South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-12-21
Mayor Says Rails
On Division ST.
Will Be Removed
Seebirt Makes Prediction of
Tracks Removal at Rotary
Clubs Meeting.

Mayor Eli Seebirt predicted the
removal of the Grand Trunk railway
tracks from Division street in the
not far distant future at the Pubic
Affairs luncheon of the Rotary
Club held in the Rotary rooms Of
the oliver hotel Wednesday.
The mayors prediction came
shortly after he had arisen to his
feet in response for additional re-
marks at the conclusion Of an ad-
dress on city zoning and major
street plan by VIM. Happ.
Il am deeply gratified," said Mr..
Seebirt "at the great interest you
are taking in city planning. No
matter what the administration
may do in this regard we must have
the active support OF the citizens OF
South Bend before 1t can be &C
complished. The plan is not vi
sionary," he said.
In regard 10 the Grand Trunk
railway lines which now tray
erses Division ST., I viii say that
the city administration has had this
matter UP with the president Of the
Grand Trunk railway and that
he. himself. realized that the Grand
Trunk will have TO find some other
artery for its enormous traffic"
The mayor likened the Grand
Trunk railroad to a huge bottle
Division St, he said, was the neck
Of the bottle through which all the
great east and west traffic Of his
large transconinental road had 10
pass.
Iauds Early settlers.
Mr. Happ compared a city tc a fac
tory inasmuch as each must provide
for expansion when he outlined some
of the necessities OF city expansion.
He paid a high tribute to the early
settlers Of South Bend. Taylor and
CoquuIard, who laid out the original
civ. The streets. when originally
laid out, by these men. he said, were
50 feet wide. now very few are Of
that width and most Of them are
about IS feet in width.
with the coming Of the motive
drawn vehicles streets must be wide
enough 10 meet traffic conditions Of
the present day and not OF 40 years
ago" he said. I'VE have at least
IS streets that should be made wider
within the next few years.
South Bend needs more radial
streets according 10 Mr.. Happ. Al
though fortunate i'm having some, We
have not enough he said.
One City Street.
Referring TO the business district
Mr.. Happ said south Bend was
one city street.
Provision must be made for COM
merciaI growth Of the city and he
suggested that Vistula av, (LincOln
way Ed should be widened 10 at
/ least 50 IL feet from the city limits
| TO Washington ST. He pointed out
that this street carried Practically
the entire traffic east through Mlsha-
waka. Osceola and EIkhart.
Bandmaster Talks.
In closing. ne pleaded for the IN
teIllgent support Of South Bend c.--
zens and urged that citizens study
the present day needs, which would
be me- by the major street plan
A visiting guest Of honor at the
luncheon was Al.es4andro L.5erati
nationally known as g cornet-st ana
haudmas,er.
Mr.. LloeraG Is here TO direct the
Studebaker hand az concert 10 be
given at the Oliver theater Friday
night.
In response TO requests for a
spee-h he told the RCcar.ans he
could talk better with his cOrnet as
he was not accustomed 10 public
speaking. However, he told OF some
interesting experiences he had had
in south Bend 30 years ago when he
was a much younger bandmaster
than he is now. He also paid high
compliment 10 the Stude5aker band.
saving il was "one OF the finest n
dnstriaI hands in the country"