Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1906 [PAGE 32]

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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

CENTRAL U N I O N T E L E P H O N E TUNNEL.

[Sept. 27

T h e following report from the Committee on Buildings and Grounds recommending that permission be given the Central Union Telephone Company to lay a tunnel across Illinois Field was approved.

URBANA, I I I . , Sept. 27, 1904.

To the Board of Trustees: Your Committee on Buildings and Grounds desires to report that President Burrill submitted to the committee the following communication from the Central Union Telephone Company, and asked the recommendation of tije committee thereon:

CENTRAL UNION TELEPHONE COMPANY. OFFICE OF THE DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT,

SPRINGFIELD, I I I . , Sept. 23, 1904.

Mr. T. J. Burrill, President, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois. DEAR SIR—We have under contemplation for this fall, the extensive, reconstruction and extension of our local exchange plant at Champaign and Urbana, in view of placing our service on a higher standard in the public eye, and in view of moving, at a later date, our exchange quarters nearer the center of radius of the two cities. In carrying out detailed plans of the above, we find it important to establish a main trunk cable line in the alley between Stoughton and White streets in Champaign, and Main and Stoughton streets in Urbana. This necessitates our appeal to you and the Honorable Board of Trustees for permission to establish an underground line of six ducts across the University grounds, directly opposite the alley mentioned above, as per the sketch attached. These ducts will be of vitrified clay and covered with cement, at an approximate depth of three feet below the surface of the earth, with a manhole just outside of the fence line on each side of the grounds, thus avoiding the use of poles adjoining the grounds in any manner. As an assurance to you of my sincerity in endeavoring to assist in retaining the long prided beauty of the University grounds we will agree to establish an additional underground line of ducts and cables from the proposed manhole at the west fence line of the gymnasium building, and at this point enter your present tunnel system, and in this manner reach all of the telephones which we have in the various departments that can be reached through the tunnel and remove the aerial wire and poles that we now maintain for this purpose! With your approval of the above we will replace the terrace under the supervision of your representatives and will assume the responsibility of remedying any settling of the lawn and terrace caused by the negligence on the part of the Central Union Telephone Company. Thanking you in advance, we anxiously await your reply and approval. Yours truly, C. H. ROTTGER. Division Superintendent Central Union Telephone Co., Springfield, III. We recommend that the petition be granted provided the wires be taken underground on the further side of the streets adjoining our grounds, and that the work be done under the direction of the Committee on Buildings and Grounds of this board, and to the satisfaction of the University.

S. A. BTJLLARD, Chairman,

Committee on Buildings and Grounds.

O P E N I N G BURRILL AVENUE.

To the Board of Trustees:^ Your Committee on Buildings and Grounds reports concerning the petition of the citizens and officials of the cities of Urbana and Champaign for the opening of a roadway for light driving through the grounds of the University

URBANA, Sept. 27, 1904.