The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-20
A WZlVVEAPOLLSLZWE
10 ENTER SWELLING
RESERVAZXON FIRST
GEN. CARR'S 0. K.
ON APPLICATION
Desperate Efforts Of st. Paul Or
CARNATIONS to Delay Build
ing of the Line.

ing OF the Line.
TRADE OF THE FORT WAS
THE PRIZE IN DISPUTE
st. Paul Will Now Have to Build
Bridge in Order to Com
plete Interurban.
General G. G.. Carr, head of the de-
partment Of Dakota, today signed an, and
neapolis Street Railway company for
permission to enter the military reser-
walton at Fort Smelling.
The application will be forwarded to
Washington for the final approval Of
the war department which, it is stated,
has been practically promised. The
eral Carr assures the early extension Of
the Minnehaha line to Fort Smelling,
giving Minneapolis what has long been
wanted, direct line to the fort, and
when extended to meet the st. Paul
line, a fourth interurban line.
III GuG ulSduCluuo ~. dUA w III 10 W.
liged to swallow bitter defeat. Since
the beginning Of the Minnehaha- Smelling
agitation, ST. Paul has done everything
possible to thwart the plan: At the
present time the st. Paul line to the
fort ends on the east side Of the river,
across the long, rfckety bridge to the
fort. Realizing that a direct Minneap-
oils line would mean the practical di-
version Of the trade of the fort to Min
neapolis, ut the expense Of St: Paul. the
business associations of st. Paul have
stopped at nothing, to defeat the project.
The ST. Paul people wished to secure a
line into the reservation first, after
after which they were willing to have
the Minnehaha line extended to meet it,
thus giving the twin cities another in
terurban line.
General Flowers Flank Move.
The effort to secure new bridge for
the extension of the Seventh street line
the government, having failed, Repre-
sentative NJ W. Flower introduced a
bill in the legislature last week, giving
the city Of St. Paul permission to is
sue bonds for the purpose. This was
exploited at the time as an attempt to
cut Minneapolis out altogether, but
was really a move on thespart Of st.
Paul to get in first. -...,
General Carr was made the object of
attack by the st. Paul influences an
tagonistic to the Minneapolis plan, and
every pressure was brought to bear to
cause him not to allow the Minneapolis
line to be extended into the reserva-
C. Stevens of St. Paul was exerting
himself in the same direction at Wash
ington, and more than once secured
delay. Minneapolis influence has been
brought to bear in Washington, how
ever, and at last succeeded in winning
a promise that the application of the
street railway company would be ap
proved if recommended by General
Carr
Approves as a War Measure.
General Carr stated today that he
had approved the application and hat
forwarded it to the war department.
''The officers and the men want thi:
direct line to Minneapolis, said he
"The old bridge across the river is un
safe for heavy travel and may be con
demned at any time. 1t is a long I'm
pleasant walk in winter or summe
to the quarters.
"Finally, as war measure believ,
that the additional line is necessary.
cannot consider the respective wishes O.
the two cities when it comes time t.
move troops. With the old bridge it i
really unsafe to try to run a batter,
out in quick time or to march heav,
bodies Of men across. With the new
line we will have another way out o
the reservation, and if necessary t.
move troops on short notice, it will b.
possible to use both ines.'
Construction on the Minnehaha lin
extension to Fort Smelling will begi
very soon after the permission of tn
war department is formally granted
Proies in the engineer g office show n
heavy grades to encounter and the build
ing will be comparatively easy. Th
standard construction used on the oil
interurban line will be employed
Eighty pound rails will be laid and tn
line will be prepared for heavy thr
interurban traffic which will follow cor
nection with the Seventh street line i
st. Paul.
Route to Be Followed.
The map of the extension shows
to be two miles in length, requiring fou
miles of track. The loop at the Fol
Smelling end will be only short di
lance from the old cemetery, and in
direct line from the end of the Sevent
street track. The new bridge will b
river, resting on the island, at an acut
angle to the old bridge, making
straight line connection between til
Minnehaha and the Seventh stree
tracks.
The Fort Smelling line will be, pc
haps, the most picturesque of the twi
city system. Altho the regulation
concerning the laying of track provo
that it shall only. skirt and not cross tt
reservation, leaving free field for mil
tary operations, some Of the views wi
be most beautiful. Leaving the MINI
haha loop, the track will skirt tt
river bank in such way as to give
magnificent view Of the gorge and tt
picturesque scenery about the old bridg
To the right from the high groun
near the water towers, a panorama
the great reservation, barracks ar
buildings may be seen.
From the Minnehaha loop the lii
follows the street for few hundred fee
crossing the Milwaukee tracks som
where near the junction Of East FIT
second street and Minnehaha avenu
Thence it passes into the reservatio
from which point it passes thru bea
tiful grove of oak trees, skirting tt
billy ground to the left of the prese
4 wagon road. Passing on over the hls