The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-04-05
NEW DEPOT SUGGESTIONS.

Usually we devote this column to
the discussion of public questions.
Bat for the present we are using it
to express the suggestions Of others
as we'll as ourselves, and Will
present the argument from our
standpoints when the suggestions
are all in.
The Railroads proposal as it now
stands will not be accepted. The
people will never consent to closing
High street or tuunelirg South
Main; neither would the City Coun-
ell ever consent to pay the damages
that would accrue therefrom, even if
they were asked to do nothing else,
IT, is hard to conceive how the Com
plny could seriously make that
proposition.
Mr.. J. l.. Hutton has better plan
than the Railroad proposes. Better
for Columbia certainly and less
expensive for the Railroad. We
will not say better, because they
are supposed TO understand better
,han the public, the advantages
they would derive from their
rlan. Mr.. Hutton's plan is to run
south Main street, straight from the
Court House through the old Walker
scott property to Johnson street
The Walker Scott property is tina,
property where South Main street
forks; one fork leading to the Gene
terry, the other to the railroad. Mr.
Hutton's idea ia to make no turn
here, but go straight to johnson
street, which is the street leading
from the Cotton Mill to the Pulaski
pike, entering the pike at Anderson
sore. The plan contemplates the
blocking of South Main and Soptt
Garden streets at the railroad cross
ilgs; the people south of the rail
road to use this proposed new street
which would go under the railroad
the lay of the ground making tn,
tunneling at that point very easy
This would be D very much cheaper
plan both for the railroad and tn,
city. And it would not interior,
with the travel from the city to tn,
country much. But it woult
materially interfere with the people
who live on South Main and South
Garden streets south of the railroad
These people, it should be remem
bered, are part of Columbia just a
much as the uptown people are, ant
care should be taken not to interfer,
with their rights or convenience
Their business and pleasure call
them up town every day, some o
them two or three times a DAY. T
require them every time to go
round about way to their business
for all the balance of time, would b
no little thing; and the necessity TO
it should be made plain and incon
trovertible, before it is required.
I'VE can very well understand VIII
the Railroad Company would prefe
to have High and South Main bot
closed but we do not see the neces
slty for closing either.
So far as the public is concerned
we believe the favorite site for tn
new passenger station would be jus
east of the present one and on Hig
street. This is railroad property
and the public cannot understan
why that site would not suit for
passenger station. That would avoi
all opening and closing of streets.
The impression prevails to som
extent, and is growing, that tn
Railroad is attempting to max
more yard room for themselve,
With that in view this suggestion
offered: The Railroad already own
u strip of land between South Mai
and Garden streets; let them buv
strip of equal width from Garde
TO School street (where School stree
tunnels the railroad) and build til
new passenger station at point d
rectly or nearly north of the preser
freight house, the tracks betwee
the present freight house and tn
proposed new passenger station,
bs used exclusively for passenge
trains, and the tracks now sout
Of the depot to be given exclusivel
10 the freight. The railroad wOul
not have to buy much land; nor
really, except an inexpensive STIR
through from Garden to Higl
No streets need be closed; no ne
streets opened; nobody hurt; 4
damages to adjust.