St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-14

trOl or the boating privileges and pa
vilions at both lakes for a period of
fifteen years. There are serious Objec-
tons to granting the former. because it
is liable to interfere with the beauty Of
the grounds, and fifteen years seems a
longer time than is just or reasonable.
But, Oh the other hand. it these were
all. the city could profitably allow them.
The parks ought to be opened for pub
ic use. There is no sense in having
parks unless they can be reached by
the average citizen without large
outlay. 1t is true that after
year or more the company could
be compelled to run at least to
Como park, and, for that matter, to
Lake Phalen, without any concessions
being made now. But this could not be
brought about except by the eXpendi
ture Of an enormous sum for a sewer
system which is not needed. The delay
and the expense of this course put it
ont of the question. Ii Mr.. LOWRY
could be limited to what he wants at
the termini of these two lines, the prop
osltion should be closed with at once.
We should then have gotten two parks
which are sOreiy needed, and winch
now have no actual existence, and saved
an immense outlay, and have given for
them certain privileges which have no
value whatever until the new lines are
constructed.
But Mr.. LOWRY asks more than this.
He wants also 10 have the transfer sys-
TEN, as it now exists, altered in several
important particulars. One of them is
claimed to- be all Improvement. The
others are admitted to be in abridg-
ment of its present efficiency. The inn
provement which he offers is the in
PRODUCTION Of the SO called Minneapolis
method. There has been some clamOr
ing for this. but it is based OH ignorance.
The method used in st. Paul is better
than the Minneapolis plan, and should
hot be disturbed. In Minneapolis pas
sengers do not get their transfer checks
from the conductor when they pay
their cash fare. as is the custom in st.
Paul, but from transfer agent on the
street when they are about 10 make the
change from one car to another. The
consequence of this is annoyance and
delay. When man has settled for his
transportation it is comfortable to have
the whole thing completed. To have,
in addition. to stand around on the
street in a crowd, to wait your turn 10
satisfy transfer agent that you are ell
titled to check. and to make sure you
are securing the right one. all in d hurry,
when the car you ale headed for liable
to start off before you reach it, is nui-
sance. Mr.. LowRY's proposed improve
ment is all improvement which does not
improve. The council had better veto
it, and Insist on the continuance of the
current system. 10 be sure, Mr.. LOWRY
can make the change under his fran
chise without its permission, but if it
can it should make 1T condition in
these negotiations that he should not
do so.
The other proposed changes in this
department are also Objectionable. In
brief, they amount to all abandonment
of the whole transfer system after Z
o'clock in the evening, on Sundays, on
holidays, and to and from the interurban
line. The company's argument is that
the length Of the trips when passengers
take at these times and On this route
make a five-cent fare inadequate. There
is something in this, but the same line
of reasoning applies to the traffic sys-
TEN in general. To carry passenger
over any line as far as he cares to 60
Oh it for five cents is cheap service,
and it would not be eXorbitant
to demand like amount when lie ell
tered a car on another line. But the
point is that Mr.. LOWRY has agreed to
this system, and established it both
here and in Minneapolis. 1t was part
of the original contract that he should
do so. He received many valuable
rights in this contract, and, in considera-
ton of so receiving them, undertook
certain obligations. The maintenance
of the present transfer system was one
of the obligations. He has not been re-
lieved from this IN Minneapolis. and is
not going to be. He must not be re-
lieved of it here. 1t may be proper
to except the new park lines from its
operation. The council, perhaps, would
be justified in going as far as this, but
beyond this point they cannot yield. 1t
would be very unfortunate for this city.
should it come about that the poorer
classes should have to pay twice as
much for days outing as do
the same people in our sister city, or if
it should be established as a precedent
that the duties placed on beneficiary
of the city's bounty are only temporary,
while his rights are safe for the full
term of his franchise.
Tho Er ,af OF -, oil
this to treat this vexed question eX-
haustively, and the suggestions adj
vanced are intended to indicate the
spirit in which it should be handled
rather than what should be done in de-
tail. Its opinion, however, is that the
extension of time for construction of
the Maria avenue aud Stryker avenue
lines had better be confirmed, because
nothing can be gained by doing other
wise; that by the cooperation of
the park board the privileges Mr..
Lowry wants at Lake Como and
Lake Phalen should be granted
him and the lines to those points Sc
cured; that the transfer system at.
present in vogue should be maintained
without any change in its essential
features, and that no abridgments
should be allowed except perhaps to
the extent of excepting the lines to
Lake Como and Lake Phalen from its
operation. If these things are done,
and the service on all the lines made
more regular and efficient the council
will have accomplished great al.and
will deserve and receive the peoples
approval.
CITIZEN TRAIN INTERVIEWED.