Year: 1879

two persons for selfish aud unworthy If
not actually corrupt purposes, are still en-
deavorine to defeat the project for the boule-
varding Of Michigan avenue. The postpone
ment Of the subject in spite Of the favorable
report of the Committee will afford an op-
portunity for these influences to assert
themselves. It is stated that the scheme
will be opposed by q certain element in the
Council on the ground that it is "kid-
glove" and " silk-stocking" project, in
which the mass Of the people have no inter-
est. This is 80 palpably untrue that it will
generally be recognized as mere pretanse,
and any opposition ba:ed on that theory will
be regarded as really an effort to blackmail
the promoters of the scheme.


The entire population Of Chicago has IN
interest in this project second only to that Of
the residents of Michigan avenue. It is
unanimously conceded that passable and
decent approach to the South Park can only
be secured and maintained by placing that
thorouehfare under the control Of the South
Park Commissioners. The result will be to
make Of the entire street driveway of the
same character as South Park boulevard,
which only begins at Thirty-ffth street, and
the entire population Of the city will enjoy
the advantages of the improvement accord
ing to the extent that they individually visit
never expect to drive to the Park in
carriages or buggies will have their
advantage in the increased accommoda-
tions of the street-cars and steam-ca1s by
reason Of the increased travel by vehicles.
The general population has nothing to COM
plain of in the way Of expense, because the
cost of the improvement fills upon the
owners OF Michigan avenue property. It is
true that the petition presented to the Coun-
Gil was signed mainly by owners of Michi-
gan avenue property; but the reason for this
is that the consent OF majority of these
property-owners was necessary under the
law, and that was the rsadiest way to comply
with that condition. If it were necessary to
90 to the expense and trouble of procuring
other signatures, there is no doubt that
ninety-nine out Of every hundred residents
of the South Division would join IN the Pc
titiou.


It is also stated that one gentleman is cir
culating a rumor that the proposed improve
ment will cost SIS or $40 front foot.
This gentleman, for reasons Of his own,
has been opposed to tho improvement
from the beginning, and this is simply new
e1pedient in his effort to defeat it. As
matter Of fact, the improvement can be
made moro cheaply, as we'll as better, under
the Park Commissioners than under the city
authorities or by private cooperation, be-
cause the Park Commissioners have had
large experience in this kind of work and
possess special facilities for doing it. The
street is already filed, graded, and curbed,
and the expense Of the paving will fall under
So front foot once done, it will be kept
in repair at tho expense of the Park Com
missiopers. Moreover, the law which au-
thorizes the boulevarding Of Michigan av-
enue provides that the cost Of the improve
ment shall be collected from the property
owners in four annual installments. This will
render the payments just four times as easy
as if the work we're done under city ASSESS
ment.


Tie only mistake made by ths gentlemen
who are promoting this scheme is in
limiting the application to the Council
to Thirty-ffth street, and asking for the
transfer OF four blocks on the latter
street connecting Michigan avenue and
Sonth Park boulevard This is objection
able for two reasons. The boulevarding Of
Michigan avenue should not exclude the four
blocks lying between Thirty-ffth street and
the city limits, and the proposed exclusion
of business vehicles from part Of thirty
fifth; which is already business street to