The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-16
BIG WORK 1OBE DONE
Unless st. Louis Bestirs Herself She
Wont Be Able to Handle
Expo Crowds.
New Hotels Must Be Built and New
Trolley Lines Must Be Con-
structed.

Trolley Lines Must Be Con-
structed,
From The Journal Bureau, Room IS Post Build
ing, Washington.
Washington, May 16.-St. Louis will not
be able to handle the crowds which will
come next year to the big Louisiana Pur-
chase Exposition. This fact strikes with
Overwhelming force the visitor who atten-
ded the recent Inauguration ceremonies.
After full allowances for what may be
done between now and next year, 1t is
mathematical certainty that the city will
be sWamped.
! insufficient hotel and transportation IA
cilities are likely to deal a serious blow.
to the success of the exposition. And
the most serious aspect of the case is that
st. Louis people do not appear to have
any notion Of this contingency. The little
old surface lines, and the time ripened
hotels seem to inspire the managers with
confidence that is child-like and almost
beautiful.
It is true that something may be done
between now and next spring; but it ISL
also true that no one is doing it, and no
one seems to have any notion of doing IT.
The new hotels are not being built, nor
are there any plans for such transporta-
| ton facilities as will be needed.
/ Statements as to the imposstbility OF
properly taking care of the crowds next
| year are not based on the recent test
furnished by the dedication ceremonies
i altho 1T would seem that much might be
! inferred from the difficulties and failures
then experienced. On that occasion the
citys capacity was strained to the ut
most, and no one with sense will say that
i there will not be bigger crowds next year.
| And yet the exposition officials seem to
think that this was the maximum pres
sure. A member of the local reception
committee said to one of the washington
4 correspondents that this would be the
i test; that all the people were coming in
\ a rush to the dedication, while next year
they would be distributed over many
il months.
/ ~ It should be explained that during dedi-
cation week the hotels were so crowded
that four guests were assigned to a room
i and quarters had to be engaged many
/ weeks ahead. Also there were cots In
the halls and in all spare space. But
many of the guests did not put up at the
4 hotels. Thousands of the national guard
militia from neighboring states were en-.
camped in the partially finished exposi-
n tion buildings, while thousands OF othes
guests were taken in at private houses.
Poor Transportation Facilities.
;, In the matter Of getting to and from
the grounds it was the same old story Of
street cars crowded to overlooking, going
! by in long lines, and leaving on each cor
ner little, eager anxious groups of would
be passengers. Many sensible people saw
what they would have.t to encounter, and
remained away. Before IL p. m. Of the
day Of the ceremonies the cars on the
main line were stalled in axScontinuous
string at least three miles 1ns length, and
: people who waited for them Ito move,
, did not get home until the early morn
ing hours. It goes without saying that
. cabs and carriages were not to be had
. at any price.
? The exposition is eight miles from the
j Planters hotel, which may be regarded
las the center Of the business section of the
; Ecity. Eight miles is a, long way to walk
/ and even half that distance is something
. Of q stunt for the children, especially II
q lit comes after long hard day of sight
: seeing It may be remarked#in passing
q that it is quite a jaunt fronSone end tc
: the other Of the Varied Arts building. Ger
= tain it Is that before and after taking q
! dose Of the exposition a shutdown ride will
; be in order.
4 If the crowds at st. Louis next year are
i no larger than those which came to the
= Chicago worlds fair the city will be
: swamped. Chicago had four times tht
- transportation facilities Of st. Louis--fou
times what it will have when all presen
:, plans are carried out. There are tire,
- main parallel surface lines Of electric
y cars which go out to the grounds. and OF
= these will fall the whole burden of carry
n ing the crowds: Only one line, the DIV
- street, goes all the way out; but witt
branching lines and feeders, the facilitie
might, by charitable Interpretation, b
"a considered as three trunk lines. There ar
= two steam railway lines which go by tn
grounds, but they are not equipped 70
-
under way to add any special expositfo
4 facilities. The full significance of thi
I bare statement will be appreciated b
4 those who remember what was done b
1.-THE Illinois Central railroad alone at Chi
r. Ecago. With their specially constructe
"cattle cars and specially constructe
/ elevated tracks, they carried hundreds {
thousands of visitors to the worlds IA
! grounds. sas
In addition to its regular surface trun
lines, which have much more carryin
capacity than those of st. Louis, Chicag
no had the South Side elevated road. The
af alone could carry as many people as a
he st. Louis electric cars put together.
It is unnecessary to go into further de
of tail about the relative transportation faci
81 tiles offthe two expositions. The abo1
ar statement that Chicago had four times Il
or carrying capacity can hardly be an exas
III geration. 5s35 .s 81 e.
Hotels Are lnadequate.
1t is only fair, in making the compal
ison, to call attention, in addition, to Il
relative capacities Of the permanent hot
I'D structures in Chicago and st. Louis ar
then to remark what was done by Chicat
3ss In the way Of ditional hotels, permane
and transient, and what Is not being dol
"a by st. Louis in the way Of either Fiji
" ures are unnecessary. Everybody will II
als member the huge apartment hotels viii.
~ went up all over the South Side, al
~ particularly in the vicinity of Jackst
a. ~ park. There is not one such in st. Lou
-, ~ There is one moderate sized apartme
~, "a house nearing completion about a mi
~ - from the main entrance to the ground
-. = and there may be one or two inferi
~ structures started here and there. B
Nd there IS no general hotel building mot
~, xth-no-nor a tenth-of what was III
iii der way a year before the Chicago show.
viii It Is not the concern Of this article
def erYnina WhefInr the aa y, sy1y-