The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-14
BY TROLLEY TO SMELLING

Minneapolis must have a direct street
railway line to Fort Smelling. :
The ceople of this city have urged the
building of this lin'e for years, but the
street railway company has declined on
the ground that it would not pay. e
Journa is not ready to concede that
that is a good reason why the line should
not be built. The street railway system
of this city exists not merely for the
beenfit of the proprietary company, but
for the benefit of the public as we'll. That
the street railway system as a. whole is
immensely profitable is evident from the
large dividends now being paid upon a
large Capitalization. It., therefore, fol-
lows that It is no more than fair that
the company should be willing to extend
this service still further for the benefit
of the public, although some of the extern
sions may not of themselves be profitable.
AS a whole, the system is very profitable.
But assuming that the desired extension
Of the line from Minneha ha Falls to the
fort should not be made except there be
reason to believe 1t would be profitable,
we are persuaded that on that basis the
company can we'll afford to make the de-
sired extension. 4 Fort Smelling is sure
to be increased In Importance by the
Recommendation OF the war department
and the action of congress. The least
that can reasonably be expected in that
direction is that the post will be
strengthened to the extent of regiment
of infantry, two batteries Of artillery
and two troops Of cavalry, which with the
officers families. servants and other
camp followers will make community
Of at least 1000 people. The pay roll
and the subsistence Of these people will
mean an expense Of probably $4,000 a
month. A million dollars is to be apro.
priated for building operations, ant
other large sums Of money viii
be expended through that agency
This certainly is a. center of money
distribution Of sufficient Importance
to justify the demand of the business
men of Minneapolis that the street rail
way company extend the Minnehaha line
to Fort Smelling without unnecessary de-
lay.
by CO"pdFtSOu, %tue ulouSy IL De us
tributed and the business to be had a
the fort will amount to more than thu
pay roll of the boot and shoe and furni
ture and agricultural implement manu-
features of this city combined.
MINNEAPOLIS is certainly entitled to hel
share Of that trade: But she cannot hop,
to get it. without the necessary stree
railway communication. 80, ~l-
The public is informed that the com
pany expects to issue about a million ant
a half of new stock, and that one of tn,
purposes for which the money is to b.
used is the extension Of the system of tn
street railway company from St. Paul t.
the stockyards in South st. Paul. I'm
doubtedly that will. be a. profitable line
But we hardly think the business men O
Minneapolis are going to stand quietl
by and permit the St. Paul street rafiwa
system to absorb the business of enlarge,
Fort Smelling through a line of stree
railway already constructed while tn
company is employing new capital TO
the further extension OF the system Il
that city, and make no effort to secur
extensions and ipaoroyements in Mime