St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-30
AN INCLINED RAILWAY.
A Scheme on Foot for Rapid Transit
10 st. Anthony Kill.

10 st. Anthony Hilf.
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 up on
the quiet for some days. a gentleman yes
terday, in conversation with 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 sure thing. Said
he:
By the present means of transport, you
know. a round trip by street car from the hill
. is made IN an hour, and what we want ana
need is q means by which round trip can De
made, if desired, in just half an hour. 10
accomplish this, 1t seems TO me, tne nlost
feasible, and at the same time the cheapest
way, is by the inclined railroad plan. The
proposed road will be started at the corner or
Pleasant avenue and Third street, ana run 10
Selby and Summit avenues, being distance
ND 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 chain, so that
one ear would descend for every car that
would be drawn up The supporting car is
built so that the platform stands perfectly
level and at the bottom of the route sinks
xuto an excavation, bringing the floor level
with the street car track. The street cars are
driven on 10 the fiat Just. as buggy goes
on TO ferry boat and stands there until the
connection is made with the end of the regu-
lar street car track again. By the snort cut
mentioned the entire cost would not exceed
Sl5OO00. This sum, of course, allows Sl00,-
500 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 bill. 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 ad-
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.