[milwaukee-electric] Re: This and that ~ Speedrail

[jdl896 at wi.rr.com]

---- "Don L. Leistikow" <DLeistikow at webtv.net> wrote: 
> Ken:  Well written analysis of transit vs private automobiles.  Don't
> overlook the operational cost of an automobile, plus insurance, License
> Plate, engine maintenance and tires.  Then add the cost of parking
> downtown.                                
> 
> On another slant, vacated buildings in the CBD were torn down, becoming
> parking lots that charged a fee for the use of space therein.  In
> reality, a driver in an automobile is the highest cost per mile of any
> land transportation.  Adding passengers does reduce this formula,
> somewhat but, not enough to overcome the disparity in comparison with
> electric rail transit.                                                
> 
> Don L.   

HELLO MEMBERS~
FOR SOME REASON, A MESSAGE I WANTED TO SAVE AS A DRAFT, WOUND UP BEING SENT OUT.

AMEN, TO DON, WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE DECLINE OF THE DOWNTOWN  AREA OF MILWAUKE AND THE RISE IN AUTOMOBILE TRAFFIC. IS IT A COINCIDENCE THAT VISITS TO DOCTORS AND EMERGENCY ROOMS ROSE  WITH CASES OF ASTHMA OR OTHER BREATHING PROBLEMS AS THE NUMBER OF CARS ALSO ROSE?  THE POLLUTON CAUSED BY THE DOWNTOWN FREEWAY INTERCHANGE WAS OUTDATED WHEN IT WAS BUILT, AND THE ADDITIONAL LANES ADDED IN THE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR MARQUETTE INTERCHANGE PROJECT WILL BE JUST AS OITDATED. WHY? BECAUSE OF THE OMISSION OF HIGH SPEED OR  LIGHT  RAIL AS WAS DONE IN CHICAGO.
I HAVE HEARD THAT IN LONDON, THE DOWNTOWN AREA IS DEVOID OF HEAVY TRAFFIC. THIS COMES FROM THE PARK AND RIDE LOTS, SIMILAR TO MILWAUKEE FREEWAY FLYER SERICE, ONLY THE TRANSPORT IS VIA THE TUBE (SUBWAY)

LAST YEAR,MY FIRST POSTS TO THE GROUP CONCERNED FREEWAY CONSTRUCTION, AND ITS AFFECT ON PUBLIC TRANSPOTATION, IWROTE OF MY MEMORIES OF SHOPPING DOWNTOWN, BUT KEN AND TRACIE, ANF DON REMINDED ME OF THE DOWNTOWN THEATERS! NOW BY THE TIME MY MEMORIES KICKED IN, THE 3,275 SEAT WISCONSIN THEATER HAD ALREADY BEEN POORLY CONSTRUCTED UNTO THE CINEMA ONE AND TWO. THAT BLOCK STILL HAD THE POPCORN STORE NEXT TO THE THEATER, IN ADDITION TO THE “MOON FUN SHOP” AND A MAGAZINE STORE AS WELL AS THE STRAND THEATER. WHO ACTUALLY SOLD ADVANCE SEATS FOR “THE SOUND OF MUSIC.” THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STRET WAS THE 2,437 SEAT “PALACE” (WHICH OPENED AS THE “RKO PALACE ORPHEUM” AND HAD AN ENTRANCE ON 6TH STREET AS WELL)
BETWEEN FIFTH AND FOURTH STREET, WISCONSIN AVENUE WAS THEATER-LESS, BUT THERE WAS A 2 STORY J.C. PENNEY STORE KIDDY CORNER TO BOSTON STORE. THE NORTHEAST CORNER WAS WHERE THE 2,500 SEAT ALHAMBRA STOOD. ALL I SAW ON THAT CORNER WAS A PARKING LOT. HOWEVER, THANKS TO A BOOK CALLED “MILWAUKEE MOVIE PALACES” BY LARRY WIDEN AND JUDI ANDERSON (1986-MILWAUKEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCITY- SPONSORED BY THE MATC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION) I SEE GREEAT PHOTOS OF THE PALACES, AS WELL AS NEIGHBORHOOD THEATERS! THIS BLOCK CONTAINED THE  1,902 SEAT MAJESTIC THEATER (NOW A BANK, OFFICES AND PART OF THE SHOPS OF GRAND AVENUE AS WELL AS THE 471 SEAT“TELENEWS” (LATER THE “ESQUIRE”) THE NEWS THEATER THAT DON TALKED ABOUT) WHILE AROUND THE CORNER WAS THE 1,700 SEAT MILLER (TOWNE) THEATER. MY DAD TOOK MY BROTHER AND I TO SEE THE JOHN WAYNE MOVIE “HATARI.” THE REAL JEEP THAT WAS IN THE MOVIE WAS ON DISPLAY IN THE LOBBY! THE 900 SEAT PRINCESS THEATER WAS ACROSS THE STREET.
BACK ON THE ABENUE WAS AN OUTDOOR NEWSSTAND AT THE CORNER, ANOTHER POPCORN STOE NEXT DOOR TO THE 2,431 SEAT WARNER THEATER. AT LEAST THEY TOOK BETTER CARE WHEN THEY SPLIT IT INTO 2 SCREENS (THE CENTRE ABD THE GRAND)
THIS BRINGS UP TO THE 2,557 SEAT RIVERSIDE, WGHCH STILL BOOKS LIVE SHOWS.
I’M VERY SORRY FOR VEERING OFF THE TOPIC OF RAIL AND BUSES, BUT THIS IS ANOTHER TOPIC OF INTEREST FIR ME, WHEN IT COMES TO MILWAUKEE HISTORY.

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