The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-29
MINI EAPOLIS TO
LOSE CAR SHOPS
President Lowry Verifies Re
port of Transfer of Street
Car Plant.

The big shops of the Twin City Rap
id Transit company will be removed
from Minneapolis to st. Paul.
Thomas Lowry, president of the COM
pany, yesterday gave a personal veri-
fication of the late purchase OF thirty
acres of land at Smelling and University
avenues for the erection of new shops
on a greatly increased scale. The en-
tire tract will be covered by the shops
and additional storehouses with other
buildings necessary to the mechanical
department.
A new building to be used as a gen.
eral Office is to be commenced as soon
as the snow is off the ground at Hen
nepin and Eleventh street, Minneapolis.
This structure is to cost 100000. Ii
will be of granite and much attention
is being paid to architectural design.
1t is announced that the removal of
the shops from Minneapolis is due to
the overcrowding that has for some
time characterized the present quarters
on Nicollett avenue and Thirty first
street. These shops will be abandoned
as to their present purpose when the
new buildings are ready. They will be
used as barns and the offices now 10
CdI0Q InST6 VIII De OCCupISQ ny O1lIC1d1S
of the operating department.
A complete line of electric storage
transformers will be installed all over
the system. Each Of them will store
5000 horse power. There will be one
at White Bear, one at Saltwater, one
at Lake Harriet, two in Minneapolis
and two in ST. Paul. These are intend
ed as safeguards against emergencies
and to supplement the regular power
during hours of the day when large
crowds are being transported.
ut is impossible to give a complete
account of our plans at this time, .
said Mr.. Lowry. 1.-The fact is that
and there have been occasionally pub
lished, convey but a faint idea of the
tremendous scale upon which this COM
pany is operating for the improvement
of the system.
1.-THE growth of the cities and Of
suburban traffic have increased until
our resources for taking care of them
obtaining new plants of special ma
chinery, etc., on short notice placed
US sometimes in difficulties.
1.-THE plans we are now carrying out
for placing this system beyond the
reach of any possible power famine
are so extensive that we shall have no
fear for the future once the new ma
chinery is in operation. We shall have
power enough to put US on easy street
for twenty years, and provision is be-
ing made in the new power house for
addition Of more engines as they may
be required.
ct is impossible for me to say any
thing about the new shops at present.
We have the land and the shops will
hn h1It
There have been no plans drawn up
for them as yet. AS to the new gen.
eral offices, work will be commenced
| on them in the spring as soon as frost
is out of the ground.
"Of course, the most important mat
ter we have to attend to at present is
getting the new power station in work.
ing order. A part of the power plant
will become available for use this year
and the balance will go into service
early in 1904. The plant, together with
our supplementary engines and the
electrical transformers will put us in
a very strong position. There can be
no further trouble over power short
| age.
1.-THE removal of the shops from their
present site is rendered necessary by
| the same set of causes that have in
| duced us to so greatly increase our
resources in other directions. The
| present shops are far too small and it
! became a question of selecting a site
! that would be most central to the en-
| tire system and which should afford
room for expansion. That is precisely
what we have obtained in the Grant
| property. The work on these new
| shops will be commenced some time
next year, but 1 cannot say exactly
| when"
Mr.. Lowry admits that the total cost
| of all the improvements and purchases
now scheduled will approximate 49,
! 100000.