by President Francis H.
Dewey and General Manager Richard
r. Latin, and nearly all the clubs on
the Shrewsbury side Of the lake and
the property owners on the avenue
were represented and all of them eX-
pressed a desire for the selectmen to
grant the franchise for the hundreds
of people who will patronize the road
regularly, especially during the sum
mer months.
President Dewey opened the hearing
by telling the selectmen that the COM
pany files it's petition in response to a
request from the clubs and property
owners who want the electrics.
Frank A Smith, representing the
Tatassit Canoe Club, said every MEM
Der of his club is in favor of the petit
ton because it will be a great con-
venience for them to get to and from
the clubhouse. The steamboat connec-
lions are uncertain and cause consider
able annoyance.
James Early, representing the Wash
ington Social Club, said the 100 men
who belong to that club are DESTROYS
that the road be built because on busy
days at the Lake it is next to impos-
sible to get steamboat transportation
to and from the clubhouse. When the
members of the club want the boats
the most, 1t is very hard to get them
and when there is a big crowd at Quin-
sigamond Park the boats never stop
at the club and the members have to
walk up the back road to Lincoln
Park. If the road is built, they can
board the cars at the clubhouse and
ride into the city and they can also
get to the clubhouse without annoying
delays at Lincoln Park while waiting
for steamers.
James c. Luby. as one Of the tax
payers of the town with property on
the line of the proposed extension. said
he hopes the board will grant the
franchise for the accommodation of
the many persons who want to get to
the lower end of the Lake on the
Shrewsbury side. The residents on the
Shrewsbury shore are continually
bothered in the summer season by peo-
pie who lose their way and want di-
rections to the steamboat landing. If
they had a street railway line to
bring them back to the city the resi-
dents would be allowed to eat their
meals in peace. He thought the road
should lay its tracks further down the
avenue than the petition calls for.
John J. Ehnes, representing the Turn
Verein Frohsinn and himself as a tax
payer. said he personally hopes the
road will be built and he expresses the
wishes of the 125 members of his So
ciety when he asks the selectmen to
grant the location asked for. The Turn
ers make a custom of bringing their
families to their clubhouse and with
the present steamer accommodations
this is difficult and dangerous because
the people cannot always get the boats
when Lnty want lneIl. II Lfle members
had a street railway line by their
clubhouse, the advantages of the club
would be more appreciated. The con-
struction of the road would add con-
siderably to the revenue of the town
both from the excise tax and from the
new cottages that will be erected as
soon as people learn they can have
transportation to the city.
B. Joseph Bertels, representing the
nd
interests, put in a good word for the
petition. He argued that his society
has between 400 and 500 members who
belong to clubs south of the cause
way and they like to visit between
the clubhOuses, but under present con-
ditiOns they cannot do so without great
inconvenience and a long walk over a.
dusty road. AS a taxpayer Of Shrews-
bury, he said the construction Of the
road will add considerable taxable
property to the town, because he knows
personally of several people who would
erect cottages if they knew they had
a safe means Of transportation. They
do not want to build now because they
are afraid of the steamers.
Hjalmar Nilsson. as the representa-
tive of Svea Gille, said his society has
about ITO members who take their
families to the clubhouse during the
summer months. On Sundays and
holidays il is nothing unusual to have
crowds of 500 at the grounds and they
find it extremely difficult to get home
when they want to 60 because the
steamers coming from the south end of
the lake are generally so crowded that
they do not stop to take on any more
passengers. Sometimes people have 10
wait for hours or else walk up the
back road TO Lincoln Park to get the
electrics.
David Gruber, as a taxpayer on Quin-
sigamoud Avenue, favored the con-
struction Of the road because the people
are afraid Of the steamers. The boats
find ii impossible TO carry all the peo-
pie who want to go down the lake, and
persons have to walk.
NJ J. Connery, representing the Hill
side Club, with a membership of $50,
said the road Will be great advantage
TO the members Of the club.
George GoOdnow said the constTuc-
ton of the road viii open up the back
land Of the town and viii tend 10 build
IN the Shrewsbury side of the lake.
adding TO the taxable property of the
town.
Joseph H. Oliver, representing the
South Worcester Angling Club with 100
members. said they all want the new
road and they want it to go further
down the avenue than the petition calls
for. A mile down the avenue will
make the members Of his club walk
about half a mile and he does not
think it right to have these passengers
IN, the middle Of their Journey