The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-01-04
RAILROAD ORDINANCE UP
AGAIN.

The people who were clammoring
for safety gates at the railroad cross
ings on South Garden and South
Main streets, when they got the
ordinance through on its first read
ing thought they had accomplished
something. They then quit. That
is Just where they always make
their mistake. And that Is just why
the railroads and other public corpo-
rationa so often win over the peoples
wishes; they never quit. When the
people are aroused and demanding
their rights. the railroads are quiet
and smooth and agreeable. When
the people 20 to sleep, the railroads
go to work. They are at work now
trying to defeat the gate ordinance ;
and have gone at it in most pacific
and adrOit way. OF their own &C
cord they have placed tiagmen at the
crossings. When people are so
humble and nice and accommodate
ing. one hates to order them around
or nut them to further inconvenience
and trOable See?
Then they are going to build q
railroad depot, somewhere, some
time. THAT j., if they are not inter
feared with. They will be real nice
and good if you don't cross them; If
you do, they once said they would
make the grass grow on the streets
of Columbia"
And some of the heretofore sup
posed friends of the gates have be-
gun to weaken because OF these sly
promises and covert threats. The
railroad is so willing to do anything
reasonable, that they see no use in
offending them by putting them to
unnecessary expense. OF course
not. But the gates are not an I'M
necessary expense. Just keep that
in mind will you. And VINO is the
railroad that the law makers for Co
lumbia should be so jealous of their
feelings or solicitous for their expens-
es! And hadn't the Board as well Of
fend their dignity, las for their train to
run over and MAIN and kill our
citizens!
They don't know just where they
will build their depot, we are told
Just So! Nobody does. Likely az
not nobody will for years yet. But
certainly they have had time plenty
to find ort. 1t is nobody's fault but
theirs that they do not know.
And, by.the-way, when they dc
get ready to build, they will set
their pegs just where they want
them, and they will build there.
Little will they care as to how they
discommode individuals or damage
private property. Instead of build
ing where they are, the most conven.
lent site they can occupy for the
DuDllc, Tor tn6lt convenience CneS
will utterly ignore any suggestion
from the people of Columbia and
build where and how they please
Not only so but they will want the
taxpayers of Columbia to build 6
sewer for them; and they will wan
the Board to condemn and close 8
street for them; or allow them tt
blockade it at will, which is virtu
ally the same thing; and they will
want to buy property at their own
price; and they will be just as arbi
trary as they know how-and the
Lord knows that is arbitrary enough
And when they have done all thit
for themselves, they will swell witt
importance and say, "look, wha
great thing we have done for Co
lumbial" See if they don't.
But that may never come, for the.
may never build the depot. Jert
Baxter or some other railroad pro
mOter may save them the trouble.
But back to the original question
If the people want the gates, the.
should renew their fight.