The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-03
ST. PAUL HANDICAPPED
IN THE PRESENT LOCATION OF THE
UNION DEPOT
Felt That So Long as 1t Remains In
Its Present Hole the Retail Trade
of the City Is Bound to Suffer-
All the Merchants Favor Another
Site.

of the City Is Bound to Suffer-
All the Merchants Favor Another
Site.
The proposition looking to the change
of the location of the union depot, 1t is
only fair to say, emanated from pri-
waite source altogether, and the move
ment is wholly unselfish so far as any
particular interest is concerned. Since
the publication of the plan In The
q o b Sunday lst, however, hopeful
feeling has manifested itself in Vari-
Gus quarters, that something might be
accomplished in the line of depot i'm
provement and accommodations in st.
Paul.
From what can be learned, the sub
iect of a change of location was re-
ViVed by the action of the union depot
directors themselves a couple or
months ago, when certain plans were
prepared providing for the enlargement
of facilities at the present location. A
feeling was developed then that, In
view Of action by the directors looking
to the expenditure of upwards of $75-
600 for the Improvement of the old
union depot site, il was appropriate TO
suggest, on behalf of the citizens. that
a more central location might be Sc
lected. with not only reference to the
interests of the business community OF
St Paul. but to those of the railway
companies themselves. The underlying
spirit of the proposition was to enlarge
the Importance of st. Paul as center
OF trade, both wholesale and retail,
without antagonism between any in
tereSts. whether mercantile, wholesale
or retail. or transportation, involving
the economic conduct Of the various
railway lines centering here.
business men recognize the fact that
the railway companies have invested
capital in the existing plant at the foot
Of Sibley street. and quite lavishly;
they also recognize the necessity on
$ the part of the guardians of these in
Nestments, of the exercise of conServa-
tism in the handling Of this trust. At
the same time a sentiment is para
mount among the retail dealers that
St Paul presents nothing in the nature
Of depot accommodations. which APP
peals. through reason. to the prefer
ences of out-of-towA patrons in favor
or this place as against Minneapolis,
which has been the recipient of a large
proportion of this class of trade. The
claim is made that with the old union
depot nesting down between the levee
on the one side and the hill on the
other, and no street car accommoda-
tons anywhere in sight, and nothing
indeed practicable for permanent pur-
should be given either in an icy or
gilt-edged form, the retail trade of ST.
Paul must necessarily dwindle to
tritiing Importance unless the railway
companies shall wipe the film from
their spectacles and recognize that
which is best for the local business in
terests of the city and at once combine
to insure it.
The feeling is certainly very deep
and strong that St Paul interests are
handicapped by the nOn-existence of
proper relationship with the heart of
communication with the outside world,
which is naturally its central depot of
arrival and departure of visitors. No
feeling of hostility to the railways ex-
lSt, and no one seeks to engender such
feeling. Every one knows that the old
depot was well enough in its day. but
the city has grown, conditions have
altered; certain trade localities have
shifted, population has increased, ter
ritory has developed improvement, a
period of transition is at hand, and the
city is taking on permanent from tran,
Sient conditions. There are ten rail-
roads entering St. Paul. If the trains
carrying the passengers travelling by
these roads could enter one station and
that station could be located in the
center of the city, in the midst of at
tractive environments. it is believed
that the institution would be an ad-
vertisement of itself. equally advan-
tageOus to the community and to the
railways. 1t is understood that the
publication of the plan in last Sundays
issue of The G. l o b has created quite
an active sentiment in favor of it's
adontion among the retail community,
all the way from the Seventh and Kilt
son street location to Wabasha street,
and between Fourth and Ninth streets,
and that petitions are to be circulated,
for presentation to the union depot di-
reCtors, appealing for a change of To-
cation to more central site, and ap-
proving that already mentioned. Some
views, additional to those printed yes
terday, are herewith given, of retail
merchants and others who favor the
proposition of change of site:
Change Most Desirable.
Max H. Hermann furrier, Ga East
Seventh street, said:
l think that so far as the retail trade is
concerned, the location of depot could not
be better than at Seventh and Kittson
streets. or in that neighborhood. The pres
ent location Of the union depot is entirely
out Of the way. Strangers coming into the