The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-04
SUGGESTION TO EXTEND THAT LINE
no MERRIAM PARK VIEWED
FAyO8ABLY.
SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES.
WOULD BE AN ALMOST EXCLU-
sIVE LINE FOR THE PARK
PEOPLE.
When 1t Is Expected That Sentiment
Will Be CrystaItzed on Some
Particular Route.

The suggestion Of an extension Of the
RondO street line to Merriam Park as
solution of the difficulty which the
residents Of that suburb now expert
ence in getting into and out of the
city meets with considerable approba-
ton among the citizens Of that part
Of the city most interested in the bet
ter street car facilities. Some Of the
Merriam Park people themselves would
prefer a line out Selby avenue, but, as
months of agitation have failed to ac-
complish anything, they prefer the
proposed Rondo extension to the pres
ent arrangement. AS told in the
Globe of Friday, this extension
would require the building of only
about six blocks of track and the diff
ference in the length of the line as
proposed and the present Selby avenue
route would be only about the same
distance. This would make a differ
ence in the time of from three to five
minutes. The present thirty-minute
service could be easily turned into one
with a car every ten minutes. The
cars could be arranged to run around
the Robert street loop, and this would
provide through connection with all
parts Of the city. 1t is the general
opinion that the Shepard ordinance,
which proposes to turn the cable into
an electric system and use a portion
OF Summit avenue in order to avoid the
Third street hill, will never pass the
council, and it Is also the opinion OF
some Of the council members that the
Rondo route is the best suggestion
that has yet been made, and they are
in favor Of bringing this suggestion
before the council at as early q date
as is convenient.
"One advantage of using the Rondo
street line" said a gentleman yester-
day, lis that while 1t would take
few minutes longer to make the journey
that disadvantage would be more than
made UP from the fact that 1t would be
largely a Merriam Park line. The
travel on the cable is much heavier
than it is on the Rondo street line, and
if the cable line were changed into
an electric, it would be the same way
There are a great many more to pat
ronize the Selby avenue line than the
other, and at certain times each day
the best the patrons get is standing
ROOM That would be true If electricity
were used. On the other hand, with a
quick service on Rondo street, there
would always, or nearly always, be
seats to accommodate the passengers
There is no question in my mind but
what the RondO street line, If extended
and the cars run more frequently,
would give satisfaction to Merriam
Park residents. 1t might not, perhaps,
be as good as a direct line with a car
run every two minutes, but 1t will be
many years before the street car COM
pany runs cars much more frequently
on the Selby line than it does at the
present time"
Several Of the members of the council
asked what they thought of extending
Rondo street, inclined to view it favor
ably.
Assem- blyman Mabon about repre-
sented general sentiment when he said
he had not given the matter much con-
sideration, but off-hand 1t looked like
good thing. There was no Roadway
being made with the ordinance proVid-
ing for the Third street and Summit
avenue route, and some action should
be taken which would give the park
residents proper street car facilities.
Assemblyman Craig said that owing
to the attitude taken by his constitu-
ents, he did not care to express an opin-
ion on the proposed route.
The residents of Merriam Park have
issued a call for a joint meeting of
the ST. Paul merchants and all citizens
living in the Seventh and Eleventh
wards. The meeting Is for the purpose
of discussing the proposed Improvement
Of the street car facilities between the
center of the city and Merriam Park,
and will be held in the rooms of the
Commercial club tomorrow evening at
s o'clock. The committee having the
matter in charge request every one
having an interest in it to lend their
influence to making the meeting a thor<
oughly representative one Of both the
residence and commercial interests of
ST. Paul.
The committee appointed by the Mid
way union to name special committee
of 100 Merriam Park ladies to assist in
calling the attention of the ST. Paul
merchants to the disadvantages they
suffer for want of reasonable service
| on the Selby line, have completed their
work and have issued a circular con-
tanning the names Of the ladies. The
ladies announce that 1t is not their
| intention to inaugurate boycott
against ST. Paul, as has been stated,