The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1917-08-10
DEPOT. PLANS CAST
ASIDE BY FRISCO
City Counselor Finds Railroad
Officials Have Ignored City
Plans for Station.


Der of passenger trains running be-
tween St. Louis and Cape Girardeau
comes the report brought to the city
by City Counselor Knehans that Gen
eral Manager Levy of the Frisco had
laid aside the plans for the construc-
ton of the passenger depot and had
disregarded all promises made the city
during the many conferences for the
drawing of the depot plans. Mr.. Kne-
hans reported his finding to Mayor
Hirsch, and the latter, in company
with NJ. E. Leming, president of the
Commercial Club, plans to go to St.
Louis during the week to see whether
an amicable settlement can not be
made.
According to City Counselor Kne.
hans, General Manager Levy made the
assertion that the plans drawn by W.
E. Parlow, the local architect, had
been laid aside because it would be i'm
possible for the railroad to agree with
the city on the depot plans. The main
objection expressed by Mr.. Levy, the
City Counselor said, was the fact that
the plans called for marble wainscoat-
ing, which would be found only in the
stations of the largest cities in the
country.
In addition to making the allegation,
General Manager Levy showed the
City Counselor the report made by Ar
chitect Stephens, employed by the
Frisco to confer with Mr.. Parlow on
tentative plans for the new passenger
station in the Cape. The report made
by the Frisco architect alleges the
conferences with the representatives
of the city and the Commercial Club
had been Of an unpleasant and disap-
pointing nature.
This came as great surprise, as
everybody who attended the meetings
seemed to be satisfied that an under
standing would be reached between
the city and the Frisco. This was the
departing word of Mr.. Stephens on the
day he left the city following his con-
ferences with Mr.. Parlow. He told
the Cape architect he was satisfied
with the plans they had agreed upon,
and would recommend to Mr.. Levy
that they be adopted.
A disagreement over the heighth of
the ceiling of the main waiting room
of the proposed station, was the only
difference that required a compromise
between the railroad and Mr.. Parlow
who had been authorized to parley for
the city in order to reach a speedy
agreement. 1t was agreed to make
the ceiling 20 feet high instead Of the
original %. 1t was the general be-
lief that the depot would be started
soon, after Mr.. Stephens had given the
local representative to understand that
Mr.. Levy would consent to the plans
they had drawn in their conferences
Mr.. Parlow had assured the Frisco
architect that he could erect the sta
ton proposed on these plans for even
less than $35, 900, the sum the railroad
is required to expend for the station
under the provisions of it's franchise
with the city. Having received this
assurance also in a joint meeting of
the City Council and members of the
Commercial Club, several officials of
the railroad said they would make an
effort to have the structure started in
the near future.
Mr.. Knehans said last night, he con-
sidered the refusal of Mr.. Levy's con-
senting to the plans for the station
as a ISLAM" at the city, as he did the
curtailing of the passenger service on
the railroad. Although Mayor Hirsch
and Mr.. Leming will attempt to see
Mr.. Levy this week and come to an
understanding in this proposition, it is
the general belief that the railroad
will not comply with the city ordinance
and ignore the franchise concessions
and agreements. The fact that elabo-
rate repairs have been made on the old
passenger station recently, indicates
that the Frisco has postponed the
erection of the new passenger station
to an indefinite time.
E0TINnED NEUED DEcrryTc