The Detroit times., 1912-08-13
\ P c, RENAUD SAYS CLOSING
OF GASS AVE WILL Be
FOUGHT TO LAST 4tfCA
--s<--rF--ssr- -
-------r.l~.--f.s.
Former Alderman 5 Terms Re-
quest of Cadillac Motor Co:
Absolutely Ridiculous"
THOROUGHFARE NEEDED
Street Important in Relieving
Woodward of Part of Traffic
to North End.
THoRoUGHFARE NEEDED

The proposition of closing part or
Cass-ave. presented by the Cadillac
Motor Co.. Is absolutely ridiculous"
said Paul c. Renaud, former member
OF the common council and we'll
known business man. III We allow
abutting property. owners TO close up
any street they want to close in the
manner that the Cadillac company
proposes, II would not be long before
there would be no thoroughfares
left.
1T is from a traffic standpoint that
the closing of Cass-aye. would work
harm to the city. Here we have a
great growing section OF Detroit
north OF the Boulevard, and the only
! thoroughfare that can be used TO
reach Il is Woodward-ave. Even now
traffic is congested on Woodward, dur
ing the rush hours, and in few years,
at the present rate of growth, there
will be more trafic than the street
can carry. At the present time the
| police commissioner is urging the use
/ OF the parallel streets to relieve
Woodward-ave, and Cass is one OF
the logical streets to share the trallic.
1T Is true that Cass-s-e., so far
as the name goes, does not run be-
yond the Boulevard, but the street
that Is called Second-ave. beyond the
Boulevard, is as much an extension
CT Cass-ave. as II is of Second. The
two streets converge into this one at
the Boulevard.
"The Cadillac company has succeed
ed in practically closing the street by
blocking IL with material OF one sort
and another and keeping constant
stream of traffic running from one
/ side OF their factory TO the other, but
the only reason that such condition
has been allowed to continue, Is the
laxity OF police regulations. No cor
poration has a right TO block a street
in the manner that the Cadillac COM
pany has blocked Cass-ave.
Those of us who are interested In
the development of Cass-ave,, have
been waiting for the separation OF the
grades at Cass-aye., and the railroad,
10 see II the police cannot be induced
to enforce proper traffic regulations to
prevent the blocking of the street.
The separation of the grades is the
only thing that is holding back the
development OF Cass-ave. into great
artery to the northern part OF the
city.
Furthermore, do not believe that
the council has any right 10 close up
Cassave. IL or any other property
owner on the street. objects and car
ries his objection TO the highest
courts Cass-ave., just as any other
street in the city, Is thorou2hfare.
open TO the world, and ! do Tot be-
lieve that any city council can give
away my rights to use 1t -aftsr-n Is
once opened.
in the case OF stub -stre t, such
as Seventh-st., which was closed Tor
the Wabash railroad under such I'M
fortunate circumstances, ehere cannot
be the same objections, but Cass.ave.
is already one OF the main thorough
fares OF the city, and in the future
will be of even greater Importance.
We must not consider merely present.
conditions I'm a matter OF this sort
we must look ahead to the tine when
cur city will have grown TO twice IT'S
present size, and VIII be ready to- pay
millions TO open UP a thoroughfare OF
: sSe sort - xsit is nnw-asked to closes
ETY - MtD ther g
to- bpsNsitfU. N
closing OF ,Cass-aSe., 40 matter %hat
the council tries to do. The property
owners along the street are unani-
mously against the, closing. and the
T; fight will be carried through every
court in the country II necessary.
1T Is nonsense to talk about the
Cadillac company, leaving the city IL
II Is not able to secure this conces-
sion. A bonus OF a million dollars
(; would not tear II away. They simply
! saw the Wabash railroad get con-
cession that is worth $4,000 tor moth
! ing, and thought that they could get
a share while II Is being passed
/ around. Il believe In making conces-
4 gions to corporations when the pub
4 lie interest is not harmed, but the
I proposition of closing main thor
oughfare like Cass-ave, is utterly pre-
posterous."