St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-14
THE STREET RAILWAY PROB
LENE

MIR. LOWRY and his attorneys met
the members of the councils joint COM
mittee in conference yesterday morn
ing, aud discussed with them in some
detail the street railway situation. AS
the GLOBE has on more than one occa-
sion said, Mr.. LOWRY is shrewd, able
and, at the same time, fair-minded man,
who at once takes a broad view of
things and is tenacious of his own per-
sonal interest. He displayed these quail
tiles at yesterdays meeting, and while
he asked great deal, he also proposed
to do something, and throughout was
amiable, responsive and taclful in the
presentation of his views. The gentle
men OF the committee. after hearing
him, took the subject under Amusement,
and the public relies on them to bring to
bear on its consideration OH the city;s
behalf the same methods of enlightened
self-interest which make Mr.. LOWRY so
successful in achieving the ends he
strives for.
The problem has now resolved itself
into business proposition which cannot
be called simple, but which at the same
time requires the same sort of treatment
as business propositions ordinarily de-
mand. In some points the right is en-
tirely with the city, and here it should
be firm and insistent. Where reason
able complaints of poor service are
made and supported by satisfactory evil
dence, the council should see to it that
the defects are remedied. The rail
way company would naturally pre-
fer to maintain only in name such
lines as do not command profitable
patronage, but it has duties as we'll as
rights under its franchise. Cars should
be made to run at frequent intervals
even in the remote suburbs, because it
was agreed that this should be done
when the more valuable concessions
were granted by the council. If Mr..
LOWRY cannot make money out of them
he must use in their operation some of
the large returns from the other
routes. The same is true of the
character of the service. Tie en-
ployment of closed cars during the ex-
tremely hot weather of the present
summer has been indefensible. The
ordinance provides that the comfort of
passengers shall be subServed by tine
company, and it is not when they are
huddled together like cattle in ill
ventilated carriages which admit no
breezes, however refreshingly they may
be blowing. In matters OF this sort
there is no room or occasion for cOmpro-
mise. The city's demands must be
complied with.
On some other questions the situation
is little different. By the terms of the
charter Mr.. LOWRY was required to
build line on Maria avenue to the In
dian Mounds, and on Stryker avenue to
Annapolis street, OIL or before Nov. l, 1891,
and another line from the intersection
of Como avenue and Front street, along
such direct route as the council might
designate. through Warrendale to Como
park. This also was to be completed
by Nov. 1. 1891. but It's construc-
ton within this time was depend
ent on one of two conditions. Either
the streets along which it was to run
should be severed before Jan. l, 1891,
or the waters of Lake Como should be
restored to the height they had in 1885.
| If the streets were not severed by Jan.
| l, 1891, or the depth of water in the lake
was not restored before Nov. l, 1891, the
company was entitled to year after
| the sewerage had been introduced TO
make this last extension. By success
sive amendments to the ordinance made
| by previous councils, the time for con-
structing the Maria avenue and Stryker
| avenue routes has been deferred to July
| l, 1898. The waters in Lake Como
| nave not been restored, nor the sewers
| laid along any Of the streets which
| could be construed as direct route to
the park. Mr.. LOWRY. therefore, by the
strict letter of the law, is under no OBJ
legation to do anything for the city in
any OF these directions for the present.
| The council has undertaken to compel
him to do something in reference to the
Maria avenue and Stryker avenue lines
| by repeating the ordinance heretofore
| enacted, extending the time for the
| construction. But the attempt is abor-
| tive. The ordinance could not properly
be repealed after the railway company
had accepted and acted on it; and even
| if this were not true, as legal PROPOSE
ton, no court would forfeit MI. LowRY's
franchise for his default in this respect,
considering the circumstances. 1t may
be safely said that the company cannot
be coerced on these points.
Mr.. LOWRY, however. recognizes the
Justice of the city's demands. and offers
to respond to them, provided it will
meet him halfway. The GLOBE thinks
this ought to be done, and so undoubt-
edly do the very intelligent gentlemen
vino constitute the common council.
! The only difficulty is to determine where
the halfway point is located. The
proposition now is to build the line to
Lake Como at once, and, in addition, a
| line to Lake Phalen next season,
which last has not heretofore been
i -.d L. o&.xs..