The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-01
AROUND THE STUMP.

For whipping the devil around the
stump in the matter of street railway
connection between st. Anthony hill
and the business section, the city coun-
Gil deserves first prize. It has sprung a
brand-new proposition now, or, rather,
very old one which contemplates the
carrying of the hill people by an cleo
trio line running over the route fol-
lowed by the horse car that gave us
our first connection with the hill dis
trict in the earliest days of street rail
way travel in this city. This route is
up Tenth and Rice streets to Summit,
up Summit to Nelson and thence west
ward, except that the plan now is to
cross from Nelson to Selby at Far
rington, instead Of going up to West
ern as formerly. Attached to this is a
Pleasant to Oakland, instead Of by way
of Seventh and Ramsey, as at present.
We remember the days when war was
declared because of an attempt to lay
rails on Pleasant avenue, when the
property owners threatened to mob the
employees of the street railway COM
sorted to. This revival of ancient
schemes bespeaks want Of magma
ton in the gentlemen who are devot-
ing their efforts to discovering meth
cd by which the street railway COM
pany can abandon the cable line and
use electric power without cost to it.
self The suggestions bear upon their
face proof that they have been consid-
cred, not in the light CT public con-
venience, but with a view to what
would be easiest and most economical
for the company.
We hope the people Of Merriam Park
who have been insisting upon the Third
street line, will concentrate their at
tention upon the fact that this new
line proposed is much less suitable to
their wants than the simple and prac-
teal plan urged from the beginning by
the G o b e. The residents of Merriam
Park, in this case, would be obliged to
make the circuit by way Of Tenth and
Rice streets and lower Summit avenue
only they would be, as now, packed in
with tremendous traffic from the hill |;
whereas If the Rondo line were extend
ed, as we have advised, they would go
over exactly the same ground, except
that they would have to travel two
blocks further on Rice street before
turning on to Rondo, and then they
would have the advantage Of line on
which there Is only a fraction Of as
much travel as goes on between the hill
and the city.
AS to the practical destruction Of q
long block on Summit avenue, includ-
ing the tearing up Of the new asphalt
pavements laid last year along Sum-
NIT park down to Sixth street, and the
inconvenience of a large number of hill
residents, who would have to walk
pretty nearly as far to get a car as to
go to their places Of business, that, Of
course, is trifle. We imagine that
this ordinance will come to grief like
it's predecessors, as it certainly deserves
to do. There has never been any way
but one to make the Selby avenue line
fully available and safe. The incline
should have been cut down when tie
line was built to a safe and reasonable
grade, and that will have to be done
eventually, or the route must be aban-
doned altogether. It Is something CT
a gain to have the Third street project
cheap substitute is to be adopted. by
which the comfort and interests OF the