The Saint Paul globe., 1897-12-05
AN ELEvArEp 1NTERuRBAN.

AN ELEVATED INTERURBAN.
An article in our local columns this
morning sets forth the practicabilitJ
of constructing an elevated railway linz
between ST. Paul and Minneapolis OF
a basis that would make it one of the
best paying concerns in the United
States. The most salient feature OF
the financial situation throughout the
country today is the unanswered de-
mand for good, safe investment fol
capital. The banks of New York city
are clamoring for relief for their sur
plus funds. Banks throughout the
country everywhere have large depos-
its and big reserves, and are hungry
for borrowers with good collateral to
offer The tOilers of the country, the
people who save a few hundred dollars
and want most of all to know that it
is safe, are today putting currency into
old stockings and hiding it away in
bureau drawers. They do not know
what to do with it, So there has not
been time in the past ten years when
any legitimate enterprise could COM
mand supply of capital so practically
unlimited as today. What capital asks
is that there shall be few chances, if
any, which it is asked to take. 1t has
been cozened so often that it wants
good security more than it does a big
profit. OF all the material enterprises
that have been suggested for this sec
tion of the country, there is none that
appears to us to be so attractive mere
ly from the point of view Of capital as
the construction of an elevated rail-
road between these two cities.
The need of additional transit facil-
tiles between st. Paul and Minneapolis
is admitted on all sides. 1t is need
which the street railway company pro-
poses, we understand, to supply at an
early date by the construction of a
second interurban line. 1t is coupled
however, with another need that is not
so easy to satisfy. This is the re-
quirement of through trains running on
a shorter time schedule than is now
possible. The demand of the street
railway company for permission and
facilities to put in an express train
service on University avenue has just
this much Of apology that the people
would be glad to be able to travel be-
tween st. Paul and Minneapolis in half
an hour instead of an hour Now. on a
surface railroad this is clearly imprac-
ticable and must ever remain so. 1t
means a speed of from thirty to forty
miles an hour on parts of the line, and
1t means that some of the trains shall
be through trains, or at least shall not
stop at all crossings. These conditions
are incompatible with the operation Of
surface railway line consistently
with the safety, comfort and rights of
the public. Rapid transit can be real
lied only by above-ground or under
ground transit. There is scarcely a CEN
ter of population in the United States
as large as these two cities combined
which is not furnished with an elevated
railway system. Wherever there are in
the neighborhood of half million peo-
pie collected, the conveniences of life
and the necessities of business require
rapid transit accommodations that can
be furnished only by such a system. A
stated number of stopping places, the
avoidance Of street traffic on all grade
crossings and the consequent ability to
Iun express trains at pleasure are the
advantages Of the elevated road, and
likewise the Indispensable conditions
for satisfying the public needs.
There is another reason why the at
tention Of capital should be turned in
that direction, as far as the Twin Cities
are concerned, and that is that the field
is absolutely unoccupied here, and no
franchises for this purpose have been
granted or are outstanding. With the
travel that now occupies the interurban
line Of the street railway system, it
would not take fortnight to raise
the money necessary to build another
end to share the huge profits, were the
undertaking practicable. If the fran
chises of line street railway company,
hovever-until they are passed upon
by the courts, at any rate-constitute
monopoly OF the streets, any capital
ist would have to ngtt his way through
that obstruction bafore he could build
and operate a road. An elevated rail-
road IS as free as air. 1t can occupy
any street IN the city without let or
h'narance from the city railway COM
pany. Ail that y has to do is to pur-
chase n few lots for terminals and sta
tion buildings and hang Its roadbed in
the air. Ii is within the power of the
city council 10 grant a franchise for
such q road by any route that it may
select, and Il could even follow that
of The street railway company itself,
were /: supposed TO be best. Here
then. Is an opportunity open to all. We