The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-05-27
DESPITE HIS VETO
Aldermen Vote in South
ern's Favor.
RumOr That an Injunction Will Be
Sued Out 10 Prevent Tracks Be-
ing Laid Across Elm
Street.
Especial to News and Observer


Especial to News and Observer
Greensboro, N. c., May 26.-The
council chamber of the city aldermen
was filled to overlooking last night
when the question of overriding the
mayors veto of an ordinance adopted
at a special meeting two nights before,
giving the Southern Railway the privi-
lege of placing two more tracks across
South Elm street at the station cross
ing. The old board had refused to
grant this request, but the new board
upon it's being presented to them gave
the privilege by a vote of five to one,
Mayor Murphy vetCing it, as he said,
to give citizens, property holders and
corporations doing business south of
the crossing an opportunity to present
their objections to the board on
question of sustaining or overriding
the veto. The board last night re-
fused to sustain the mayor or grant
the petition of the directors to the
additional tracks by the same vote of
the special meeting, five to one. A
petition signed by $50 citizens ana
business firms was presented, protest
ing against the tracks, and f.. j. JUS
tice. j. A. Barringer, A. w. Cooke and
Judge r. M. Douglas, as attorneys as
well as citizens, made argument for
the petitioners and the citizens of
south Greensboro generally, against
the ordinance. The railroad was rep
resented only by superintendent Cope
man, backed up in his argument by
arguments in favor of the privilege
from Aldermen Odell, Wysin and
Hunter.
Besides citizens generally. Mr.. Jus
tice appeared specially for the follow
ing business corporations doing bust
ness near where the new tracks, it is
claimed, will place additional obstruc-
tons across this main business street
Of the city: Armour Packing Company,
Guilford Roller Mills, Guilford lie
Company, Gate City Ice Company,
Greensboro Coal and Ice Company.
South Greensboro citizens claimed that
further distractions across this street
would damage every foot of property
in that important and populouS part
of the city, by reason of the almost
complete stopping up of the only re-
naming street by which they could
reach the post office, the court house,
the schools, the railroad station, etc.
They said that the only other street
leading to north Greensboro, >avie,
had been practically closed by the
railroad, as there were twelve tracks
across it, and shifting cars were run
nlng nearly all the time.
On the other hand, Superintendent
Copeman claimed that by the placing
of the two additional tracks across
Main street as proposed. there would
be really fewer trains crossing it than
now, and the protests of the citizens
and business men came either from
prejudice to railroads or from ignor-
ance of the effect of the additional
privilege, he thought from the latter
cause.
Aldermen Wysin. Hunter and Odell
also explained that there was no dan
ger of the railroad by getting this
foothold on the street taking advant-
age of it to use it to the detriment of
the public. as had been charged by
the opposition. Referring to the
charge that every time a citizen OK
business firm complained of encroach-
ments on their rights or their property
were always actuated by prejudice
against railroads. Mr.. Justice said it
was a stock argument which was false,
and that men being damaged by rail-
road aggressionS were no more actu-
ated by prejudice against railroads i'm
asserting their rights, than they were
in maintaining their rights against en-
croachments from any individual or
corporation or state or nation in other
respects
There has been much feeling over
the proposition to add these two tracks
across Main street, and there was not a
single petition for it presented last
night nor speech made for ii except
by the aldermen named and Superin-
tendent Copeman, who made very
fine impression by. his busness-like
and explanatory remarks.
There is a rumor this morning that
when the railroad goes to put the
tracks down, an injunction will be
sued out TO prevent it, on the ground
that the additional facilities are not
needed for their Interstate traffic
One of the attorneys asked about
this today said he knew nothing Of
any such purpose. Another said he
supposed the railroad would escape
this difficulty by completing the track
Eat one sitting" between midnigHt and
day some night A railroad man when
told this said the railroad had no in
tention or purpose to take, any ad-
vantage whatever of the citizens or of
the city, and had shown this by pre-
senting blue prints of the actual loca-
ton of the tracks which were not to
be used for crossing purposes so much
as for being able to have Y where
it would really alleviate the present
situation. He poo hood the idea of an
injunction or the charge that the
tracks would be put down at night to
avoid the possible issuance of one.