The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-19
DEDICATION CROWDS MUST RELY
ON SERVICES OF STREET CARS.
Railroad Enable Handle Visit
Grounds Unless Ordinances Pending
Council Are Immediately Considered-Simar Condition
VIII Exist Dur ing Exposition.
CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS sTuA TON AND URGE PROMPT

! Worlds Fair Merchants EXCHANGE and
! Business Mems League consideration will
be given these problems. and 1t is expected
| that some feasible means will be suggested
by which danger of transportation c0nges-
] ton within the Worlds Fair period for the
visitors to and from the grounds may be
avoided
Among those who will be present are
George Ristine. Superintendent OF Trans
portation at the Exposition: ". S. Nc
! Chesney. Jr.. president of the Terminal As
sociation, and a number of traffic officials.
| all thoroughly acquainted with The situa-
I ton. s.r
While careful consideration will be given
! to the question of transportation in the
dedication period. it is stated th1t the chief
| purpose OF the meeting is TO take measures
whereby the present conditions will Lot
exist when the Worlds Fair opens.
! Traffic officials urge that the obstacle to
the passage of certain measures INTRODUCED
/ in the Council to provide means for the
transportation of the Worlds Fair crowd.
| be removed
1t is stated taht unless the measures are
speedily passed ii will be impossible to COM
plete the plans which these measures au-
thnrize in time for the Fair and a terrific
| congestion of traffic will result
The ordinances in question were intro
duced last January. They are: The loop
! ordinance for the elevated road: the ordi-
nance for an entrance for the subway and
! right OF way through Sill Creek Valley for
the North End Belt Lane.
| 1t is stated that unless these ordinances
are speedily passed no better passenger IA
/ oilities ;han the present can be offered the
Worlds Fair visitors.
A
ordinance. the use Of the tunnel for pas
senger trains be avoided. and with the
/ improved interlocking plant TO be put In
the Terminal Company's yard trains can
| be run at minute intervals with perfect
/ safety.
CONGESTION OF TRAFFIC.
Under the present conditions the best pos
sible time for trains is at least four min
! ute intervals, and even at this freight
4 trains will cause considerably congestion
! of traffic.
| Terminal officials state that trains can
/ go from the bridge to the elevated loop di-
rectly into the station while freight trains
| can be sent to the freight terminals by the
tunnel.
t Right of way through certain streets Is
] asked for the loop. and prompt action is
! stated to be necessary on the ordinance, in
! order tnat the plailS may De carried out Dy
: the time the Fair begins.
| An ordinance authorizing an entrance for
the Terminal Association subway is also be-
fore the Council The subway runs under
the tracks OF the station and terminates at
Eighteenth and Twentieth streets.
Entrance on Eighteenth street has been
refused and the authority to have an en-
trance on Twentieth street Is Also said to
, he IInfavorably considered
! 1t has beer planned by the Terminal off,
Gals to have these entrances TO the subway
for the mail wagons, the one on Eighteenth
. street to connect with the street car line
in order that United States mail cars could
run into the tunnel and out at the TweD-
| tieth street end. In this way St Louis
could enjoy unequaled mail facilities and
| the danger of traffic congestion would be
| materially lessened-
Work on the subway has progressed rap
idly. most OF the excavating has been COM
pleted and the workmen are nearly ready
to put In the iron work. but II is claimed
that the delay OF the council in not passing
the measures, which are said to be OF in
estimable benefit to ST. Louis and Of but
little practical benefit to the Terminal As
sociatson. and a considerable expense, has
delayed the work.
What is generally thought to be the most
important ordinance of all is the ordinance
which has been pending in the Council since
January for right of way for the North End
Belt Line through Mill Creek Valley.
Track of this lire. which begins at the
foot of the Merchants bridge and encircles
the city. touching the Wabash tracks at
Page avenue. has been completed and only
the light Of way through 8IIn Creek Valley
| is needed to complete the circuit Of the
city
It is proposed to double-track this line
and make an agreement with the Wabash
! and Rock Island whereby all roads belong
ing to the Terminal can use the Belt Line
from the bridge to Page avenue. and from
there use the Wabash and Colorado tracks
back to Union Station.
1t is believed that by dousle-tracking this
road continuous line of trains can be kept
encircIing the city. and stations can be ar
ranged in the circuit of the track where
visitors can get to their homes with con-
siderable ease.
As result the trouble and delay caused
| by all visitors coming to an depot can
| be avoided
1t is understood that the Wabash will
make this arrangement with the Terminal
officials. and is also willing TO make con-
siderable alterations in its tracks to ac-
! commodate the increased traffic
TO DEPRESS TRACKS
The Wabash proposes to depress its
tracks from a point near Union avenue. A
yiaduct will be built crossing above the
street, and the line OF the track will con-
tinue parallel to Lindel boulevard. 1t will
be screened from the boulevard by bushes
norcer to prevent horses becoming fright
ened by the trains.
The depressIons are to come 10 a point
near an entrance of the Worlds Fair. where
station of all the roads will be erected
in such manner that there will be no
danger Of any one getting nurt, no ratter
how large the crowd
From the station the Wabash Is to con-
tinue its depressed tracks so as to sc under
the tracks OF the street cars. finally to rise
to the level of the street near Page ave
nue. where 1t joins the North End Belt
! Line.