The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-29
VOICE An OBJECTION
PROPERTY OWNERS OF UN1vER-
SITY AVENUE AGAINST FAST
INTERURBAN TRAINS
HELD A MEETING LAST NIGHT

Ala. Bantz Believes 1t Impossible to
Get Such an Ordinance Through
the COuneiI-Letter From Louis
Nash, in Which He Insists That
No Such Franchise Be Granted to
the COmpany.
A meeting of the property owners on
University avenue to protest against the
proposed FAST 1nterurban line was held
last evening at Weiler's hail, University
ana Dale street. John Lichtschiedl acted
as chairman, and Charles S. Eisenmen-
ger as secretary. After considerable dis
cusslon committee of five, consisting
OF +. L. McGhee, Henry Bielenberg. Mich
olas Weller, F. j. Bauman and Charles
Irudeau' was appointed to watch things
ana report at a meeting to be held when
the proposed ordinance was introduced.
F. L. McGhee, as property owner
and resident on the avenue, entered a
vigorous protest against the avenue be-
ing turned over to the street railway
company for railroad yard. It was, he
sald' urged that the business interests
demanded more rapid transit between the
two cities. If this was so then the bust
ness interests should pick out some other
street than University avenue to run fast
cars on. The ordinance, which had been
passed in Minneapolis, and would soon
be introduced in the city council in st.
Paul, was in the interests of Thomas
Lowry and the street railway company.
The proper thing to do was to make Mr..
Lowry give something for the use Of the
street beside extorting an extra nickel
to ride on the cars. The company did
not even pay an honest tax in st. Paul,
and while the assessor was taxing the
workingmen for what little they had the
street railway and other corporations es-
capped almost untouched.
AN EXPRESS CAR SCHEME.
The proposed fast line between the
cities was for the purpose of increasing
the receipts of the company, and he I'M
derstood an express car scheme was
back of the proposition. Two years ago
the company attempted the same thing,
but the people had been aroused, and
the scheme was nipped in the bud. What
was needed now was 20 warn the mayor
and the council that no fast railroad
trains could be run on University ave-
nue. until the people Of the Eight ward
and the property owners arong the street
had given consent.
A letter was read from Louis Nash
who, as a property owner, insisted that
there should be no franchise granted I'M
til the people HAD said so by their votes
AS soon as the citizens were ready to as
sert their rights at the polls an end would
be put to the exactions Of the taskmaS-
ters Of the Lowry stripe and the city
would take possession of the street rail-
way lines at Il legitimate value upon
capital actually invested. This, Mr.. Nash
wrote, wound make possible three-cent
fares, forty-eight hours a week for the
employees of the railway, at a minimum
scale of $3.50 per day. fIe objected to the
proposed fast interurban line because 1t
would endanger life and spoil the prop
erty on the avenue by making railroad
yard of the thorouGhfare.
MAYOR MAY VETO IT.
Aid Bantz thought it would be impos-
sible to get the ordinance through the
council. He felt certain if Mayor Kiefer
used his veto powers on the ordinance,
should it pass, it would be impossible to
make it effective. He had noticed that
the mayor had vetoed resolution for a
two-plank sidewalk on Lafond street,
which was for the purpose of allowing
children to attend school without having
to walk through snow and slush. This
showed that Mayor Kiefer had the best
interests of the people at heart, and he
would, as a matter of course, not allow
an ordinance giving the street railway
company such privileges as pass him. 1t
was possible that the property owners
were too hasty, as the ordinance had not
as yet been introduced When it was ne
would vote as the people of the ward de-
sired.
Nicholas Weller said the people were
not too hasty. Two years ago an ordi-
nance which was about the same thing
was introduced in the assembly, and it
was only by the residents of the ward
making trouble that the aldermen were
prevented from passing it. The people
of the Eighth ward and the property
owners on University avenue were op-
posed to having fast railroad trains run
through the avenue. The council and the
mayor should be notified to this effect.
John Lichtschiedl was of the opinion
that the street railway company should
purchase a right of way and fence it up
if they desired to run trains at railroad
speed through the city He preferred to
live on the Great Northern or Northern
Pacific line, for there one could be sure
as to the time trains would pass and
could arrange accordingly. If the fast
interurbans were run they would be
speeding past every few minutes, and
there would be danger of persons being
killed Speaking for the property owners
he protested against the proposed ordi-
nance.
FRANCHISE WORTH MILLIONS.
Andrew Ries was opposed to the fast
cars. He did not think it would do much
good to talk to the aldermen, for, with
the exception of the Eighth ward mem
Der in the council, none of the others
were directly interested. He advocated
that the work should be done in the as
sembly, as each of the assembly ran all
over the city and wanted the votes next
time 1t was wrong principle to give |
Tom Lowry a franchise worth millions
of dollars for nothing. The ultimate out
come he said, would be that there would |
be four street car tracks on University |
avenue The citizens had paid for the !
street being widened to 120 feet and the |
council had no right to give to the street |
railway company any part of it. I
After the appointment of the committee |
mentioned the meeting adjourned to meet |
at the call of the chairman.