Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-11-17
TRACKACE BILLS CAIN FAVOR
Ordinances Giving Right-sf-Way to Rail-
roads Endorsed BY lsuncilnsn.
BENNINGTON POINTS OUT MERITS
Says They Will start a system of
Benehts for City In which
All Property Owners
viii share.

Councilman Huntington Thursday morn
ing expressed himself as being favorable
to the passage of the railroad ordinance
introduced at the last meeting Of the coun-
ell giving as a reason that in his opinion
with that portion OF the city covered with
railroad tracks Omaha will have the best
wholesale district ,in the west. He be-
lieves also no property owners will be in
jured, but instead all will be benefited
by the tracks in that the value OF the
property will be increased. As to whether
the railroads should pay the city for the
use of the Streets Mr.. Huntington ex-
pressed himself as being undecided, though
he said the city would be materially bene-
fitted even IL it did not receive a stated
revenue from the railroads.
''The council was criticised because 1t
allowed the Union Pacific to lay its tracks
on Ninth street." said Mr.. Huntington,
.'but look what that has done for this sec
ton of the town. One property which had
been offered for sale for $4,000 would bring
500. 900 today and the owner refused to &C
cept the larger offer.
Best Thing City Could Do.
I'm my opinion, to open this section OF
the town for a wholesale district would be
the best thing Omaha could do. 1t viii
bring other houses here and will make
Omaha one of the best wholesale towns in
the west. Some people probably will de-
mand that the city charge the railroads
So much for the use of the streets, but,
while 1 have not decided about that, be-
lieve the cities which give the most In
this line will derive the most benefits.
Property owners in this district VIII not
be injured by the tracks, but their prop
erty will be materially increased in value
II the right is granted the railroad compa-
mics to use the streets for their tracks ]
look for an unprecedented amount OF
building in this section of the town and
everybody in Omaha will derive some bene'
ht."
Councilman Dyball said he had moi
thoroughly looked up the ordinance and
therefore would not express himself al
this time.
CITY oficial has been asked for infor
! nation regarding the business sites In th'
proposed new wholesale district anC
whether permission had been granted FOL
the railroads to lay more tracks in thu
district. The party writing announced III
intended to bring branch house to Omaha
Another Big Featore.
One other great feature Of the new track
age proposition pointed out is the earl!
| construction Oh lHC htW OAiOh oSiA~ $1,000
quarters building. The frst Of the track
have been laid along Ninth street. M.
| Smith & CO., have bought half blocl
opposite the Union Pacific headquarters
between which sites lie the tracks and viii
put up the largest factory in the city an'
| an immense warehouse. Here is an In
crease in realty prices. When the Unioi
Pacific finally gives way to the pressur
of the jobbing track crusade and move
uptown it is pointed out that its new build
| ing will again in turn produce heavy in
crease in the price of real estate adjacen
| TO il.
And 80 it goes" said Huntington. lay
ing these tracks simply means one chain
whose every link is special benefactiol
\ for Omaha"
| Manufacturers constructing new building
on the tracks which have been run up Mint
! street will ask the council for permission
to construct raised walks across the track
the height Of the car doors so that mer
chandise may be loaded and unloaded froT
i the cars by trucks. the same as is don
at the freight depots This concession
granted in other cities In the wholesal
districts, where there is little traffic o
foot passengers. and little Inconvenience
| given while IL is a great saving Of labo
and time 10 the wholesalers who have bi
boxes TO handle continuously.