The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-06
No Railroads in Our Parks.

No Railroads in Our Parks.
The G. l b e supports ardently the
position Of those members of the char
ter commission who favor a positive
and total prohibition Of any invasion
OF the parks Of st. Paul by the street
railway company. If a census of pub
lie opinion outside of the commission
could be taken, we are confident that
the vote would be practically unani-
nous against the proposition to build
q line into Como park. The parks Of
st. Paul are neither SO many nor so
| extensive that we can afford to sur
render any part of them to a private
| corporation. A large amount Of money
has been expended in the extension
| and identification of Como park. 1t
has become a favorite pleasure resort
during the summer. and the street rail-
way company has had it's full share
of the benefit. The carriage of thou
sands Of people daily during pleasant
weather has added immensely to it's
| revenues. The extent Of this business
furnishes the pretext on which per-
mission is now requested to build
line into the park proper.
1t is argued that the public conven-
fence will be served by carrying these
passengers nearer to their objective
point than can be done if the cars must
stop at the outskirts. The size Of Como
park negatives the argument. It's
boundaries are so comparatively re-
stricted that it is but a few minutes
walk from one extreme to the other.
The English people are too conserva-
tive for our ideas in the limits which
they place upon the agencies Of trans
portation, but they are wise in draw
ing the line at their park entrances.
The great parks of London are free not
only from tram lines, but, to a great
extent, from all kinds of public con-
veyances. They are held to be true
pleasure grounds, in which the people
should have the right to wander as
they would on a jaunt into the coun-
that come with changing bells and
rushing wheels and electric poles and
wires. Those cities Of this country
which are most wisely governed exer-
else a similar vigilance in making the
parks serve solely the purpose for
which they are created, which is as
Fairgrounds for the people
When Como park is crowded, as it
is during the hot days of summer with
multitudes of women and little chill
dren, the nerves of parents should not
be kept constantly on the edge for fear
the little ones, if not constantly watch
ed, should wander onto a trolley line.
The picturesqueness Of the park would
be injured, and a great part Of its util-
1ty as we'll as its beauty be destroyed.
II an electric line were built across if.
While our other parks are supposed TO
be too small to tempt the invader. IT
will be well to remember that. at the
time the street railway company be-
HeVed it could not, conveniently to it.
self, run an electric line up the Selbv
avenue hill, it was proposed seriously
in the common council to permit 1t to
hisect Summit park and completely
ruin this little beauty spot, in order
that it might take advantage of the
easiest grades and the most convenient
route.
A similar question is likely to arise
with reference to any Of our other
parks. whenever the interest Of the
street railway company demands it.
That corporation certainly has enough
privileges now, nor does it seem to he
modest about asking for new ones or
without friends in the coTncil to do its
bidding. The only safe rule for the
future is to exclude it entirely from
all our parks, and with that we are
convinced that the st. Paul public is
in hearty sympathy.