The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-20
WATCH THEM.

WATCH THEM.
1t is our opinion that the move
ment for mass meeting in st. Paul
to protest against the proposed trans
formation Of University avenue into
railroad right of way cannot be car
ried forward too energetically. AL
though the publication by the Gil O b
Of the secret ordinance in favor of the
street railway company that had been
circulated in this city killed the fair
prospect that it had of surreptitious
passage, the company is fairly desper-
ate in its determination to grab Uni
Versity avenue before the present
council goes out of office. An adjourn
ed meeting of the board of aldermen
has been called for next Monday even
ing, when all street railway matters
are to be taken up again. It is pretty
we'll understood that the members will
not agree to the straight 10 cent fare
without transfers, although why they
should not allow the horns to go with
the hide does not appear What they
are prepared to do we may guess from
the following statement by contem-
pCrary strongly, though not openly, en-
listed on the street railway company's
side:
Just what terms will be agreed upon cannot
be stated positively, but from present indi-
cations 1t will be the adoption Of three ordl-
r tba e. one an omnibus ordinance covering
the change in the Selby line and the union
depot loop, and providing that one-half the
present 1nterurban cars go around a Broad
way loop. In order to get this it may be
necessary for the council, in Difference to the
advocates OF the Broadway loop in that body
10 cohcede to the street railway company
t the through express fnterurban line, which
the company desires very much
We should say it did desire it very
much, since it has been playing horse
with the council for two years for the
plain and simple purpose of getting
permission to operate such line.
What the people of st. Paul have to
understand is that the fight before
them for the next four months is to
save University avenue from the grasp
Of private corporation. This they
can do if they are vigilant and active
in the defense of their rights.
1t is very doubtful whether the council
has the power to grant the street rail-
way company the right to lay side
tracks on University avenue in front Of
private property, not for actual transit
purposes, but to accommodate slow
trains while fast trains run there
However this may be, it is probably
certain that no council has the
power to authorize the street rail-
way company to run trains from
Dale street to the city limits
without a stop. We believe that
any property holder along the line can
get out an injunction and terminate
such proceedings at once by appeal
to the courts. The right Of property
and the fee of it to the center Of the
street resides in the owner Of abutting
property. The public possesses no
more than an easement, which per-
mits it to use the street surface for
thoroughfare. 1t is within the prov
ince of a council to permit the street
railway company's lines to be operated
along this for the general convenience
and benefit. The owner of the proper
ty is not benefited or convenienced.
however, but distinctly injured by the
operation of a line whose cars fly past
his holding at railroad speed, without
stopping at any crossing, and there
fore denying him the very facilities
for travel in consideration of which
a street railway company franchise is
given.
1t is not going too far, in view of
what has happened in the past, to say
that in all probability the council will
make this surrender Of public right
unless the people watch and block ev-
cry stage of the game. The right to
the use of our own streets and the
preservation of one Of our most i'm
portant thoroughfares for purposes of
public travel will be in imminent dam
ger every day while the life Of this
council lasts. Unless the people stand
on guard, we warn them again that
they will find their hands tied and q
complete surrender made to the street
railway company.