Omaha daily bee., 1901-01-06

street as the central north and south thor
oughfare Of the Omaha Of the future.
city Engineer Andrew Rosewater, always
conservative in his estimates, makes the
prediction that Twenty-fourth street will
become one of the leading business streets
Of Omaha within the next twenty five years.
"Of course" says Mr.. Rosewater six
teenth street will redeem its prestige as a
retail trading point for many years to come.
but ultima, ely the retail business will extend
out Farnam street and up and down sew
eral miles OF Twenty-fourth street. The
growth OF the city must necessarily be
westward, and within twenty-five years, and
perhaps in less time. practically all Of the
residences OF our people will be west OF
Twenty-fourth street. The retail business
must come from the residence district and
as that district moves westward Il
will naturally be followed by the retail
stores II may be said that rapid transit
will make it possible to reach sixteenth
almost as quickly as Twenty fourth street
from the western section of the city and
for that reason shopping on Sixteenth will
be about as convenient as 1t would be on
Twenty fourth. But it must be remembered
that Immediately west of Twenty fourth
street. and within walking distance OF 1t,
will be the most thickly populated portion
of the town, and that a car line along
Twenty-fourth street will make IL the most
accessible street from the best residence
districts in both the north and south ends
of town.
when business goes west IL will settle
in Twenty fourth street. because, when a
few slight joys are taken out and three
blocks opened. 1t will be the only street
reaching straight from the northern limits
Of the city to the southern limits OF South
Omaha. The grade OF the street is heavy
at some parts. II is true. but not 80 heavy
as to make the operation of electric cars
at all difficult"
General Manager Smith of the street rail-
way company, when asked what he thought
OF the future of Twenty fourth street. said:
IF this city grows as we all would like
TO see 1t grow Twenty-fourth street will
undoubtedly become the main Travelled road
north and south. | don't think, however,
that its prominence as business street will
be attained right away. The street railway
company does not contemplate the construc-
tion OF a line along the entire length OF
Twenty-fourth street for some years yet
but of course, when there is a demand for
such line it will be built. For the pres
ent the through traffic from the northern
section OF Omaha to South Omaha. and the
north and south traffic west of Farnam
street would not warrant the construction
OF a cross-town line as far west as Twenty
fourth street.
THE time may come. however, when such
line will be In demand. 1t may be Ave,
ten or twenty or thirty years in the future;
| am not enough of a prophet to fix it.
THE new viaduct over the railroad tracks
at Twenty-fouth street will probably be
utilized by the street railway company
soon after its completion. 1t is probable
that we will put in a line running from
the stock yards in South Omaha north on
Twenty fourth street and across the yiaduct
to Leavenworth thence to sixteenth street
This line will undoubtedly bring the south
ern portion of Twenty fourth street into
greater prominence"
Lewis s. Reed, who has watched the de-
velopmcnt OF Omaha with a careful eye.
says:
81 am firmly convinced that Twenty
fourth street is destined to become the
principal retail thoroughfare OF the city.
owners OF property on and below Sixteenth
street need not become alarmed however,
because the shifting OF the retail business
westward will necessarily be deferred for
some years
''As the residence district extends west
ward the retail stores will be attracted In
that direction, while the section between
Sixteenth street and the river will grad
ually all up with wholesale houses and fac
tories. Twenty fourth street, by its CEN
tral location and continuity will become
the principal thoroughfare in the natural
evolution of Omaha"