The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-11
TO BUILD OR NOT TO BUILD
GREAT NORTHERN AWAITING
THE CITY COUNCILS ACTION
me shops Which President Hill Pro-
poses to Build Will Be of Ines-
Unable Value to the City-Any
Spot on the Entire System Would
Make Concessions to Obtain Their
Location.

The officials Of the Great Northern
halfway company are patiently await
ing the action Of the city council re-
gardlng their request to be let alone
IN the matter of building new shops
at como. They are anxious to add to
the general prosperity of the city,
Whlcn already owes much to that rail-
way FOR It's material welfare and de-
velopment, but they are not going to
sacrifice their own interests for SEN
tlment, II the city is not willing to
meet them half -way.
Meanwhile theapeople of ST. Paul will
nave time to reflect upon the advaa-
tageS which will accrue to the CITY if
the city council allows the railway to
have d little latitude in the matter
If the railway company decides to
erect its new shops at Como it will
mean the establishing in this city of
new industry 1t is the company's
intention to build great car and loco
motive works, where all the coaches
and locomotives used on the system
Will be constructed. 1t will be a heav-
Ter class of work than is now done in
this city, and it will necessitate the
employment of a1large number of skill
ed mechanics. ALI those now in the
company's service will be retained. and
many more will be brought here from
distant cities. The present number of
men employed in the shops at Como
is GU, and the annual payroll for shop
work alone amounts to $500, 900. Besides
THIS item there are many others which
swell the yearly expenses of the shons
TO about million dollars. All this
money comes to st. Paul tradesmen in
one way or another, and goes to in
crease the value of the city as a resi-
dence and business place.
Ihe erection Of the new shops will
mean the purchase, of building material
and the employment of ST. Paul labor
IN every department of the work. 1t
Will pr1ng to that section Of the CITY
a larger population and will increase
the value of realrestate in that part OF
the city. In every way it will be a
direct benefit,
The Great Northern system is already
4,o00 miles long, and its mileage is in
creaslng every year. AS the road
grows and It's business develops more
coaches and locomotives will be re-
CURED to keep pace with its business.
and this will necessitate the enlarge
ment from time to time Of the shoDs.
Ihe company owns ample real estate
| IN the vicinity Of the proposed shops
to erect the largest shops in the word
rivaling those at Pullman, and it Is
very reasonable to suppose that in a
Ae" years lHey Will DE as large as any
now known. This will mean the en-
ployment of steadily increasing nun
bers Of workmen and a permanent in
dustry that will become one Of the
wonders of st. Paul.
The question isl said a prominent
merchant yesterday, whether the citv
can afford to throw away such a
chance. There are few cities that would
not gladly make almost any conces-
sions to obtain such an advantageous
opportunity for development. If the
city council refuses to let President Hin
alone in this matter, it will commit a
blunder that should be considered Grim
inal. The welfare of this city is at
issue. If it is the policy Of the city
au1nor1t1es to drive away industries,
then the business men of this country
should be notified SO they will not at
tempt to establish enterprises in St.
Paul."