Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1924-01-18
SOUTH SIDE
ENTERS PROTEST
TO {. OF {. SALE

Ams u NfSh OF eo1eStof>s re
Gently the Chamber OF Gomeree Reafd
IF Directors started proceedings -
negotiate a legal transfer Of south
side property to the Circle A. freduets
company commonly known at thu
Alexander Lumber Company. A part
of the Chamber Of Commerce lot
ferns whal viii be the extension Of
John street II the city ever ses ht
TO extend this thorofare.
The legal papers rs drawn By the
Chamber Of Commerce provides that
the purchaser may erect building
over this John street extension and
the South Side Improvement Assecia.
tien enters strenuous objection, DE-
elarlng that II the ground is ever
taken up With buildings belonging 10
the Alexander Lumber company or
any other corporation or private con
eern there viii be no possibility of
john street being open. or a subway
constructed under the Illinois Central
tracks at that point.
Hold joint Se@~loa.
Homer Howard has been leading
the ehieetors, declaring that he Is
opposed 60 any more dead,end streets
In Champaign. lie declares that the
South Side Improvement Association
viii not stand for such a transfer
without strenuous protest. Attorney
1. =. Mngard. Attorney Frlek and A.
X. Scott accompanied Mr., Howard TO
joint session Of the CITY Commits
sloners, the secretary and president
of the Chamber Of Commerce and the
legal council OF the board Of directors.
who explained the terms Of the trans
fer
This joint gathering Of august
personages listened TO the harangues
of attorneys and each side pronounced
the others argument nothing less than
"pure and unadulterated bunk" The
meeting ended In n draw. both forces
drawing from the field temporarily.
Chamber Considers Ohjertion~.
Later In the week. President Ans
barry, Of the Chamber OF Commerce
announced n called meeting Of the
Board of Directors ITO discuss the
objections In detail.n None Of the
directors who have been interviewed
by The Review are In favor OF alter.
ing the legal terms of the transfer.
There appears 10 be- unanimous agree
ment among the directors that tho In
tefeats of the city are carefully guard
ed and that there IL nothing In the
transaction that will revent the use
Of this ground for sanitary sewer or
drainage purposes, or even for open
ing John street and constructing
subway under the Illinois Central
tracks should such improvements he
deemed necessary by the city at any
future time.
Terms Objected To.
The terms of the transfer, however,
provide that Ii such improvements are
made within peried Of siftean years
from negotiation Of the irankfer the
city shall be responsible for repairs
10 any property which The Alexander
Lumber Company may havs construet.
ed On or over the ground IN question,
but that no action fer damages may
be entered by the company because OF
such improvements.
Purpose of Transfer.
According To directors OF the Cham
Der Of Commerce the transfer la made
N order to give the Alexander Lumber
Company room TO expand Its business,
which means the employment OF a
larger force of men and larger pay
roll for employees.
without this transfer II Ii said that
the company cannot expand and u has
been suggested that under such con.
ditions the company may move Its
plant from the city. The directors
explain that they have arranged the
transfer In the interest Of both the
city and the Alexander Lumber Com.
pany, and declare emphatieally that
reliable attorneys have drawn up the
lpgnl uappfp with the thought la View
of guarding the interests OF the city.
They declare that the cost Of any
damage that might accrue TO the com
pany through tearing up its buildings
In installing such improvements as
the city may demand later viii not
equal the value of the property which
Is decided to the city gratis.
No Legal Preventive.
Attorneys state that there appears
10 be no legal way In which the city
can prevent the sale of this property
as ordered by the Chamber Of Com
mcrce board Of directors.
There Is. however, a moral preyen-
tive which south side residents who
oppose the sale may resort 10 In order
To gain their end. They have the
power To strike "A body blow al the
Chamber of Commerce by withdraw
ing from It's membership. or by other
wise hanpering its influence.
Leaders Of the Chamber realize that
the organization must not antagonize
the opinions of large and influential
body Of citizens II they wish the or
TO prosper. Consequently
they are disposed To move carefully.