The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-04-29

~ II w = JOOh4NAlI, MIA L
through Omaha. Black Hills trains to
the city depot, involving as II would
an additional run of three miles, and
an extra stop for unloading and load.
ing passengers, mail, express and bag
gage for every train, to bring Norfolk
passengers a few blocks nearer their
homes or the business center of the
town. when we consider that the
Northwestern and other great railroad
systems are expanding millions to
straighten curves in their tracks and
shorten their lines even less distances
than would be involved here, it can be
readily seen that the railway com.
pany will not take kindly to propo.
sition involving such an additional ex.
pense and delay in the running of
their through passenger trains.
The running of all trains carrying
passengers to the city station would
most certainly result, in my opinion.
in the elimination of the present Nor.
folk Junction passenger station, a CON
longed for many times during the
twenty-five years of my employment
as agent here, with the care and trou
bic of both stations on my hands. But
is the situation here as bad as has
been portrayed, as compared with
other and even more important cities?
In many cities you will find passen-
ger stations located as great and even
greater distances from the business
Centers. In Chicago the old Michigan
Central passenger station, located at
the foot of Canal street was very
close to the business center. When
they built their new station they To-
Gated ii fourteen Docks further south
being as far removed from the bust
ness center as the Norfolk Junction
station is from the postofIiCe. Nor
folks growth and development for the
past twenty-five years has been large
ly influenced by the location of our
three passenger stations, and now to
abandon one of these stations cannot
help but be regarded by our citizens
extreme disfavOr. as being a material
injury to them and to their property
interests. Railroad officers charged
with the operation of railroads are
human like the rest of us, and natur-
ally resent diCtatiOn, and even while
anxious to please the public and com
munities whom they serve, as | per-
sonally know the Northwestern man
agement has always been, they never
theless resent a newspaper agitation
designed to create public sentiment to
compel them to change a train and
station service that has prevailed here
for over twenty-five years. A petition
has been circulated among our bust
ness men and citizens addressed to
the president of the Northwestern,
asking that passenger trains be run
to the city depot. That ought to end
this movement. If the Northwestern
aCCedes to this request your Conten-
ton has been gained, and the future
will determine whether it was wise or
not. If they do not comply it will be
good and sufficient by the manage
ment for not doing so. At the present
moment Norfolk needs more than any
thing else the united effort of all our
citizens to accomplish the paving of
the business district for which bond
election has been called for May 81.
1t is most desirable that both factions
to this depot controversy drop this
irritating question, and unite in secur-
ing this greatly needed improvement,
otherwise there is danger that the
bonds may be defeated
Concluding, | want to say that this
article is not INSPIRED" or written
by request" but is my deliberate judg-
ment, as an old railroad man, and for
twenty-five years a resident of Nor
folk, actuated only by sincere desire
for the growth and prosperity of this
beautiful city of commercial travellers
and railway employees homes.
II. G. Matrau.