Ann Arbor Can Yet Get The O. And M. Road

ANN ARBOR CAN YET GET THE O. AND M. ROAD

The Decision That the Road Will Go to Ypsilanti Is Not Irrevocable

Although Some of the Directors Will Now Vote Against Coming to Ann Arbor, Mr. Austin Personally Favors This City

Ann Arbor people have not lost their interest in the O. & M. suburban electric line. The Argus has been urged by a good many prominent citizens to call a meeting to see what could be done to get the road to come to Ann Arbor. But calling meetings is not strictly a newspaper function and meetings called without definite ideas as to what can be done on the part of anyone are apt to end in a fiasco. Some of those who were anxious to have such a meeting called to prove that Ann Arbor welcomed electric lines were told that it would be best for some one to communicate with Toledo and find out if anything could be done or exactly what the status of the line was. A letter received from Mr. L. L. H. Austin, the general manager, this morning says:

"I regret exceedingly that Ann Arbor should not give me the franchise I asked for and I still insist that it was a mistake to have the directors locate the line to Ypsilanti. They were ready to locate at Ann Arbor, but so many inducements have been held out to Ypsilanti that Ann Arbor could not get a unanimous vote now. However, if I should get the franchise, I could no doubt wield influence enough to make the location as originally intended through Ann Arbor to Whitmore Lake.

"Fifty teams will begin work immediately upon the delivery of equipment, to grade, which is hourly expected at West Toledo. Everything is in order now to grade to Milan by fall and then we shall take up whatever route is the most feasible."

It has been known here from the first that this road was originally planned for Ypsilanti and that Mr. Austin, personally, has been the strongest friend Ann Arbor had in position to make his views felt. His letter indicates that he is still in the same position and that Ann Arbor still has a chance of securing the building of the line, if it does not tie Mr. Austin's hands. It is not improbable that Mr. Austin may be in the city again in a few days to look the ground over. The position of affairs seems to be about as follows: The M. & O. line has been located by the directors from Milan to Ypsilanti. This decision is not irrevocable and may be changed and Ann Arbor will have friends on the board who will work for the change if the road is permitted to run through the city so that it may build to Whitmore Lake. Any insistence on the part of the city that the road should go three or four miles out of its way to connect a village with Ann Arbor which will be indirectly connected by the line anyway and which in all human probability will be connected by another direct line within three years, will undoubtedly lose Ann Arbor an opportunity to get this north and south road.