The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-08

The proposition to change the site of
the union depot as set forth in The
G. o e of Sunday, Feb. 81, and sup
ported by the opinions of prominent
citizens identified with the wholesale
and retail trade of the city as we'll as
by tht bankers and real estate men
in subsequent issues of The G 10 b e,
has met with a response on the part of
the Daily Recorder of yesterdays date,
which says:
Again We urge upon the real estate ex-
change the necessity for action in the mat
ter or the new union depot station on Sew
enth street.
Committees should be appointed, and the
exchanges should lead the way to success.
The change would improve every part of
the city. 1t would not disturb the jobbers,
as the freight houses would remain In their
present location; it would re-populate lower
town, solidify the business district, i'm
prove the street car service, bring new en-
terprises to st. Paul and define the real
status of number of streets that now are
neither commercial residential
Nothing hurts market like a few streets
without fixed values; they are used for COM
parison with other localities and invariably
unsettle prices. 1t would be an inestimable
gain to st. Paul's real estate market to
learn exactly what Eighth street, East Sew
enth street least of Broadway and Sixth
street least of Broadway are for. Once
defined, settled value would help all real
estate.
The new union station would classify these
streets and make them one thing or the
other in a few months. Its a consumma-
ton devoutly to be wished
There was a similar notice issued by
the Recorder last week. No opposi-
ton to the proposed Improvement in
East Seventh street has developed in
any quarter. The plan for providing
a union depot at the point designated
by The G o b e is popular with every
Phpd tho cI1hionf rTbnra
IS nothing in the plan for the proposed
change antagonistic to any railroad en-
tering the city.
Every enc knows that at the time
the union depot was planted where it
is the location was regarded as the
most appropriate possible. But newly
created cities alter, in time, the plans
for their s5evceOpment. The retail trade
fed from Third street owing to the de-
Velopment of the city in the sections
beyond. There was a time when
Canal and then Grand street were the
great retail centers of New York city.
They crept by degrees upward toward
the Hudson River Railroad station at
Twenty-SeTenth street. Then the de-
pot moved farther away to Forty-sec-
ond street: The retail trade followed
until Fourteenth, Twenty-third and
Forty-second streets of New York are
real reason was that the location chos-
en- by its chief railway company as a.
center was rendered accessible to out
of-town visitors and shoppers. The
same is true of Philadelphia. A score
of years ago the center of the retail
trade was Eigth street. The Pennsyl-
Vanla built itSS magnificent depot at
Broad Fourteenth street, and Market:
the Philadelphia & Reading came from
Str
to Eleventh and Market streets. The
result has been that the location has
come to be one Of the most wonderful
retail centers in the world. This has
been due, In a large measure, to the
facilities extended by the railroads to
the suburban elements in those cities
The same possibilities, it is held are
open TO the promoters of ST. PauPs
welfare; and there are no more thor
ougly recognized promoters in the line
OF potency than the railways them
selves. What they will do about 1t
remains to be seen.
According to the views of tradesmen
St Paul is suffering for the want of
stronger attractions in the way of depot
faclllties to out-Of-town people. The
remedy rests with the officials of the
railway companies, so it is commended.
II there is economy in strong action bv
them, so far as they themselves meas
ure result, it is argued that the time
is most propitiOus for a change. And
an advance on the lines proposed would,
1t is believed, add greatly to the ma
terial Importance of the capital city of
St Paul. 1t is expected that within a
Few days action will be taken by the
retailers looking to a plea to the direc-
tors OF the union depot that before 60
Ing further with their proposed i'm
provements of the buildings, ETC.. thew
shall consider the ACCESSIBILITY of some
other location such as that suggested
by The G lob e.
70 nunr 4 nnl q ~ ALE