The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-15

brought to it's marrow bones, so to
speak, by the raising of it's assessment
by the board Of equalization, and is
going to come to time IN order to have
It's assessment reduced. Why that con-
cession should be made for the accept
ance Of the terms set forth, which are
absolutely and wholly in favor of the
company and against the public inter-
est, is something which we leave to
the wiseacres Of the city council to ex-
plain. The suggested ordinance covers
three moot points, on every one of
which the policy proposed to be adopt
ed is insufficient, improper and con-
trary to the wishes and interests of
the majority of our people. On not one
OF these points, except that Of the
Broadway loop, does the company pro-
pose to conform to what 1t has been
desired or ordered to do.
We have already given our opinion
to the effect that the execution of the
Broadway loop ordinance is destructive
TO the best interests of our city. To
run all the airs that now run over he
existing loop down Broadway and
up Seventh street, already overbur-
dened with traffic, would be to impede
the accommodation of the public on the
street railway lines, as well as to in
Alot a serious n unnecessary injury
upon important branches of our retail
lTdQe. If d0Qd mot 49,.
CURED to OR local Solons that the re-
tall business Of this city, from the point
u view or municipal progress and
growth, should be, if anything more
carefully guarded and looked after
lhah any other. The extension of the
loop to Broadway cannot be regarded
IN any other light than as an attack
upon 1t. AS a stimulus to real esto+a
speculation, for which purpose the
sonelhe was to a considerable extent.
it must necessarily be a fiat
failure. Thus, if this programme as
outlined be correct, the city railway
is inclined to WELD to +be+
one demand of the city council which
10 ledSC eXCuSa bic.
Inc concession in the direction of
IMPLYING facilities for travel IN ond
from the union depot is. if corract1v
stated. so small hat it will be-, prac-
tlcally, no improvement upon the pres
ent situation. 1t is said hat the com-
pany proposes to run only the Grand
avenue cars down S1b1ey street and
pack again. This would necessitate
transfers at Fourth or Fifth for all
persons except those directly served
py the Grand avenue ine: while II
would leave the Seventh street fro fiji
as much on one side as at present. since
two transfers are not allowed for q
single fare.
Ihe improvement Of the Selbv eva-
nue. line, which has been one of tho
main points of contention, is left in
doubt. The company is to change the
cable into an electric line by the use
OF "a device on the Selby avenue hill"
What that device may be is not said
IL IS known that the street railway
company has consistently declared
such a device as would be accentab Ia
to the public to be impossible. The
plans which it at one time proposed
to use were forbidden by the city conn
ell upon the protest of many citizens
what, therefore, it is intended to do
with the Selby hill problem is in the
air, with the ~supposition in favor of
some such adjustment as is contrary
to the public interest. It is an absolute
certainty that the cutting down of the
hill is the only arrangement that can
ever be permanent and bereft of Ian
ger to the lives of the people who use
this line. The side-tracking of that
plan is sufficiently suspicious to cast
discredit upon any substitute.
1t would De quite in conformity with
all that has gone before if the city
council should close it's year and a half
Of futile dickering with the
by a bargain that should surrender
everything CT public value. In view of
the facts pointed out, it's course will
bear careful watching; and no agree
ment open to the objections that we
have stated should be allowed to go
through without such a strenuous pub
lie protest as would be felt by even the
thick-skinned members of the city
council.