Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1902 [PAGE 228]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1901]

PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

209

It is manifestly opposed to the interests of the University to have two trolley roads operated upon parallel lines across the busiest parts of its grounds and but a few rods apart. There are many different reasons for this which ought to be apparent to the railroad company, and in the light of recent events it would seem that the company ought to be very glad to respect them. Some years ago the road applied for and received from the University the permission to lay and operate a line over our campus along Green street, upon the distinct understanding that it was a privilege to continue only at our sufferance, or as a tenant at will. It is not conceivable that this privilege would have been granted except upon the belief and implied understanding that so long,as it continued the road would not operate the old line, and as a matter of fact the road has from that time till now made no use of the old line and the rails were taken up and the line abandoned. Not long since the road applied to the University to use its influence in favor of an application for the extension of its franchise in the City of Urbana from the period of something like eleven years which it has yet to run to the term of twenty years from date, and definitely assured us that if we would do so, and the application should be successful the road would convey to the University the land upon which the road had formerly been operated between the University lands. The matter was submitted to the Board and approved, and the influence of the University was cordially and strongly exerted to the end desired. For some reason the application was not looked upon with favor by the Urbana city council, and failed. Since then the road has commenced to relay tracks upon the old line and has applied to me to have our walks on Burrill avenue changed to a grade which the company proposes to establish at that point. This I not only refused to do, but have remonstrated against the company proceeding to rehabilitate the old line, and have asked that a general officer of the company, with authority to act for it, come and confer with the authorities of the University that conclusions might be reached which would not be antagonistic to the interests of either party. Responsive to this request President W. B. McKinley came to me yesterday for conference, and what was said justifies the hope that an acceptable agreement may be reached. Mr. McKinley agreed that work would be stopped at once, and assured me that he would be at home to-morrow to advise with any one acting on behalf of the Board of Trustees, and would endeavor to arrive at conclusions acceptable to the University. We have been proceeding upon assumptions, which seemed justified, that the old line would not be operated again, and have very considerable interests which would suffer it it should be. It is likewise important to avoid a disagreement or a contest over the matter if we can. For some years our relations with the road have been agreeable, and we have done everything which we properly could to have them so. Aside from small matters which the officers of the University could do without the action of the Trustees, the Board has allowed the decided privilege of operating upon our land along Green street for years, and last year granted the request of the company to be allowed to lay down double tracks on Wright street, and also the request to lay a gas main through our lands south of the main buildings. It would seem that we are in a position to justify us in the expectation that we should receive from the company something more than the letter of our legal rights strictly entitles us to. In any event, it is clear that we shall either have to take up the matter first or last, or surrender very decided University interests and that an early and definite understanding as to whether we can agree or must disagree is made necessary by conditions which are now forced upon us. It is likely that the University community is somewhat better accommodated by the road operating on Green street but that we should not be seriously inconvenienced if it were to be operated on the old line exclusively, and I am of the opinion that rather than permit both lines to be operated the interests of the University would call for action which would require the

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