The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-03

when they arrive, make a bad impression
upon them They look out on the side of
hill; they start to wonder whether ST.
Paul has any retail business locality or not.
1t is too bad. So far my own opinion
goes. Seventh street Is the dividing line be-
tween the wholesale and the retail secti ms.
III the union passenger depot should be To-
Gated at Seventh and Kitt;on streets.
strangers wculd land within five or six m n
utes, by street car communication in the
retah center of St. Paul. The impression
they would receive, from such a landing
would be far better than that afforded by
the surroundings of the present depot.
Down there. now. they come out and don't
know where they are. There are hills and
t siseWalks oyer them and they lead the
car IN sight to take him anywhere. At
this proposed site the stranger would come
right into the city with a street car in
front OF him to take him (by transfer) any
where he wanted to go. The present site
OF the union depot will continue to grow
Iore and more out of the way. The union
t tha was an right in former years when
t tne retail trade centered on Third street;
but now when the location is removed seven
or elgnt Docks away the old place is done
na,, mere are no street cars to carry the
PeoPIe up INTO town, and the location can
never De a desirable so far as the hest
interests OF the city are concerned
oiiiy wish the railroad companies would
iehu hand to locate new depot IN in
tne direction OF the Seventh Street bridge
II we could have a nice oenot structure To-
cateu tnere 1t would show that the city was
S Susnessaiis. NOW let me tell you:
times. For heavens sake, we have found
you at last! When we get in here we
dihnt know where we were. We came out
OF 9,, tne depot; and there We were hut we
aldnt know how to find your places CT bus
mess. and we have had to walk all the
way. Now that shows how people feel
When they come in at the union depot They
aon Know where they are. and they have
TO start out and find cut. l think this plan
is the best ever presented to the people of
st. Paul do not believe the railroad com
panles could find more convenient place
OF that 1t would be anything in the way of
sacrihce to them to abandon the old rlace
and take this one. They could use the
present site for freight exclusively and en-
large the facilities in favor of the wholesale
people, and everybody would be benefited
Another thing The location of the pa ssen-
ger depot on East Seventh street would put
an end to the scrap over the street car
loop. 1t seems to me everybody in town
ought to support this plan.
All the City Interested.
A member of the firm of Yerxa &
Co., grocers, expressed himself as fol-
lows:
1t looks to me as if the proposed change of
the location of the union depot was desir-
able one, not only for retail traders, but for
the entire city. The present union depot is,
as everybody must honestly admit. out of
range with the present growth of the city.
way companies might look upon the remov-
al OF the depot as a sacrifice, but | cannot
think this would ultimately be the case.
The spot named is certainly an ideal loca-
ton, and by the change both the freight
and passenger traffic of the roads would be
benefited, while an immense advantage would
accrue to st. Paul. l only hope the railroad
companies can be induced to make the
change for the good Of all concerned.
Some Prefer Post Siding.
Rufus C. Jefferson, lumber dealer,
said:
From what I know of the present stua-
ton in st. Paul. great deal depends upon
our ability to hold our retail trade. There
is. or ought to be. quite a good trade COM
ing from outside towns. and Minneapolis
is getting lot of 1t, and especially on ac-
count of her street car facilities. I know
Of people who prefer getting out of the cars
at Post Siding. on their way from Still
water, for instance, and riding into The
city over the Seventh street line three miles
rather than come into the ST. Paul union
depot and walk up that hill in search of
street cars. That is an argument of itself
in favor Of some change Of facilities here.
1t is wonderful what an objection is shown
by people to climbing that hill. Now there
are many people who would gladly come in
here. now and then, with a few dollars in
their rockets to spend but they think
OF that hill and go on to Minneapolis,
where they land on a level with street cars
right in front of them, and the retail dis
trict a short distance away.
think it would be great stroke for
the railroads to take this location at once
and establish a passenger depot there which
can remain for all time to come. | do not
hesitate to say that the st. Pau! retail
merchants have lost 80 per cent of trade
owing to the environments of the present
union depot. The effect upon the suburban
traffic is remarkable. by reason of these
existing conditions. These two cities are
close together. 1t is only a matter of pref
n Wis r1ybi oh c,o
be patronized. Take the people of Still
water and Red Wing, for Instance Coming
here makes a pleasant days outing for
them, but they are sure to go where thew
find the best accommodations St Paul has
lost lots of money on account of this lack
OF railway and street car facilities Apy
one can readily see that the change of To-
cation of the union depot as suggested
would be of benefit to all. l would like
very much to see it done. l do not own
any property near the present depot, nor
proposed location; but for the general good
OF St Paul l think the union depot ought
to be located somewhere in the locality
indicated in The | o b e article last Sum
day.
Where Minneapolis Profits.
H. E. Humphrey, manager Of the St.
Paul Hardware company, said:
realize this fact that the St. Paul retail
ers are at great disadvantage in not having
street car connexions with the depot. Ladies
coming here to shop have either got to walk
from the depot up to Manufacturers, which
Is about the nearest trading point, or they
must take. carriage either of which is a
great disadvantage. Ladies going to Mime
apolls to any depot in the city can step right
on to street car and reach every principal
retail street in the city. And I believe that
is one of the principal reasons why Mime
.apolis is going ahead of St. Paul so rapidly
in the retail trade. When cur reta business
was all over on Third street it was an easy
matter to step out of the depot and find
everything one wanted in one nearby street