Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-10-10
A SIDE WALK WANTED

Railway Company Should Be
/ Made to Build One.
| At the last meeting of the city
council, the question was raised as to
whether it would be right and proper
for the city to compell the Chicago,
Milwaukee and st. Paul railway COM
pany to put in cross walk on the
south side of Grand avenue where it
crosses the railway tracks of that
company. Against it's being ordered
done, it was suggested that the COM
pany would have to move their water
tank, their cinder pit, and in other
| ways this move would cost them a
great deal Of money.
There is no question but that the
cinder pit would have to be moved, if
cross walk was put in, for fully half
of one of the pits lies in the public
streets of the city. Because of this
fact, the cinder pits should be moved
anyway, whether walk is put in or
not. The street of city, and espec-
tally Of a we'll travelled street like this
one are no place to keep and maintain
a cinder pit, when there is no guard
or anything else to keep pedestrians
and teams from falling into it at
night. If the railway company wants
to maintain cinder pit, let them put
it where such thing should be, and
then it would not cost them anything
to have it moved afterward. II they
build their conveniences where they
are nuisance aud a menace to public
safety, let them, the same as anyone
else, be compelled to get them out of
the way.
AS to walk being needed there, no
question can arise. The west side, as
we'll as the east, is growing, and grow
ing rapidly. This street is being used
more and more, and as time passes,
the necessity of walk at this place
grows more and more pressing. AS it
IS, one mnst go way around by the
depot and then out to the street
again, before he can proceed on his
way to the outer part of the city.
1t is not alone the older person who
is inconvenienced. There are num-
Der Of school children who have to go
this way to school. Rather than in
convenience big railway company
little, is it better that these little
ones 60 to the depot and then down
the main railway track till they come
to the side walk? is it better that
they walk around this cinder pit into
the cinders toften4..ot ones that will
burn their shoes or feet) and mud to
get onto the walk again? And is it
better that train comes up just to
the crossing and then blows out the
flues, takes in water, and empties out
the smoking cinders with loud noise,
when teams come along there con-
stantly, many of them farmers teams
who are unaccustomed to trains?
All these things are worth consider
alton. There is absolutely no doubt
that walk is going to be needed
here and in fact is needed right now.
There is no doubt but that the cinder
pit will have to be moved off the city
property and out Of the way at some
time. The water tank, too, is too
close to the crossing for safety and
convenience for those who drive teams
along this way. In view of this fact,
is there any excuse for waiting in ask
ing the railway company to make
these changes at once? OF course it
will cost them money to do so, but as
it must eventually be done, why not
right away? They must have known
their pit and water tank would be an
Inconvenience to the people of the
city at some future time. Knowing
this, and because it is even now a
great Inconvenience, it should be
moved, and chance given for a walk
along the south side of this street,
The walk will in the future be needed
much more than it is now and the city
council are doing well in demanding
It's speedy construction.