The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-11
WILL HOLD 1T A TIME.
Superior Electric Line Ordinance
Not Acted Upon.

Not Acted Upon.
The ordinance granting terminal ia
cilities in st. Paul for the proposed
electric line to be built and operated
between this city and Superior. Wis.
occupied the attention of the committee
on streets of the board of aldermen last
night. The applicants for the fran
chise are E. E. Mcdonald, a st. Paul
attorney; Charles A. Forbes. a civil
engineer of West st. Paul: Albert
Allen, Of Spokane Falls, and Frank
Spies, who resides in the East. Messrs.
Mcdonald and Forbes were present to
point out with the aid Of the maps.
the route of the proposed line, not only
within the city limits, but likewise be-
tween this city and Superior
The proposed route within the city,
as described by the ordinance is as fol-
lows:
Beginning at the intersection of Cedar and
Second streets. thence it extends along Cedar
street to Central avenue, thence west along
central avenue to Martin street, thence along
Martin street to Lexington avenue thence
north on Lexington avenue in line in ex-
tension to the point of intersection of such
line with Van Slyke avenue, and also from the
intersection of Lexington avenue and Nc
Kentry street, west along McKentry street to
Hamline avenue thence along Hamline
Langford avenue to Smelling avenue and
thence north on Smelling avenue to the city
limits.
The other line, according to the ordinance.
Is TO begin at Second and Jackson streets
and to extend westerly along Second street
to Third and Wabasha streets, thence west
along Third street to Franklin street, thence
southwesterly on Franklin street to Chest
nut street and thence down Chestnut street
to the Mississippi river. This line is to be
used for freight purposes.
The ordinance, after prescribing the route
and the usual conditions accompanying the
granting of street railway franchises, pro-
ma 1TiY1or tho oIi
shall pay to the city annual license fee
OF $40 for each passenger car operated and
also tax equal to two per cent of the net
annual income Of the road in addition to
the general tax on the property owned by it.
At the outset Aid Shepard called Mr.. Nc
Donald's attention to the fact that the ordi-
nance did not specify any time within which
to begin or complete the road. Mr.. McDon-
aid said he was willing to comply with any
reasonable requirement in that respect. Then
he proceeded to demonstrate to the committee
the feasibility of the project.
The route to be pursued upon leaving the
city, so Mr.. Mcdonald said, would be due
north, through Ramsey and Anoka counties,
thence north to Cambridge, Isanti county,
and thence north to Mora. From Mora the
line would proceed in northeasterly direc-
ton through Pine and Carlton counties across
the line into Wisconsin, and thence through
the Nemadji valley to Superior. 1t was also
intended to build a branch line from Mora
running northwest for distance of about
twenty-five miles to Mile Laos. Mr. Nc
Donald pointed out that the proposed line
III.
Paul Duluth and Eastern Minnesota rail-
roads, thereby traversing a rich tract of coun-
try twenty miles in width, all of which would
be brought into more immediate connection
with st. Paul Mr.. Mcdonald said that the
road could be built economically, as the
grade would never exceed twenty-five feet to
to generate the electricity necessary to oper-
ate one-half of the line. He estimated that
q double track and power houses could be
constructed for $1,000 a mile.
MT. Mcdonald commended that the cOnstruc-
ton and operation of such line would build
up country that was starving for railway
facilities and make it pay tribute to St Paul.
To demonstrate the feasibility of electricity
as motive power for hauling heavy trains
he read letter from w. D. Young, of the
Baltimore Ohio, bearing testimony to the
seryiceability of electric engines, both for
freight and passenger trains, the latter To-
comotives, according to Mr. Young, attain
ing speed of fifty miles an hour.
Returning to a discussion of the franchise
desired within the city limits Mr.. Mcdonald
met with some objections from various mem
bers Of the committee Aid. Bigelow was
opposed to granting any franchise permitting
the operation Of freight cars on the streets
of the city. Mr.. Mcdonald did not believe
the of the streets the abutting prop
erty, provided the trains were not Of I'M
reasonable length, but the committee did not
agree with him in this respect.
Some question was raised to tho Iikeli-
hood of late night trains disturbing the
slumbers Of the people. but Mr. Mcdonald
thought that the freight traffic would not be
heavy enough to necessitate such trains. In
conclusion, Mr.. Mcdonald assured the COM
mittee that there would be plenty of money
! forthcoming to build the line and that there
would be no watered stock. Moreover the
existence Of such line would do away with
the present discrimination against st. Paul
in the matter of freight rates. In Mr.. Nc
Donald's opinion, st. Paul ought to enjoy
the difference in freight rates corresponding
to the difference in distance between Duluth
and st. Paul and Chicago and st. Paul. Mr.
Mcdonald added that line was also contem-
plated extending from Mile Laos to the Mes
aba region.
Aid. Bigelow brought the meeting to a
close with the remark that the whole ques-
ton to consider was, should the council
give the projectors of the Superior line the
right to run their cars through six or seven
miles of the city's streets.
The committee then adjourned with the
understanding that the matter be further
considered at joint meeting of the commit
tees on streets of each body, to be held some
evening next week