St. Paul daily globe., 1896-04-17
STREET CAR CONNECTION WITH
THE UNION DEPOT is A Me-
CESSITY,
SAYS THE COMMERCIAL CLUB.
THE COMMITTEE WILL KEEP UP
THE AGITATION UNTIL TT IS
OBTAINED.
ENCOURAGING HOME PRODUCTIONS.
Local Demand for BrOOms Manufac-
tured in st. PauI-The Proposed
Detroit River Bridge.

For some time past the board of directors
of the Commercial club has been convinced
Of the necessity of securing street car line
to connect the union depot with the retail
district Of the city. At largely attended
meeting OF the board held yesterday after
noon, President Vanish in the chair, this
street car question was fully discussed. It
was determined to inaugurate an active cam
paign to secure the immediate construction
OF the desired line from which transfers could
be had to all other lines. Much feeling was
expressed because the Twin City Rapid
Transit company had not already taken ac-
tion in the matter. 1t was pointed out that
there is no other city in the country with
over $4,000 Inhabitants that has not a direct
communication between its street car system
and its union depot.
Director Bowlby stated that to his knowl-
edge the retail business of st. Paul has suf-
fered to the extent Of many thousands Of
dollars annually because people from the
country could not take street cars at the
union depot for the retail districts to do their
shopping.
A strong resolution was passed indorsing
committee who have the matter in charge.
The resolution authorizes the president and
secretary Of the club to take whatever action
may be necessary to push the matter to
speedy conclusion.
Chairman Scheffer, G. B. Bowlby and other
members Of the special committee together
with prominent retail merchants will appear
before the city council tomorrow at 8 p. m.
to confer upon the speediest method of ae-
compishing the object.
Mr.. Bowlby said that he was daily in re-
ceipt of letters from customers in the country
complaining of the difficulty of reaching the
retail district from the depot at st. Paul.
1t was reported to the directors that the
movement recently begun by the committee
on manufacturing and mercantile interest for
the encouragement of a demand for home
manufactured brooms by st. Paul housekeep-
ers, is already bringing very satisfactory re-
turns. Brooms bearing the St Paul and Min
nesota trademark, which the st. Paul broom
makers place upon all brooms made by them,
are now being called for by thousands Of
housekeepers throughout the city. This has
so stimulated the demand that the local man
ufacturers, with few exceptions, are running
their factories on full time. They even ex-
pect to increase the number of their employees
at an early date, should orders continue as
plentiful as they are at present. st. Paul
wholesale and retail dealers are joining in
the work to build up what may become an
important industry, and a great many retail
grocers are cooperating by ordering brooms
bearing the trademark that indicates loyalty
to the interests of home manufactures. The
Andrew Schoch Grocery company and Yerxa
Bros. are already advertising that they sell
brooms bearing st. Paul trademark. A
number of ladies throughout the city are
about to form a home manufacturers league
for the purpose of encouraging the move
ment, by which the housekeepsrs of st. Paul
will be asked to use as far as possible only
articles made by local Northwestern firms.
Important action was also taken upon the
matter Of the proposed construction of a
bridge across the Detroit river, near Detroit,
by the Michigan Central railroad. Chairman
Durment, Of the development committee, sub
mitted a report setting forth the extent to
which the proposed bridge would interfere
with lake navigation, and recommending that
the club memorialtze congress against the
construction Of this bridge. 1t was clear,
said the report, that the Michigan Central
desires to take business from the lake route
for the benefit of the railways. The presi-
dent and secretary were authorized to take
what action seemed necessary to secure con-
gressional action, and the matter re-
ferred back to the committee for further con-
sideratiOn,