The Price of Opening a Street
A condemnation battle concludes, clearing the way for the extension of Center Street.
After fighting in superior court for two days, the condemnation case of the city against J. L. Weatherby, H. C. Wallace, Thomas Carroll and F. H. Murray for the strip of ground to open Center Street through at Trafton was concluded yesterday evening and a verdict rendered for $1,664 in favor of Weatherby and $4,445 for the other defendants. The defendants wanted $15,000. This opens Center Street toward the west and today the petition was drawn by the city attorneys for the condemnation of the property needed to connect it up with Jefferson Avenue. When this is done and the Union Pacific turns over the right of way it has agreed to, Jefferson Avenue will run into Center Street and right on west through Regents Park.
“The defendants wanted $15,000.”
City infrastructure projects often involved eminent domain battles. The extension of Center Street in 1910 was a major push for west-end connectivity, mirroring modern debates over urban sprawl and the expansion of transit corridors.
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