St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-22
COMO PARK RAILWAY.
Why the Electric Line Should Run
Through the Park-Other City
Pleasure Resorts.

? To the Editor of the Globe
From time to time a great deal of twaddle
has appeared in the columns of the principal
morning organ of heterodoxy published in
this city upon the subject of an electric rail
way through Como park. From its general
tenor and tone one would suppose that it was
written by Rip Van Wrinkle who had been
asleep, not for twenty years, but since the
middle of the eighteenth century, when the
principal mode of locomotion for reaching
pleasure resorts was cumbersome vehicles.
or Shank's mare-and right here we desire to
call the attention of our sOmnolent nelghbor
to the fact that the world and the human
mind is progressive: and while its mummi
fed ideas may be in keeping with the
dreams OF its dead Darwinian ancestors,
they are hardly up TO the require
ments of this living, throbbing energetic
year of grace 1892.
1t has been frequently stated in the feeble
screeds that are dignifed by the prominence
given them by this reference to them in the
columns of really metropolitan publication
like the GLOBE, that none of the firstclass
parks of the country are travefsed by lines of
railway. What has the erudite editor to say
to the horse railway. that pierces Central
park in New York from Eighth to Fifth
avenue? Or of the dummy line that daily
during all pleasant seasons of the year.
transports the weary thousands of Bali
more's citizens TO the very heart Of that most
beautiful of parks, Druid Hill? Or
of Paramount park at Philadelphia, per
haps the largest and most beautiful of
all the parks of the country. that is traversed
by both the Reading and PENNSYLVANIA sys-
TENS? Examples might be multiplied. but
enough have been given to demonstrate the
insincerlty and absurdity of the position
taken by our antiquated and moribund
nelghbor? Parks are planned, sustained and
beautified for the enjoyment and pleasure of
the people. the whole people-the rank and
file-priVates as well as officers: and not
alone for the silk-stockinged gentry who can
roll in luxurious coaches. drawn by foamlng
steeds. but as well for the city's poor and fee
bic and sick and friendless. And yet, accord
ing to this philosophical, charitable and pub
lie spirited journal of disaster to all causes it
espouseS, Como park, forSoOth.is holy ground
prepared for the enjoyment OF Dives and his
sycophantic associates; but if the plain,
everyday people of st. Paul wish TO enjoy
| its beauty spots. they must be dumped as cat
! tie at point far distant from the charming
! drives that only the wealthy can use, and
| trudge the balance of the way as best they
| can. Is this sensibley Is it right? Is it a
| square deal to the mass of our citizens, whose
| taxes have paid the bonds with which the
! park was bought and made the beauty spots
| that dot its surface? As matter of fact no
| sound, sensible reason can be advanced why
| Mr.. Lowry should not be allowed a right of
way through Como park. while many
he should be granted this privilege
| OF course, he, or rather his street car COM
| pany, should not be allowed to lay its tracks
upon any of the existing drives for in the
! first place, we must protect Dives in his
| pleasure as well as provide for those less
| fortunate; in the second place, it would be
| wrong per Sc. But in the name of common
| sense, if the rich are allowed to enter the
| park with their carriages, why should the
| poor be forbidden In theirs. The line can be
! easily constructed so as not to mar the beauty
| of the present unimproved portion of the
| park, but on the contrary to enhance it. Again,
| the construction of an electric line through
| Como park to Minneapolis will give thou
SANDS of citizens of Minneapolis an oppor-
] tunity to learn of its natural and artificial
beauties that they do not now possess, ana
| will afford to our own citizens whose bust
ness or pleasure calls them to our sister city
new and charming route of travel. BY all
| means let's have done with nonsense and
| delay, and see if we cannot peedily arrange
| the terms OF a new line between the cities
! that can bring only good to our city and COM
| fort to our citizens.