Business Men Meet At Last

The annual meeting of the Ann Arbor Bueines Men's association was held in the court house, Friday evecing, August 3, 1888. The meeting was called to order by Nelsoa J. Kyer, president After the minu'es of previous meetings had been read the treasurer reported having received $207.53, nnd having paid out the same amount. The report was adopted. A committee was appointed to J mend officers for the association for the ensuing year. The report was unanitnously adopted und the officers are a? folIow8: President. Thomas J. Keech. Vlo President, Frederick Sehmld Cor. Secretary, Kugene K. Frueanff Ree. Secretory, Gilbert Bllss. Treaaurer, A. L. Noble. Director, J. E. Beal. A communicaiion froai Harry W. Ashley, general manager of the Toledo, Ann Arbor & Northern Michigan railway I pany, in regard to opening Seoond-st was read. It is as folio ws: T. A. A. & N. M. Railwat Co. Toledo, Ohio, July 21st, 1888. JJkab - It is reported that a meeting of your associatiou has been called for the purpose of taking measureg to induce this company to build a new passenger stRtion ia your city. It seems proper' and fair that the plans and intentioas of' this company in respect to this work be understood by your members before any actioa is determined upon by your organization. Complaints in regard to the character of nur present accommodations, have been numerous for the past four or Bve years ; the ofiBcers of the company have j nized that the present structure was insufficieat and unsuitable for the class of people who are compalled to use them. It was determined that a new stition should be built as soon as the financial condition I of the company would permit. With this in view, about a yev ago, we purehased by conaemnation a piece of land suitable in size and location for our purpose. It lies south of William st about 200 feet and 19 so situated that any passenger train can stop at the propased station without blocking or interfering with anystreet. This property was selected after we had the assurance of Mr. Davis, your city engineer, that Second-st was opened as shown in the original potu jt wa;i our ntention at that time to build a station of gtone and brick and of a design somewhat ornamental. city council could not be induced to graae öeeona-st as we requested and as it was late in the season it was decided to postpone the work until this suramer. Sometime n May I wrote Mr. Sedgwick D an that the coinpany wa9 ready to build a new passenger station in his city, provided the city council would grade the I extensión of Second-st. Tne authonties have relused to do so unless the company would agree to build such a passenger stati n s they coDsidered suitable. A riilroad company does not differ in I the management of itg affairs frota any I business - the miller or the farmer If this company were paying dividends on ita stock, its offioers would perhaps look favorably upon the snggestion of the members of your city eouncil. It would be aburd, hiwever, for a farmer or a miller or a railroad to borrow oney to oruament its property when its revênue was only suffisient to pay its expenses and maintain its property up to the standard of its business. Ie wiil not be out of place to cali your I attention to the faet that this road has done, and is today doing more to I tise your city abroad than even the gan Central by the building of lts beautiful and expensWe passenger station. The local equipment of this road is a!l marked smpy "Ann Arbor," and the road is known everywhe.e, except in your city, as the "Ann Arbor road." lts construction has given your people better pnces I lor their producís and a chenper market in which to buy. It is believed that these ■vko assisted iis eonstrue-iou by donations I feel well repaid önancially. If your citizens wish to open Second-st I as ihe officers of this couipany have I gested, the company will undertake o I I build during this yesr a suitable building for the aecomodation of its passenger bnsine s in your city. It will about j ==g5 $3500. If your council does not wish to do go we must conclude thsc the (iemand tor guoh a struclure is not urgent and will take sueh time to do the work as is most suitable to our fiaancial ability ! Tce building? will be placed upon the siteselected and bejaf the charaoter descnbed regsrJless of the aotion of your council in respect to ihe opening of thig street. It is inmaterial to the company's interen (ome of its officerg think contrary to n) toopen Second st, a? propcseJ but in my j.idgment such access to thig building would be an accommodation to the public and should be provided. ihis letter ;s written with a view of avoiding a misunderstanding with any of your citizens who are fairly disposed. Noither a boycott or anoíher railroad oould induce tnis cjmpauy to expend more money on a depot at Ann Arbor or elsewhere, than in their judgment its financial condition warranted; bat they al" agree that a new sttion at Adii Arbor 3 desirable and that they are willing to build one which will be commodious, convenienr, and well mamtained, provided your city will furnish means of access whioh geems to sorae of us desirable in order to make the improvement n aocommodation to your public Very Respectfully. H. W. Ashley, G-en'l Manager. The following motion was unanimously adopted : L.LrWmfr be f1uesed to open Second I street from Wililams to Madlson streeé. The meeting was well sttended, a arge number of our prominent business men bfting present. All questions were discusied with interest, and a r.ew life seemed to charactrize the meetin. Mach "ood I has been done, and all feel that much more good wül be done in our city by thia as?ociation.