Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-02-19
FORTY ACRES IN FACTORIES
Plan of the Union Pacific Company for Util'
iEing Valuable Tract.
BOOM TALK BASED ON CITY SETTLEMENT
Southwest Improvement Club Tol'
of the Intention of the Company
TO Do Something with
Its Holdings

Subsequent to the completion OF work on
the present shop site, the Union Paciho
railway plans to make extensive improve
ments on a tract OF land bounded by Twen-
ty-fourth Twenty seventh, Hickory and
Martha streets. The nature OF the work
will be vast spur track and siding faciii-
ties, which will completely cover this forty
acre tract OF ground, with the object Of
bringing extensive manufactures to the spot.
At the meeting Of the Southwest Improve
ment club last night City Attorney Con-
nell and former Councilman Ernest Stuht
brought this matter to the attention OF the
members. and said that. inssmuch as the
improvements would be in the clubs own
territory, that It would behoove the or
ganization to urge by every possible means
the Inauguration and the completion Of the
scheme. The club informally resolved to
let no grass grow under it's feet in the mat
ter.
II was stated that the railway intends
commencing this work in 1904. BY that
time it will be we'll through with the pres
ent improvements in progress at the shops.
The railways plan as outlined is very
broad, embracing practically the establish
ment Of a little manufacturing community
down there in the low tract just west Of
the Twenty fourth street viaduct. Mem
bers OF the club we're fully awakened last
night to the Importance which this move
is to them because of their location.
plan Long Determined On.
That the Union Pacific had any such plan
! first leaked out at the time OF the big bar
ter made by tbe city and the railroad
| year ago, but the scheme has not been gen
orally known. The major portion OF what
| the Union Pacific received in that trade
was streets and alleys down in the shop
district, the railroad stating that II wished
that territory entire in order to maAe elab-
| crate additions which 1t has since carried
out.
Among all those street sections OF the
river front district was a request for 8
piece of Walnut street about seven blocks
| long out in the southwest part Of town
/ This runs diagonally from Martha street
at about Twenty-sixth northeast to Twen-
! ty-fourth street, at about Hickory. This
was the only street laid out in all that
forty-acre tract described. The railroad
company, when asked why 1t wanted that
particular street vacated. said that It waS
wished to have that forty acres intact, sc
| that manufactures might be put in there
/ The intention was stated to be to gridiror
| the rectangle Of ground. some four blocks
by six, with spur tracks and have colony
4 Of factories built there. Hf
In this connection the discussion brought
to light another improvement plan hitherto
unknown. That is the extension Of Twen-
! ty-seventh street, from Martha to Bancroft
streets where 1t will connect with the tun-
| mel which the railroads are under contract
to build under the tracks there by 1so4
That will give another easy inlet and out
let for this territory.
Kicks on Gasoline Light.
| J. G. johnson has been keeping score
on the lamplighter. and he dropped a small
bombshell in the meeting by stating tha
the gasoline light at the corner Of Twenty
| fifth and Marcy streets was lighted thre'
nights in last December. and out Of two
weeks in November was lighted sever
times. At the end Of the year he SPOKE
to the lighter about the matter, and since
then the light had only gone six nights
unIit. The light at Twenty-fifth and Ma
son streets, said Mr. Johnson, had beer
conducted in much the same way.
This started a furore. and other mem
bers told Of other lights that had similai
habits Of going dark much of the time. i
was suggested that the contracts on thu
lights in that section expired December g.
last, and that perhaps there was no kicl
coming on them going dark since then. \
committee comprising Ferdinand Haarmann
w. H. Green and R. w. Dyball, was name'
to investigate the matter, to ascertain
the city was paying for the lights, and If 81
why they were not lit and how the gas in
spector was employing his time.
Twenty-FOurth street Grade.
On the matter OF filling in Twenty
fourth street south of LeavenWorth so tha
the street railway company may build ol
II a line to South Omaha, 1t was reporte'
that still 100 feet Of the necessary abuttin
front foot signatures were lacking. 600 fee
having been secured. II was decided L
rush the work along. and to secure the res
by the next meeting next Wednesday nigh
IL possible.
In this connection old citizens wer
called upon for "reminiscences OF forme
fights and struggles for improvements o
various kinds. In this way the balance o
the evening was passed. and some very in
teresting stories were told. City Attorne
ConneII brought forth some especially kee
tales regarding the hght for the new Bur
lington station, for the grade on Leaven
worth street, for the cutting and hlling o
South Sixteenth street previous to that
and he even went back 20 the old contes
over the cutting and hlling on Farnar