The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-28

'AVOhADLE dCIlOu ny tHe COunCli
IL on a resolution introduced last
night vacating the alley from
Z Fourth to Tenth avenues N and
lying between Washington ave-
nue. and Third street will be the sue
cessful elimination of hard work by W..
B. Boardman, the real estate agent, on
plan conceived four years ago.
The plan will mean much for the
future of Minneapolis as a commercial
of the North Side. Endorsement of the
scheme is expected at the meeting of the
North Side Commercial club Monday
night, and the railroad committee Of the
Commercial club has favorably consid-
cred the scheme. 49,.
The Great Northern and Burlington
railroads will lay three tracks thru the
center Of the blocks from the main line
at Fourth avenue to Tenth avenue N.
One track will be an open line and on
either side will be laid a sidetrack *of
equal length, affording shipping facili-
ties to the AUDITING halves of the
blocks.
Requirements made the railroad
companies are definite. The enterprise
is entirely private, and the railroads
joined in only after strong inducements
had been held out. They require that
Mr.. Boardman and his associates secure
control of enough Of the property to be
traversed to insure trackage to future
right of way be secured, vacation of
the alley and permission to cross the
intervening streets. In turn the com
panies will give free switching to the
owners who release property for widen
ing the rioht of way eleven feet each
side of the alley.
! The interested men have secured 1900
of possible 1000 feet Of trackage with
the probable consent Of the remaining
in most cases on account of the in
evitable advance in value of the remain
der of their property when the tracks
are laid. The rest lies with the coun-
Gil.
This Improvement promises to ad-
vance the value of affected property
one-half million dollars;
Promises to increase the central
| downtown trackage 1000
Many feet; to provide the only
| trackage available which
Advantages. has both eastern and
western outlet; to remove
| some of the most disgraceful shacks in
the city; to provide opportunity for
| local industries; to secure bigger plants;
to draw to Minneapolis lot of business
houses which nave knOchou III vail IOl
admittance because Of the lack of
proper trackage; to result in hundreds
of thousands Of dollars Of construction;
to build up North Washington and Third
street to Tenth avenue solid with sub
stantial structures.
In addition to this, inasmuch as in
| dustries which have complied with con-
! ditions imposed are to have free switch,
| ing, it is. likely that absorption of
switching charges by other lines on
freight originating in the new district
will follow.
1t is part Of the suggestive plan also
to have a syndicate formed to build
for prospective industries. Another
idea suggested is to have freight
clearing house such as the Cupples sta
ton in St. Louis. This would elimi-
nate the long horse haul, bad feature
of present conditions. 1t is prophesied
that if such a station were established,
jobbers could not afford to stay away
from the new trackage district.
The income from the four Wright
buildings on Third street S, occupied
by implement and farm machinery
houses, is so large and steady that SIM
liar investment affords very attrac-
tive prospect to investors. It is well
known that Minneapolis has lost large
business opportunities because Of the