The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-31
SATURDAY, OCT. 81, 1903.
1T LOOKS SUSPICIOUS.

We do not desire to do any injus-
tice to the street railway company or
to look upon any overtures that it may
make for better service with undue
suspicion. We are obliged, however,
to question seriously the value of the
proposal made by Mr.. Goodrich before
the committee on streets of the board
of aldermen. Mr.. Goodrich, in a man
ner, pledged his company to the build
ing of a cross town car line next
year. In connection with this it must
be remembered, however, that he in
sisted that the location selected for
the line would have to be satisfactory
to the company as well as to the coun-
Gil, and that he appeared, evidently by
Encouragement, with Aid. Dobner,
whose views on the subject are well
known.
If the street railway company is sin
cere in meeting half way the demands
of the people of ST. Paul and in rene
dying the most grievous defect in it's
service in this city, it will not find
T Globe or the st. Paul public
hypercritical. Our position has been
clearly stated. We believe that the
best and most available route for
cross town line is Dale street. We
know that it would accommodate the
largest number of people at the pres
ent time, and it would seem to work in
best with any system of future expan-
sion.
There is room here, however, for
honest difference of opinion. Some
good reasons can be given for placing
the new line on one or another of the
various cross streets as far out as Vic
toria. AS to line beyond that, there
is no room for honest difference Of
opinion. 1t would not accommodate
our people at all, would not remedy the
grievances of which they have to COM
plain and, as far as they are concern
ed, need not be built.
I he Clio e discovered and some
time ago announced the plan that has
been accepted by some friends of the
street railway company, if not by it.
self This plan, under cover Of which
Mr.. Dobner has suddenly appeared as
an alleged advocate of public rights. is
the scheme of the street railway COM
pany to avoid building a cross town
line on the pretense that the same pur-
pose will be served by the spur tracks
winch 1t needs to lay down in order TO
run Its cars into the new barns that it
proposes to build on Smelling avenue
That the company should be allowed
TO lay such tracks for the transaction Of
its own business may be admitted. hit
this should not and cannot honestly he
connected for one moment with the
provision Of cross town line. It
would not serve a dozen people a dav.
and could be used only to defeat the
proper desire and demand Of our entire
immense population west Of Wabasba
street for direct transportation In a
north and south line.
II the suspicion that this is the pur-
pose Of the company does Injustice to
Mr. Goodrich, he has himself to blama
for it. In all that he said before tba
committee he was careful to mention
nothing which would contradict the
assumption that the line which the
company is willing to build would fol-
low Smelling avenue. He says that the
route selected must be satisfactory TO
the company as we'll as to the council.
I NAT is wholly reasonable. provided the
company does not insist upon the
neihng route o. upon some other