Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-18
NEED is READILY SEEN BY ALL
Committees Are Hard at Work and
Definite Plans Will Soon Be
Outlined for the Effort.
SHOULD PROFIT BY EXPERIENCE

At the next meeting OF the Omaha
Clearing House association, which is
TO be held in about a week, the mat
ter OF the need of new union depot
in Omaha is to be taken up.
The Retail Grocers' association is
flso to take the matter up at the
next meeting.
Letters from these two organiza-
tons reached the special committee
Of the Associated Retailers of Omaha
yesterday. These are the result OF a
number of letters sent to the various
business organizations of the city by
the special depot committee of the
Associated Retailers asking that the
various bodies appoint committees
to cooperate with the retailers in
the demand for a new depot.
with the Builders exchange already In
line with committee ready to work with
the retailers; with the Real Estate, ex-
change preparing 20 discuss the matter
at an early meeting; and with the Com
mercial club handling the matter through
its public affairs committee; the two new
promises by the bankers and the grocers
to take hold OF the matter. are looked
upon as indicating the constantly increas-
ing interest in the subjepn
All Arc rarorabIe.
Here are some recent opinions ex-
pressed on the streets:
George T. Morton. Chairman of the City
Planning Board-Omaha wants the best
depot and terminal facilities obtainable
and warranted by the present business
and certain growth. Easy communication
and close touch with the surrounding
territory is fundamental requirement
for any city and especially for Omaha.
the market town" Our whole railroad
terminal systems must be studied and a
plan worked out on scientific lines by
able engineers for the city and co.opera-
tion with the railroads before we can
tell what things need to be done first,
and where. Ornate depot buildings are
not the most important nor the first fea-
ture Of the problem. The simplest method
OF facilitating travel should be our aim.
Agitation for improved facilities is-timely.
Let us nlakess plan for present needs
capable OF enIargemens as the city grove.
rime % start Something.
]. w. Gamble, President OF the Stand
ard Chemical Company-I'd like TO see a
new union depot. OF course. but suppose
IL should advocate 1t would again be
criticised as have been in the past.
when was working hard with the Mis-
souri, river navigation committee getting
river transportation started here, certain
persons criticised me. and said that II
we would cut out the navigation talk
and give the railroads some united sup
port. we might stand a chance Of getting
a union depot sometime.
Benefit by Experiences.
NJ ]. Greevy, Pioneer, Publicist and
Politician--We are going TO have new
union depot. That much is certain. The
vital feature seems TO be the location.
Thirty years ago urged a site between
Seventeenth and Twentieth streets. fac
ing north on Haney street. and believe
today this same site would be IDEAL IL
may be that Leavenworth street would
be just as desirable. The depot should be
close to the center OF the city This
would necessitate underground tracks
into the terminal. II is matter which
will call for some serious thinking. The
new depot site should he selected with
a view Of the city's growth for many
years hence. We should benefit by the
experience OF other cities In matters OF
this kind.