The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-27
MEET AGAIN TONIGHT
OPPONENTS OF THE INTERURBAN
EXPRESS ORDINANCE ARE
VERY BUSY
COMMITTEE OF FIFTEEN

Meeting at the Council Chamber
Last Night to Take the Matter
Before the People and the Alder
manic COmmittee-Fiery Speeches
Opposing the Ordinance.
Citizens of the Eighth ward and prop
erty owners along University avenue, to
the number Of 125, attended meeting at
the council chamber last evening TO dis
cuss the fast interurban ordinance The
discussion, however, was entirely one
sided, not one of the audience expressing
anything but opposition to the proposed
ordinance.
The meeting passed resolutions protest
ing against the passage of the ordinance
and appointed a committee of fifteen to
appear before the meeting Of the commit
tee on streets and file protest against
the measure,
Tonight the Eighth ward citizens will
meet at Weiler's hall to divide the ward
into districts for the purpose Of circulat-
ing petitions and securing signatures of
those who object to the ordinance. The
committee of fifteen will also come before
the committee on streets at It's regular
meeting tomorrow afternoon and request
that the session consider the ordinance
be held Monday instead of Saturday
evening.
Aid. Bantz, of the Eighth ward, was
chosen chairman of the meeting, and
Charles Eisenmenger secretary
George f. finland said the street car
system was a good one. The company
now wanted to make railroad yard on
University avenue. If the business men
insisted on fast service 1t would be well
to have an elevated road built in the al
leys, and then the trains could run as
fast as possible. The people did not want
any special privileges granted. If the
council passed the ordinance the people
should call a halt. The charter of the
company provided that cars should be
operated to accommodate the public, and
a fast line would not fill the bill He
questioned If the council could legally
pass the ordinance, even if a sufficient
NUMBER of the council wanted to,
A. j. Krank was of the opinion that
the company wanted faster trains it could
purchase the right to erect an elevated
road IN the alleys and not spoil Univer-
slty avenue and damage the property
along the street so per cent
Herman B1elenberg protested against
the passage of the ordinance.
John Ryan said he had talked with a
large number of property owners, and all
opposed the ordinance
Nick WoiIor IN
ne mad been around the business district
during the day and found the street rail-
way company was circulating petitions
ashlhg Tor the passage of the ordinance.
He suggested that the property owners
circulate petition protesting against the
ordinance.
3. A Metzger was opposed to the ordi-
nance. He lived and owned property on
the avenue, and his neighbors also pro-
tested against the passage of the ordi-
nance
"A. .. Rles urged circulation of petitions
against the ordinance. 1t had been re-
ported that the company was determined
TO put the ordinance through even If
there were protests He did not believe
this was so, and felt certain that if the
Eighth ward citizens came down To the
council in sufficient numbers the ordi
nance would not pass. The talk about the
business interest demanding the line was
not true.
w. r. Johnson said, as a resident of
the Eighth, he was opposed to granting
the company the right to run fast cars
on University avenue. He had been op
posed to similar ordinance when. it was
introduced in the council some years ago
at the time he was a member of the as
sembly He believed the street railway
company had given the city the best
street railway system in the world. Cars
were run on University now as fast as
twenty-five miles an hour If the ordi-
nance was passed the company would.
under. the present ordinance have the
rlght 10 put in necessary switches. If
the fast ordinance passed the SLOW cars
would be operated in such manner that
they would be worthless and everybody
would patronize the 15-cent cars It was
Well enough to let things alone as thew
were and not pass any fast line ordinance
H. Kaines declared the present service
was inadequate, and the citizens of the
Eighth ward were entitled to better ac-
comm odations. The ordinance would
simply give the company the right to
collect an extra nickel and increase Its
receipts so per cent without any direct
benefits to the people.
James Quinn suggested that, as 1t was
reported the ordinance was to be pushed
through the council, it would be well to
have Aid. .Bantz put in an amendment
which would require the company to
fence it's tracks, have gates and employ
faCmen at each street crossing.
John Lichtscheidl did not favor the
proposed amendment as the company
might accept it. The fast line might be
a benefit to the city at large, but it was
not right to cruelty the residents and
property of the Eighth and Tenth wards
for the benefit of the other wards
On motion of Mr.. finland the chair
was directed to appoint a committee Of
fifteen to appear before the committee on
streets and protest against the passage
of the ordinance.