The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-22
LOWRY PLEADS HARD TIMES.
PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY
TELLS COMMITTEE OF CITIZENS
WHAT HE CAN DO.
CHANGE AT THE UNION DEPOT.
Col. CIOugh Says the City Will Need
, More GrOund-GettinE Down to
Facts

ference with a number of prominent
citizens Of st. Paul at the mayors Of
flee yesterday afternoon. There was a
deal of talk, both by the street rail-
way magnate and the citizens, touch
ing the needs of the city for better
street a facilities, but little, if any
thing was accomplished. Mr.. Lowry
pleaded poverty, but finally acknowl-
edged hat the company would be will
ing to stand it's share Of a viaduct on
h Selby avenue hill and the chang
ing Of the cable to an electric line.
The meeting was called by President
BigeloW, Of the board of aldermen, who
as chairman of a special committee ap-
pointed by the board invited Mr.. Low
ry to be present. Word was sent around
to the chamber Of commerce, Com
mercial club and the retailers union,
and at 2:30 o'clock over a score of in
terested citizens had gathered. Among
those attending were Mayor Doran,
Aid. Bigelow and Lindahl, Assembly,
man Thompson, R. A. Kirk. w. p.
Clough, S.. l.. Moore, A. H Lindeke,
G. B. BoWlby, w. P. Jewett, E. G..
Rogers, U. B. Curtis, w. P. Murray,
J. A. Wheelock and A. S. Tallmadge.
The street car company was repre-
scented by President Lowry, Vice Presi-
dem Goodrich, General Manager Held
and NJ. D. Mum.
r. A. Kirk, Of the chamber Of COM
merce, was chosen as chairman, but
Mr.. WheelOck raised the point that,
as the meeting had been called by the
council committee, it would be just as
well for the others present to act as
outsiders. President Bigelow, Of the
aldermen, came in at this time and
took the chair. Mr.. Bigelow stated that
the object was to ascertain from the
railway officials what the company in
tended to do with the ordinances pass
ed by the council. Three measures
had been passed by the council and
were "up to" the company. One was
the changing Of the cable to an cleo
trio line and the use Of a device on
Selby avenue hill. Another was the
Broadway loop ordinance, and the third
was to pave the tracks on Third and
Fourth streets. 1t was very desirable
Mr.. BigeloW said that the city should
come to some understanding with the
0NASSS Wv OA A1SO T.
ions and also on the subject of a depot
loop ordinance. He was not aware of
any law which would compel the street
railway company to put in a device
on Selby avenue, but he had under
stood that the company were anxious
to change the cable to an electric line.
Mr.. Lowry spoke about the pleasant
conferences he always had with the
st. Paul council and citizens and par
ticularly the n last year at which
he had expressed a desire to make some
changes. Since that conference bust
ness had been bad, and the company
did not know now where to borrow
any money. For this reason the COM
pany now found itself unable to go on
with work now on hand. He had just
as much personal pride in improving
the systems in the Twin Cities as ever,
but not as much money. The st. Paul
lines outside of the i~nterurban had
lost, over n above fixed charges, in
1895, 500, S72. 80; in 1896, SILT, 515.72 and
for the first five months in 1897, $S5,-
AL II. Since the consolidation of the
two systems the Minneapolis street a
company a loaned the st. Paul COM
pany 1910, 1915 and the Twin City
Transit company $685., 200.2 6, making a
total Of 1868, 900. In st. Paul lines had
been constructed and extended to
benefit real estate, which were not pay
ing ones. The result was that where
it was able in the past to go to banks
and borrow 500, 900, it was now impos-
sible to borrow $4,000. He did not think
it would be a good thing for the st.
Paul company to go into the hands Of
a receiver, but his was what confront
ed the company if the improvements
such as ordered were forced on the
company. He was willing and anxious
to hear suggestions from the gentle
men present.
Mr.. Bigelow questioned MI. Lowry
as to the publication in the Financial
Chronicle Of a statement showing the
company to be in the best possible
financial condition.
Mr.. Lowry said the books of the COM
pany were open at any time to the
inspection of the council in order to
convince them of the truth of his
statements. Last e the company
had made improvements to the extent
of $3.50, 900, n there were obligations
due between now and Jan. l amount
ing to 81, 400, 900. By consolidating the
companies of the two cities there had
been a saving of Is to % per cent in
the operating expenses. AS to the
Broadway loop being operated, it would
involve an expense Of $50 per day with
out any increase in the receipts. He
had not considered the legality of the
ordinance, but thought the operation
of the loop would be a detriment to
the city. He was loath to admit the
fact, but the company could get no
money to make any extensions or pave
the streets which had been ordered by
the council. AS to the cable line, the
company wanted to change it to all
electric line, for the reason that the
operation of the line was to be cheap
ened by bringing the power from the
dam at Minneapolis. The company
would also nave some power to sell
and expected to derive some revenue
from this.
Mr.. Bigelow wanted to know if the
company would be willing to put in an
electric line on Selby avenue, if the
grade could be reduced by a cut or
viaduct at a cost not to exceed $40, 900.
Mr.. BigeloW said plans prepared at
the instance Of J. J.. Hill showed that
an open cut could be made from Third
street to Nina avenue, M retaining
walls built. including a bridge over
Summit avenue, at a total cost of not
to exceed $40. 600.
Mr.. Lowry thought this was the most
feasible plan suggested, and the only
difficulty would be the securing of the
necessary amount to make the i'm
provement.
w. p. Clough started off on the depot
loop with the statement that there was
at present no fit accommodation for the
depot travel. This, to his mind, was
H. Good 41ino fhof ChOJ11d no fnI-A-