The Detroit times., 1914-04-23
Editorials by
The People
Protest From Northwest Detroit.

| PrOtcst Prom NORTHWEST DcNlOih-
10 The Editor Of The Times
About two weeks ago. The residents
upon Lothrop, Northwestern and See
baldtayes., received notice To APP
pear before The general utilities com
I mittee and show cause Why a street
railway should not be laid upon our
streets We found the council cham
Der filed with the west side residents
and rooters. and instead OF being a
quiet hearing. IL resolved itself into
a heated debate and we soop saw that
there was no show for us, though We
did put mp good stiff fight.
Lothrop and Northwestern-aves are
! new streets Their residences are
from one to four years old the paw
ing only year and half old. The
streets are % feet wide from curb 10
curb and Lothropave. in particular Is
used as an outlet for the heavy traffic
OF the boulevard The streets are
/ settled with middle.ciass people who
have patiently saved TO purchase their
homes on contract. Very few are EN-
tirely paid for Into this new resi-
dence section the common council de
cided the railway. should go, depre-
ciating our property several hundred
dollars per lot, without being OF any
benefit to the immediate section. a
half-mile back OF Us people are badly
| in need OF street railway facilities and
! lots are lying vacant because their
owners, unable to live SO far away
! from the car line, cannot build the
/ homes that they long 10 have.
In the north Woodward section OF
our city is a beautiful boulevard. I'M
posing gates guard its entrances, say
/ Ing TO. the workingmen who pass by
1--WE guard wealth. and luxury; so far
4 Shalt thop ceuue and. no. fSEIler
Sometime Since a resident OF The sec
I. tion decided that more Bghry was
needed along tnat thoroughfare. lie
Twas a man In authority he spoke and
+ il was done, even according TO his
word. Now il a general utility can
be placed at the bidding OF one man,
the better TO guard and protect his
property, why cannot the residents
OF large community, like northwest
ern Detroit, say where public utility
shall be placed that IL may give the
greatest amount OF service TO the
greatest number or people the great
est length OF timer
Ii the LaSalle Gardens are sacred
precincts and free from the danger
OF depreciation by cars. why are not
these young streets just as important
representing as they do the thrift
| economy and endeavor OF the less fav.
ored toilers SO far as salaries are con
cerned. We consider the sacrifice OF
these two streets most Wanton act
on the part OF those in authority.
! Think OF II! A young section like
this 10 be turned so soon into a room
Ing and boarding house district Do
you wonder that we object. Wouldn't
any man or woman with good, warm,
red blood in his or her veins do the
same? Wouldn't he or she fight 10
the very last ditch TO prevent such a
lasting wrong being done? If It were
the only way and the best way, that
would be entirely different. But II is
the easiest way and the poorest way
and that Is why we protest
The policy OF those in power should
not be one or coercion but OF con.
Citation. Where II is so easy to
propitiate community as in the
Iothrop-Northwes con
troversy, we believe II to be the duty
OF the common council 10 see that
things are adjusted amicably for all
concerned Every councilman should
remember that his duty does not stop
at the service OF the single ward from
which he is elected. but that after
his own ward gets what IL needs. he
should be just as earnest in helping
the other wards TO get what they
need. otherwise his duty is only par.
TALLY discharged.
The aldermen should be the con-
servers OF civic pride; the guardians
OF the homes that are purchased by
the hard.saved earnings OF its work
ing classes, instead OF killing ambi-
ton. belittling sacrifice. and deaden-
ing hope by ruthlessly despoiling
property of which the newness has
not yet worn, and that without a
single effort to solve the problem OF
the section, namely: When will the
car lines be placed in the northern
( part OF the section so that the work.
ingmen can build their homes on the
lots purchased and be somewhere
near the car line? What benefit will
the car line be to a man II he has
TO walk half-mile or a mile TO reach
&c? And why should a car line be
placed where the people do not need
II and do not want it?
IL, instead OF opposing US at the
I II
said I'VE succeeded In getting what
We wanted where we wanted IT, now
we will help you get what you want
where you want IL 10 serve the best
interests OF your community there
...o..l1 49,, ham ~ an faalfvu a,A 90