St. Paul daily globe., 1888-05-29
ELEVATED. ELECTRIC ROAD.
A Joint Committee Discusses an
Ordinance to Provide One.

A Joint Committee Discusses an
Ordinance to Provide One.
The joint committee consisting of the
aldermen of the First and Second wards
and the council committees OIL railroads
and roads and bridges met at the city
hall yesterday afternoon and considered
at some length the Enos Electric Rail
road company ordinance. The orGi-
nance was read by Aid. E. M. Johnson,
and a discussion followed. The alder
men, as rule, declared that no railroad
should run cars over any bridge owned
by the city. j. III. Lawrence, of st.
Paul, president of the company, adj
elevated road, he said. was based on the
idea of rapid transit. If no better Serv-
ice was desired than was now being
had, he continued, there would be no
necessity for an elevated road, but in
creasing population and the constant
growth of the territory adjoining de-
manded better and faster service. The
railroad he represented was nothing
like the one now in use in New York,
as it did not darken the streets nor in
jure the property. But one line OF posts
was used. he said, so that no light
would be sut out from the buildings.
There are some objections to every sys-
tenn of elevated road, but this one is the
least Objectionable of them all. The
road will be benefit to Minneapolis, as
it gives rapid transit at small cost. L
can say to you in all candOr that there
is no real estate scheme behind this
project. We can make the run between
here and st. Paul in fifteen minutes,
which you will admit is decided adj
vantage.
Aid. johnson said that he did not
think that the railroad would do Min
neapolis any good. What it would do
would be to help build up ST. Paul
and the points between Minneapolis and
st. Paul. | do not think there is man
in the city council who would give this
company the right to cross the steel
arch bridge or to terminate in Bridge
square.
Mr.. Lawrence, in replying, said that
it was very necessary for the road to
secure an entrance into the heart of the
city, so as to be placed on the same foot
ing with other roads. eff the electric
road could get the same travel that the
Milwaukee road and Omaha roads were
now getting," said he, ''the fare be-
tween Minneapolis and st. Paul could
and would be reduced to 10 cents. What
/ want is to run a line between your
two cities so that you can make fast
time and not be obliged to pay 80 cents
trip.
Aid Johnson wanted the whole mat
ter postponed until some action had
been taken by the st. Paul council, but
this was opposed by other members of
the committee. 1t was finally decided
to lay the matter over for two weeks.
The route of the proposed line is as
follows:
Commencing at the intersection of
Division street, west on Division street
to its intersection with Ninth street;
thence west on Ninth street to its inter-
section with Central avenue: on Centrat
avenue to its intersection with First
avenue northeast; thence on First ave-
nue. northeast to its intersection with
the Mississippi; thence to Nicollet ISL
and, through the alley lying parallel
to south of Eastman avenue to the end
of steel arch bridge; thence across to
Bridge square.