The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-09
THE DISTRICT HAS BUILT Vi
OWING, THEY SAY, TO THE sur
POSED sTABII.ITY OF THE
PRESENT LINE.
TAKING AWAY THE CARS NOW,
1T Is Felt, Would Work an Injustice
Through the Injury to Their
Business.


ly discussed within the past few
weeks. will probably be definitely de-
termined upon within the next fort
night. The ordinance ordering the
street car company to extend the loop
to Broadway, five blocks further east
than the present location, passed the
board of aldermen recently by vote
that was barely sufficient to send the
ordinance to the assembly. On Mon
day next the proper committee Of the
assembly will give the property own
ers and others hearing and consider
the ordinance as 1t came from the
aldermen. There are six members Of
this committee and the ordinance
may not be favorably reported upon.
If 1t should be, however, strenuous eff
fort Will be made to defeat its .assage
by the assembly. Six votes will be
necessary to secure its passage. and
so far as known there is one member
of the assembly who is absolutely op-
posed to the change and others who
will not vote for 1t IL there be any
good and valid objections rnade to 1t.
Therefore, 1t is not yet Certain that
the demands Of some property owners
shall be allowed to interfere, as the
latter claim they will, with the busi-
ness Of majority Of the business in
terests that are now in measure de-
pendent upon the loop for their pros
perity.
The G o b has taken pains to as
certain the sentiment of the business
men who are along the line of or near
to the present loop, as well as the opin-
ions Of those whose business will be
benefited if the proposed change Is
ordered by the council. The consensus
of opinion Is that while a loop on
Broadway and Eighth street would in
a measure be Of benefit to the jobbing
houses, yet the removal Of the Robert
street line would work more hardship
to the owners and business men who
have located along the line Of or near
the Robert street loop with the Inn
piled understanding that the present
Improvement was to be permanent
A gentleman who owns property on
Robert street, and who was induced to
make improvements on that thorough
fare because of the construction of the
loop said yesterday that If the loop
should be removed to Broadway he
would be unable to collect his rent. as
his tenants would be justified in leav-
ing location that was deprived of
guaranteed street car facilities. That
perhaps, was rather an exaggerated
one, but 1t is expressive Of the senti-
ment that prevails among the business
men along the line of the loop as it
now exists.
The movement to remove the loop
five blocks south to Broadway origi-
mated with the owners of property who
are anxious to put the same upon the
market, or who have vacant buildings
which they are anxious to fill with
tenants. A canvass of the situation
was made by these property owners
or their agents, and the jobbing houses
were induced to take part in the de-
mand for added street care facilities.
This the jobbers willingly did, but it
was not with the expectation Of de-
priving the retail center of proper ia
cilities. 1t was argued that the emf
ployes Of the wholesale houses wanted
the car lines nearer their doors, and
that the retail trade of the newly
built-up district need not suffer. But
that, 1t Is claimed. is exactly what
would happen If the loop should be
changed as proposed, so as to furnish
better facilities for the wholesale dis
trict. All that vast business district
that has been built up since the pres
ent loop was established was to suffer
that the employees in the big wholesale
houses might not be required to walk
two, three OF half a dozen blocks to
get q car.
Aside from the convenience to these
employees of wholesale houses, 1t is
contended by the retail houses on
the line Of the present loop that the
new loop Is not needed. East of Jack
son street there Is no retail trade ex-
cept on Seventh street, and that thor
oughfare would not be benefited by
the proposed change. On the other
hand, 1t Is urged the great hotels, the
theaters, the scores of great retail
houses are directly upon the loop or
on streets Immediately adjacent to it.
To deprive this district of proper street
car facilities would be, they say, not
only an act Of injustice, but a positive
detriment to the entire city. In Min
neapOlis the street car lines are so ad-
nmrably arranged that one may take
car at any portion of the city, or
from st. Paul, even, and reach directly
the retail center. When the loop was
established on Robert street q con-
tract was made, 1t is claimed, between
the street car company and the proper
ty owners and others who invested
along the line. This contract was one
Of the inducements offered by the
street car company to secure the for
nation Of retail business center.
Many Of the prominent merchants were
induced to leave quarters they had oc-
cupied for years, and which they had
improved on Third and other streets,