The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-29
A mucH-xEEDEp IMPROVEMENT.

A MUCH-NEEDED IMPROVEMENT.
While the utilization of the levee for
railroad purposes was being considere d,
the G o on several occasions dec ar
ed the belief that the city ought. for
the accommodation of the eity's traffic.
to open up as much of the space as pos
sible between Robert and Sibley streets
and between the river and Third street
The need of the greatest possible en-
Iargement of the SPACE, in front of the
present depot, and of bringing the point
in closer touch with the arteries of city
traffic has been visible to any person who
has ever examined even casually the
topography of the union depot and it's
immediate surroundings
The character Of the opposition offer
ed to the movement for the utilization
of an otherwise worthless strip of land
made 1t impossible to secure for the sug-
gestion anything like a reasonable hear
ing at the time. Now, however, that the
problem Of the local railroad terminals
tlonal regard for the city's needs it is
not surprising that the view presented by
the G e throughout, and which was
regarded as not entering seriously into
the problem then, should now be forcing
itself upon the. public sense.
AT whatever cost the city should en-
deavor to remove as far as possible from
the union depot the ''pocket" charac-
teristies which it possesses. The growth
OF the city has left the depot In a corner
of the city which is not resorted to for
any other purposes save by railroad
travellers. The maintenance of the So
called union depot cars, which are never
seen with a passenger, is a constant
proof Of the isolation which the union
depot suffers from. The stream of pc
destrians hurrying to and from the depot
at all hours. from Fifth and Fourth
streets. and even Robert street. estab-
fishes the necessity of having some ade-
quate street car connection with the
depot
BY even the partial fulillment of the
proposal made by the Globe MANI
months ago every need of the depot sit
uation will be realized The current of
street car traffic represented by the Selbv
line and, If necessary, other lines. can
oe turned toward the depot the congest-
ed condition of freight traffic in front
OF the depot which is visible during the
business hours will be remedied and all
the complaints, well or ill-founded. stated
by those who opposed the levee adjust
ment as to the needs of the river traffic.
will be disposed Of
Acting in conjunction with the dero+
company in the improvements which II
Is about to inaugurate in fulfiAlment Of
its contract with the city, it will be DOS
sibie for the city authorities to make the
needed additional improvements at the
minimum of cost which will put the depot
In touch with the business sections of
the city, and make 1t accessible TO resi-
dents of the city, and enable a passenger
S0oA'fiit5 at oI. raul TO make o. rect street
car connection to any part of the city.
This is one Of the great requirements
at the present moment 1t has so i'm
portant bearing on the future of the
City and on the interest and convenience
Of every class Of our citizenship as to be
worthy the most thoughtful consideration
on the part of the city authorities. The
public improvement called for Is in itself
an extensive one, but 1t is insignificant
in comparison with the gain which Is
certain to result from It,
Those who have this matter under con-
sideration should waste no time in giving
tangible direction to it. The need of the
improvement can easily be shown to the
city executive and te&the committees of
ways and means of the council. and the
city engineer can be directed to examine
the matter and report if in time to have
the work contemplated by the depot con-
Germ and the city started at the same
time, If the city determines that it Ought
to at least widen Sibley street I'D to
Third, and provide for the extension of
the Fourth street tracks by loop to the
front of the depot