St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-30
An Inclined Street Railway One of the
Possibilities for q Rapid
Transit System.
BARRIERS Again Arrested for Keeping Open
on Sunday, This Time Under
State Law.
Is Kelburg Guilty of Attempting an
Assault. Guests at the
Hotels.
nj. n. Kellogg Predicts on June
weather--Press Club Concert
Booth May Come.
AN INCLINED RAILWAY.
A Scheme on Foot for Rapid Transi
10 st. Anthony Hill.

A Scheme on Foot for Rapid Transit
10 ST. Anthony HilE.
Among other plans devised for rapid
transit to ST. Anthony hill, what is known
as the .'incline plane railway" has been
considered, and, according to the talk OF
those in a position to know, there is some
thing in it that will soon take tangible
form. The subject has been talked mp on
the quiet for some days. A gentleman yes
terday, in conversation with a GLOBE re-
porter, outlined the intentions of the parties
who have the matter in hand, but declined
to be quoted, from the fact that three, or
four days would be necessary before it
would be absolutely settled whether the
undertaking would be a sure thing. Said
he:
By the present means of transport, yon
know, a round trip by street car from the NIL
. is made IN an hour, and what we want ana
need is q means by which round trip can De
f, made, if desired, in Just haif an nour. 40
accomplish this, it seems to me, the most
, feasible, and at the same time the cheapest
way, is by the inclined railroad plan. Tue
proposed road will be started st the corner OF
Pleasant avenue and Third street, ana run TO
Selby and Summit avenues, being distance
up the hill of about 400 feet. The platform
cars or trucks, on which the street cars
would be driven at either end OF the inclined
track, would be run by a stationary engine,
placed at the most convenient point along the
route, and the trucks could be run every min
ute being operated by the endless chains so that
one car would descend for every car that
would be drawn up. TIE supporting car is
built so that the platform stands perfectly
level and at the bottom of the route sinks
into an excavation, bringing the floor level
with the street car track. The street cars are
driven on 10 the fiat just. as buggy goes
hpa nd
entire outfit is landed at the top, where level
connection is made with the end OF the regu-
lar street car track again. By the short cut
mentioned the entire cost would not exceed
S150.O0O. This sum- OF course, allows slVg,-
900 for the right of way on the
short route. The actual cost OF put
ting down and equipping the inclined
plane road would not be over $4,000. If we
utilized the present streets the entire cost
would be inside Of $4,000. And after once
having secured the privilege to construct the
inclined plane we could put it down and have
it in operation in very short time. Mr..
Lowry has not yet been consulted. I have
been trying to see him, but failed. You may
say, however, that we can prove to Mr..
Lowry that it would be to his interest to go
into the scheme. He now aims to run eleven
street cars each way per hour. between down
town and St. Anthony hill. The average cost
of running street car is $3.50 per day. BY
the quick inclined plane he could save at
least six cars per day, which would be an
actual saving to him of nearly $50 per
day, and he could still be
doing the same amount Of work. The differ
ence in distance between the present route
and the proposed one is considerable, in adj
dition to the increased speed and the saving
of toiling up long and steep grades, as at
present.
The gentlemen said that steps would be
taken at once to test the sentiment of prop
erty holders in the vicinity interested.