The Saint Paul globe., 1903-07-26
st. Paul Street Cars GrOWill
Sire as Well as in Numbers

stantially the original route and an
extension had been ehodiilt out Jackson,
Thirteenth and Mississippi streets to
the railroad bridgeha
The street cars WsfS drawn by horses
until electricity was introduced except
about 1885, and the cable line on East
Seventh street, built about a year
later. The first electric line was op-t
Grated in 1890, when cars We're put on
the Grand avenue car line, running as
far as Victoria street.
The growth of stables and car barn
was a part, of course, of the systems
evolution. The firstAcar barn was To-
Gated on the east side of Exchange
street in the block between Third and
Fourth streets. The building is still
standing. Subsequently the barn was
moved toaF,ourth street, between Wa
basha and ST. Peter streets, the build
ing now occupied as a livery stable. In
1880 and 1881 new stables and car barn
with a well equipped repair shop We're
built on ST. Peter street, from Fourth
to Fifth streets, the present site OF the
Lowry arcade. This building was
later abandoned and new barns were
built at the ends of the various lines.
The building at the corner or Fourtn
and st. Peter was afterwards renlod-
eled and was occupied by Dickinson's
Ninety Nine Cent store the first de-
partment store established in st. Paul.
The street car tracks spread over the
city and out into the citys suburbs
and the street car barns multiplied,
but the street car itself underwent
complete metamorphosiS. For between
the first queer box-like little structure
drawn by Mr.. Hewitt's horse and the
big modern car of today there is
kinship of purpose only. There was
nothing to protect the driver OF the
first car from the wintry winds and
summer rains. At night the interior
was lighted by single lamp. fastened
firmly in a glass -sheathed bracket.
Straw on the floor kept the feet of the
passengers from freezing in the winter
time, though it could not keep them
warm. AS long as the street cars were
drawn by horses there was little i'm
provement so far 1as conveniences or
appearances wereta concerned. 1t was
electricity which transformed the
street car, for every change that has
been made for the better has been
made since the day on which the c1t1--
zens of ST. Paul stood on the street
corners and with astonished eyes saw
the first street car move along the
street without any visible means OF
propulsion. The electric cars demand
ed, first of all: the safety net tenders
manded the vestibuled platform for
the motornlan and the conductor. Sci
ence supplied the ilicandescent electric
lights and invention provided the mod
ern air brakes. 1t is only within the
past six years that the present COM
modious cars have become familiar
sights on the streets of ST. Paul. Pre-
vious to that the two rows of seats
which compelled passengers to face
oh nf nd
pleasant abiding place of the microbes,
were denominations that nobody
thought to rebel against.
The earliest street car did not sug-
gest an opportunity to the alert ad-
vertiser, but as the cars grew such
possibility began to dawn on trade,
and now those who ride may read the
merits of ffty-nine varieties Of beans,
the annals of spotless town, the virtue
of drugs no home should be without,
and the tips Of generous manufacture
ers to young couples whose thoughts
are supposed. to- be on home making.
These ornaments the old time street
car lacked. There are many who think
that the new ones would be improved
by their absence. -
The early street cars in ST. Paul were
strictly utilitarian7 affairs, but in these
latter days people are beginning to
appreciate4the pleasure side Of trolley
riding. "A ridesto Saltwater. or even to
Como on a warm day convinces the
passenger that it has such a side.
They have realized this and appre-T
ciated 1t for long while in the East,
but here where a trolley track is mere
ly considered the shortest distance be-
tween two points the pleasure side of
trolley riding has not been emphasized.
1t is probable, however, that before the
next thirty years have passed the chain
Of lakes about St. Paul will be en-
circled by trolley tracks SO that a days
journey by trolley will be as possible
here in the West as it is in the East.