St. Paul daily globe., 1889-07-28
LIKE UNTO U!!1! A SIEVE.
The Cable Revolution Has
Many Loopholes
in It.
The Transfer System More
Imaginary Than
Real.
Lowry in All Respects Master
of the Situa-
tion.
Ed. A. Stevens, as a Reviewer,
Finds Numerous
Flaws.

complete the affair, it might
be we'll to look the field
over, and see whether it has
been real conflict, resulting in
the capitulation of Col. Lowry, or a
sham battle. of which he was the man
ager. The fact is that the resolution is
like a sieve, full of holes, and reminds
one of the way an Irishman said can
non was made by taking big hole and
pouring iron around it-Tom furnishing
the holes and experimenting the cast
ing"
Such were the words spoken by Ed
A. Stevens yesterday to group OF at
tentiye listeners, and as Ed was the Of
ficial compiler of the city charter and
ordinances, and IN some measure a
standard authority, the GLOBE listened
attentively also as he continued: The
resolution was drawn, not by one of the
committee, but by an adept in the
science of how not to do it, or now
you see it and now you DON'T The
general suppOsition is that the council
requires MIR. Lowry to build three cable
lines, each with numerous feeders or
connecting. lines, and furnish transfer
checks, so that passenger on any line
may be transferred to any other line
which it in any way intersectS, but the
resolution does not so read, and
was purposely so worded as not to
allow the courts to give 1t such
a construction, but to leave MIR. Lowry
in the future as in the past master OF
the situation. 1t provides for three dis
lnct cable lines, exclusive 9f the motor
line, each With feeders expressly de-
clared to be connecting lines, and then
provides for one transfer between a
cable line and either of its connections,
but nowhere provides for more than
one transfer OH the same line or for
any transfer from either of the
cable lines or its connections and an
tions. More than this, it provides for
either of the cable lines, and without
any transfer whatever. Some people
may think that Tom was caught nap
ring, but you don't catch weasel
asleep very often, and Tom is weasel.
| have no fault to find with him: he
was watching his end of the string,
leaving the other end in the hands of
the SO-called representatives of the peo-
pie, and when he pulled they danced.
Now, what does the resolution call
for in the way of street car lines? First.
it provides for a cable line on Washing
ton avenue from Twentieth avenue
north to Cedar avenue, with connect
ing lines as follows: ~ the line now
known as the Riverside line, on Cedar
and Riverside avenues, ETC.; (2) the line
from Cedar avenue across the Washing
ton avenue bridge; (3) the line on
Washington avenue north beyond
Twentieth avenue; "a the line on
Twentieth avenue north, from Wash
ingtOn to Penn avenue: (5) a new line
on Penn avenue, from Crystal Lake
avenue to Thirtieth avenue north: (6)
a new line on Emerson avenue,
from Twentieth to Thirty-second
avenue north; and G0 possibly
the line on Sixth avenue north now a
part of the Riverside line, but possibly
reserved for an independent line to
WeStfall'S garden and Medicine lake.
One transfer is provided from either of
these connecting lines to the other, but
only one, and person desiring to trav-
erse the entire length of the present
Riverside line. for instance, would have
to pay two fares instead of one. as now.
Nor would he be transferred to any
other line or from any other line under
the terms of the resolution.
Second-It provides for a cable line
from Thirty-second street along Bloom
ingtOn, Franklin and Eighth avenues,
along Fourth street and down First ave-
nue. south to High street, thus forcing
Tom to run his cars to the union depot,
which he has been endeavOring to do
for wears on First avenue, but which
George A. Bracket and others have
hitherto been successful in preventing.
The only feeders or connecting lines
named for this cable line are first, the
line on Eighth avenue south beyond
Franklin; second, new line from
TWenty-ninth street down Thirteenth
avenue south to Franklin; and possibly
third, the present line on Cedar avende,
which is to be extended to Thirty
seventh street. The resolution
however, provides that the council is to
determine which of the two cable lines
the laSt-named line is to be feeder to:
if transfers were to be made to either
what possible difference would it make.
Third-It provides: for cable line
from the intersection of Hennepin and
Lyndale avenues, along Hennepin and
Central avenues, Sixth street southeast,
and Harrison street to Twenty-ninth
avenue northeast. The feeders on this
line are Q) the line now on Lyndale av-
C. VI lllC llllC llOh Oll l1oh IL
enue; 81 the line now on University av-
enue: az the line now on Second street
northeast: and o. the line now on Mon
roe street, unless abandoned because
of its proximity to the cable line.
The tranSfer-check is confined to
the foregoing, as stated, and does not
extend to the two new hOrSe-car lines
provided for. unless Tom shall see fit to
do so. These new lines are O on
Plymouth avenue from Washington to
Girard. and (2) the line now on Sixth
street, to run from Hennepin to Ninth
avenue south, and via Ninth avenue,
Seventh street, Cedar, Minnehaha and
Franklin avenues to the Franklin ave.
nue. bridge.
How much real benefit the system of
transfers. as provided for in the ordi-
rance, will really be, can be judged
from the fact that man wanting to go
from the West hotel to the Milwaukee
depot, or from the Union depot to Tur-
ner hall. or the new court house and
Nicollet house must pay two fares. The
cable lines cross at Washington and
Hennepin. and Washington and First
avenue south, but they are not connect
ing lines, any more than the Motor line
and Fourth avenue line are, and neither
VI luCSN DSlllS az olly tlSl
are absolutely independent lines.
But it wasn't in the matter of trans
fers alone that Tom dealt the cards.
Oh. no: he saw what good thing was
in sight and went for the whole pile.
The council reserves the right to deSig-
nate one or more lines on which Tom is
to experiment with electricity, and if
it be successful to require him
to use that power in place
of horse power on certain
lines. But Tom took good care that
they should not reserve the right to
conduct or direct the experiments. Tom
is to do that. and, when the council des-
ignates the line on which to eXI eriment,
will determine for himself whether or
not it shall re a success. If he wants
success lie will try successful system
if not, he will try one that has failed
elsewhere. Tom knew who he was deal
ing with and how revolution should
be drawn.
Then, again, the council provided
that if electricity proved success, two
more new lines were to be constructed,
! but neglected. to provide transfers to or