The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1907-05-24
UNION DEPOT HOPE GONE
EFFORTS TOWARD THAT END
ARE GIVEN UP.
PHILIP AVENUE A BARRIER
The Northwestern Railroad Announces
That 1t Is Now Too Late to Reopen
Negotiations on the Union Depot,
Even Though it Were Possible.

negotiations on the Union Depot
Even Though II Were Possible.
Apparently Norfolk's chance of Sc
curing a union depot have gone. The
Commercial club has abandoned nego
uations looking to that end. The
Northwestern railroad announces that
1t is now too late to further consider
any proposition regarding a union sta
ton and General Superintendent Bra.
den says that he believes that railroad
company unquestionably let the con
tract yesterday in Chicago for build.
ing new Independent passenger sta
ton In Norfolk. Work, he says, will
begin as soon as material can be as
sembled.
Chairman A. j. Durland of the Com.
mercial club union depot committee
who had done everything within his
power and all that anybody could have
done looking toward the gaining of
handsome union passenger station for
Norfolk, announced Thursday morn.
ing that any further efforts in behalf
OF the project were useless and that
there was no further hope of securing
the desired end for the city.
Mr.. Durland's determination to drop
the depot negotiations was caused by
the result of conference held be-
tween the city council, acting in an
informal and unofficial capacity, and
number of citizens who had origin
ally objected to the closing of Philip
avenue for Northwestern indepen-
dent station and VINO took the same
stand with regard to vacating the av-
enue for a union depot While some
OF them announced that they would
not stand in the way of compromise
lew of the original demonstrators
remained firm in their attitude that
Philip avenue must not be closed for
depot, declined to accept the com
promise offered by which their past |
expense in the matter should be REIN
bursed and said that they were I'M
willing to withdraw active opposition
to the proposed street vacation. They
said that the best interests of the city
demanded that Philip avenue be kept
open and that future generations
would thank them for resisting efforts
Informed that legal delays would
arise in securing the street vacation
Tor the union depot, Mr.. Durland de-
'clared that it was useless to make
further effort looking toward a union
depot for Norfolk, since the railroads
had explicitly specified that df the
union station were built in Norfolk.
the proposition closing Philip avenue
from Eighth street to the Northwest
ern's right of way, closing Seventh
street from Madison to Park avenues
and giving assurance that adjoining
property needed for the depot could
be bought reasonably, must come
quickly With the chance gone of
making any immediate offer of these
provisions to the railroads, in return 9
for the construction of a creditable /
union depot costing at least $4,000 Z
and the removal of switching from
Norfolk avenue, Mr.. Durland and 9TH 1
ers interested in securing the depot s
gave up the attempt when word came
from the Northwestern that any ac-
ton which might be taken hereafter
would be too late to reopen union de-
pot negotiations. II
Regret in Norfolk. 81
There is a deep and unconcealed -
regret in Norfolk over the apparent =.
fact that the city has lost the only ~
chance it ever has had and perhaps a
the only chance it ever will have, to
secure a creditable union passenger .,
station. Many consider the failure to ~
gain the station, when it was so near
" within the city's grasp, as nothing 9
short of public calamity.
The chance for the union station
came upon the city suddenly and at j.,
l moment when it was hardly expect =,
ed. 1t flew in at the open window
when the directorate of the CONNER n
,ial club was not unanimously of the ~
opinion that it was worth ia king; it
uttered about for an instant before :.
my organized method of Selling it II
lad been developed and then, while Y
,lans were still being discussed, it u
lew out of the window and away,
lever to return. ~
City Was Solid on One Point.
During the three days during which
Norfolk discussed the project senti-
nent in favor of union depot like 81
hat which was in sight, grew rapidly.
Toward the last the city was prac- M
ically solid upon the point that
Inion station of the dimensions pro-
POSED was inestimably to be preferred
'ver two separate stations Not
nan could be found in Norfolk at the
nd who did not believe that a fairly r.
handsome and creditable union sta "
ion was not to be mentioned in the le
anne breath with two smaller indie pr
PENDENT stations. The final difference 81
# opinion lay in ACCESSIBILITY of Civ 81
ng up Philip avenue. Probably at n
east ninety percent of the people sh
we're in favor of vacating Philip av- 70