The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-04-19
F. D. Lander, Editor.
THE DEPOT QUESTION

Though not in so many words, the
L. & n. Railroad Company's propo-
sition to build new passenger sta
ton at Columbia, was rejected by
the Board of Mayor and Aldermen
last week, and a committee APP
pointed from the Board to conf-r
with the Company looking to a new
proposition.
So long as the Railroad was max
ing the proposition, and the Com
mittee of business men were con-
ferring with them, we were willing
to wait and see the outcome. But
If there is any danger of the Boards
Committee committing the Board
to any proposition that will entail
any part of the expense upon the
tax payers of Columbia, in the name
of these already sorely burdened tax
payers, we wish to interpose an OBJ
lection now.
An ornamental passenger station
is a very nice thing for a town to
have. So is an ornamental Court
House. Better still is a sewerage
system. But Columbia cannot afford
to have all the ornaments it would
like to have. With our property
assess ed at it's full cash value, and
the tax rate Sl.25 on the hundred,
this Board should be exceedingly
careful how they spend the peoples
money, and not spend any of it for
ornament.
Not only are we not able to spend
ten thousand, or five thousand, or
one thousand dollars to help the
Louisville & Nashville Railroad
Company ornament their own
property, but the circumstances and
surroundings of the case do not
Justify them in asking it. They are
no infant industry, needing the
fostering care and financial assist.
ance of the corporation of Columbia.
They are not entering new and
untried field and risking something.
They are not giving anything to Co.
lumbia and asking something in
return. They are simply proposing
to meet the demands of their own
business, at somebody else's ex.
pense. Although stheir passenger
station is confessedly too small to
accommodate the travelling public
on their road; although their freight
depot is admittedly inadequate to
the demands of their business; al
though they are crowded to death
for yard room, to their serious in.
convenience and to the delay and
annoyance of their patrons al
though the public knows this and
the Railroad Company admits it,
and although they are abundantly
able to buy and build whatsoever
they need and want, yet here they
are, demanding everything, conced-
ing nothing, and asking the tax
payers of Columbia to please help
them pay for charging their yards
and improving their own property.
The HERALD is opposed to the
people of Columbia being taxed one
dollar for this enterprise. If we
have any money to spend, over and
above what we are already COM
PEELED to spend, let's spend it on sew.
erage. Whether it be much or little
spend it on sewerage, and let the l.
& N. Railroad Company take care OF
and enlarge and improve their own
property.
The Board, we think, should say
to the Railroad Co., we will do any.
thing we cah to assist you, that will
not tax or seriously Inconvenience
any considerable number of our owl
people. We will close Garden stree
ut your railroad crossing, because
that will convenience you and no
cost or Inconvenience our people ma
terially. But if you wish othel
streets closed, you must pay all the
expense directly or indirectly to b,
incurred, aud do likewise as to al
new streets opened at your reques
and for your convenience.
If.the Railroad Company, rather
than do this, should prefer to 81
remodel and enlarge their present
passenger station as to make il
aommodious and comfortable, &C
cording to law, the people of Column
bia would not complain, but lie bet
ter satisfied by far than 20 submit t
The closing of some of their principa
streets, and pay for the same to boot
A new passenger station or an en-
larged passenger station, either
would be acceptable to the people o
Columbia and the travelling publi
general; but il should be constant
" borne in mind that the presen
uld shack lie not.
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THE steel trust says that IL will
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