Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1908 [PAGE 195]

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1907]

PROCEEDINGS OF T H E ^ BOARD OF T R U S T E E S . STREET E A I L W A Y ACROSS T H E S O U T H E R N C A M P U S .

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The special committee, to which was referred the matter of the street railway company crossing the south campus, made the following report :

CHICAGO, I I I . , July 20, 1907.

To the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois: GENTLEMEN-—Your committee appointed to confer with the representative of the Urbana and Champaign Railway, Gas and Electric Company,, regarding the request of that company for permission to cross the University south campus, had a conference July 13th, with George A. Mattis, assistant treasurer of that company. . The committee agreed with Mr. Mattis to recommend to the board the. following described route which Mr. Mattis agreed to accept: Starting from Oregon street the car track will curve to the north on Mathews avenue and run north in the west parkway of Mathews avenue next to the curb to a point east of the north end of the Agricultural Building, from which point the line will turn west with a curve of 100-foot radius and run directly across the campus on the line of the center of Daniel street, produced, to a point 73 feet east of the east curb line of Wright street. From this point it will turn north on Wright street with a curve of 75-foot radius and run in the paved portion of Wright street next to the curb to a point east of the Y. M. C. A. House, from which point it will turn west in John street with a curve of 65-foot radius. The granting of this right of way to be contingent on the part of the Uni^ versity upon the agreement of the railway company to remove their tracks; from Green street as soon as the crossing on the south campus is completed. The acceptance of this route on the part of the railway companyis contingent upon their being able to secure the frontage consent of the property owners on Wright street to their petition for permission to lay their track in that street. Since the conference above referred to, an opinion has been received froin the Attorney General regarding the validity of the resolution adopted by the Legislature granting permission to the Urbana & Champaign Railway to cross our campus. The last paragraph of the Attorney General's opinion reads as follows "I am 'of the opinion, therefore, that said joint resolution is without operative force to confer any irrevocable rights upon the City Railway CdnB pany and is not. binding upon the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois." While the resolution above referred to is' not therefore binding upon this board, your committee, recommends that, for the good of the University,, and as a matter of public policy, the tentative agreement entered into between your committee and the representatives: of the Railway Company be confirmed by the board. Respectfully submitted,

E. L. JAMES, W. L. ABBOTT.

The board adopted the following resolution with regard to the report: Resolved That the report of the committee in conference with the street railway company meets with the general approval of the board subject tothe reduction of the curve on entering the campus from the east to 75-foofc radius and that the center of the track adjoining Mathews avenue on the west be not more than five feet from the curb line, and that the said committee have full power to complete an agreement in all details.