The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1906-03-30
NEN RAILROAD STATION
VIEWS OF THE DEMONSTRATIONS
IN REGARD TO 1T.
DO NOT AGREE WITH THE NEWS

Mild Criticism OF Report OF the Meet
ing Held Monday Evening-Reasons
for Objections are Explained by the
Remonstrators.
Norfolk, March 21.-To the Citizens
of Norfolk: Yesterday there appeared
in The Daily News an article relative
to the proposed plans for a new sta
tion to replace the old one recently
destroyed by fire. We have no criti-
cism to make upon the matter, as pre-
sented by the writer of that article.
Mr.. w. N. Huse, who was present at
the meeting held Monday evening,
owns The News and is responsible for
such matter as he may see fit to pub
lish
A large number of the citizens do
not agree with the ideas presented,
and since we have been asked to per-
sonally give our views, in writing. to
The News for publication, we ask you
to carefully consider the following
facts as we understand them.
We wish to say first that we have,
so far as we know, never before, in
any manner, attempted to interfere
with or discourage any proposition
tending to the bettering of conditions
in Norfolk. On the contrary, we have
gone as deep in our pockets as our
ability would permit, to advance the
material interests Of the city. If any
solicitor of funds for legitimate pur-
poses knows anything to the contrary,
let him make it known.
We know there are large number
of people who do not fully understand
the proposition as presented to the
city council for their consideration re-
garding the matter of closing one of
the principal streets of our city, per-
manently, to teams and pedestrians,
a large number of property owners
and tax payers have seen fit to ques-
ton, strenuously, the advisability of
such q step. Eighty-four citizens first
signed a remonstrance against the
proposition of closing the street and
as many more have since offered to
sign, so that the number of signers is
not so insignificant after all as the
article of Tuesday evening would lead
us to believe. Many of the petition
ers for the closing of the street claim
to have had the whole matter misrep-
resented to them, being led to believe
that the street was not to be closed,
but that they were simply making
choice between a $4,000 or a $4,000
depot
Mr.. G.. C. Hughes plainly stated at
the meeting Monday night that the
street would be permanently closed
if the depot was built as planned. He
gave as his reasons, that it was to re-
duce their liability for personal dam
ages, and to keep them from employ
ing fiagman at the crossing, or main
tanning other appliances commonly
used to protect human life and proper
ty at railway crossings. Too many
people use Phillip avenue, hence the
traffic must be diverted, no matter
how much inconvenience the public
are called upon to endure. People
have built their homes, their High
school building, their ward school and
four of their churches on Phillip av-
enue, believing that this street was
laid out and maintained for the pur-
pose of walking and driving upon it.
Now they find they are mistaken.
Some of our citizens decide that 1t
shall not be thus, and without consult
ing the people interested, (and every
body should be- offered to have the
avenue fenced ten feet high, If neces-
sary, to keep the public out Too
prominent a thoroughfare. Too much
trouble to open train to allow Pc
destrians to pass.
We ask the citizens of this beauti-
full little city of homes, can you afford
to close one of the most important
streets. for the paltry, supposed ben
eft to be derived by the building of
$4,000 depot? This sum is said to
include all improvements of tracks
and grounds. 1t occurs to us that with
a piece of ground 36Sx24O feet south
of Phillip avenue and 300 feet long
north, there should be room to erect
a building 24x140 feet or sufficient in
size for the railway company to han
die the business of this city. With
Phillip avenue closed, Park and Mad
ison covered by switches and constant
shall the people cross the c. & N. w.
shall the people cross the G. && N. w.
railroad with any degree Of safety?
Do the people want such an arrange
mont? We believe not.
w. r. Hoffman,
H. e. Zitkowski,
NJ Endres,
H. A. Pasewalk,
p. F. Bell,
F. l.. Estabrook.