Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-09-12
rEpruAI HEIGHT, STREET

fEDtltAl HEIGHTS SIRliT
The proposition OFF Che owners of th
Federal Heights addition to clos,
First South street hseou Thirteenth
East and to substitute barafos uar
row alley 1t fHe re1r or thl pro-ucc.
tive residences ou that Wat strikes "a.
most mfava1hIy
First South street has been ou open
public road over the 1rsr now proposed
% be closed since the early dfuce Ouy
tho gravest of public reasons or oil
private convenience could Justify th,
CLOSING of ono OF tho established and
central thoroughtorcs of the city.
The symmetry OF the general plan of
the city streets would b., seriously
married by the closing of First South
street at or near Thirteenth East.
Nothing short of actual necessity
should BE- considered sufficient % JUS
tlfy SO serious o. departure from the
symmetry of the city blocks and th1
regularity OF the public streets.
A second reason why the proposed
step should mot be i3k.u is that 90
would .niure the University. the nsti-
tuition OF which the state of Utah is
800 Justly proud and on which the state
has probably expended more money
than on amy other owned by b. To
serve the mere convenience or PROFIT
OF the present nothing should boz done
that would u any sense be- detrimental
Co the Institution that more than any
other s the chief hope and reliance
OF the future generation OF our fellow
citizens
Il Is said that the owners of the Fed
eral Heights addition should be free
70 DO as they please with their own
property. and Co lay it out es they
see a.. no matter What effect their
action may have upon the atmosphere
and view of the University grounds
adjoining. hut this proposition is one
ly part of the truth. The necessary
complement TO Il is that no one may
80 use bis own property 7s 20 injure
unnecessarily that Of another Ana
where that other is the State Itself
and more especially whore O. Is one Of
the most valuable. the most important
the most cherished we may fairly say
of AN the properties owned boy the state.
and OF am the Institutions upon which
it relies Tor its own future safety and
progress then there is every reason
why no action should be permitted that
would mar its environs, ahriige its
facilities OF entrance or exit. pollute its
Public Interest Is ALWAYS above pri-
waite gain The University repi esents
the public. especially the youthful pub
lie and the generations yet 20 be. NJ
one makes any profit out Of the beauty
OF is grounds. the vastness OF its exc
penditurCs. or ne greatness Of its edu-
cationat facilities. The profit Is TO the
state--to the public as whole.
through the training received by IT'S
oncoming army of younger citizens.
The Federal Heights addition. mer-
itorlous and desirable as it no doubt Is,
has BEEN laid oul Co make money for
IT'S owners. That Is their right We
them upon their enter
prise ana the city upon being The
scene Of a. But there can be- simply
no comparison between the benefits
90 be conferred by the plating and
building up Of 81 city subdivision ana
those conferred boy the proper main
tonance of the beauty Of the location
and 1ugroundinEu of the chief oduca-
tional restitution of the entire people
the heat and elimination of an the
schools high schools ana COLI
lcgcs conducted by the state
A third reason against the closing cf
First South street opposite the Uni
grounds is that boa AN proba-
hlity the courts win mot allow DO
Under feaerai statute. the right OF
way for tho construction Of highways
over amy of the public lands rol re-
served for public uses has been ok
pressly granted ana the city of SAT-
lake. under than statute has, since
1883. usad and enjoyed Jhe rIsht DO way
over First south to Fort Douglas
A fourth reason is that tho 0ty or
the State woulI probably resort to UI.
courts 90 have Che strip OF land cons
shutting tha present street, which t
is proposed Geo abolish. condemned oul
devoted to its present uss as street
under enc exercise af the right 0f rm-
iuent domain rather than tu permit lh.
interruption of tuc ancient highway
and the dofacane1t of tr. University
properly in the manner at present pro-
gosed.