The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-06
NOW SEEKS TO
ENTER this CITY
NEW TROLLEY ROAD WILL. ASK
FOR PRIVILEGE.
Excelsior Grants It q Franchise and
Work Will Be Begun This Year Line
Will Extend to Mankato Rapid
Transit Company's Attitude Not
Clearly Defined.

The Excelsior council has granted to
Messrs. E. T. Phelps and +. 3. Ken
ston of Minneapolis the privileges
asked for in the way of use Of streets
for the construction of an electric troll
ley line thru that town. The line will
enter from the east along the lake shore
on First street, turn on Water street,
the main business thorofare, and cross
the ST.. Louis railroad tracks near the
depot, running southwark toward the
Minnesota valley on the way to Man
kato. This line will also have the
right Of way on Third street and con-
nection back to First street, forming
loop around which short-line cars
between Minneapolis and Excelsior may
be operated.
The line between Minneapolis and
Excelsior will, of course, touch St. Louis
Park and Hopkins. The line beyond
Excelsior to Mankato is not definitely
decided upon and that part Of the road
will probably not be built, this year.
The new road will come into Minneapo-
lis on it's own track independent of
the Rapid Transit company, provided
the privilege. is granted by the city
council. Application for such privilege
will probably be made Friday night;
at any rate at an early date.
The interests back of this enterprise
the work of incorporation is now in
hand. Whether the Rapid Transit COM
panay will oppose its entrance remains
to be seen, but the probability is that
the street railway company, having de-
ferred 80 long the construction of a
line to Excelsior as to lose the oppor-
tunity to build road to that point,
will recognize that the entrance Of this
country line into the city will be Of
n n Iro tor 10 <h4S,,
tenn as well as to the business men of
Minneapolis. Such line ought to bring
IN several thousand people every year
to this city, whose presence here would
necessarily mean more or less business
! for the city street-car system.
One fact leading to the construction
OF this line is the experience that roads
OF this character make business for
themselves. The ordinary traffic be,
tween Mankato and Excelsior and the
lntermedlate towns with Minneapolis
might not justify the construction of
this road, but the experience in other
sections Of the country has been that
traffic in sight is no adequate measure
of business to be developed by such
means Of transportation.
1t is intimated, and seems probable
that; the central operating plant will
be located at Hopkins, but the pro
motors of the enterprise have made nc
definite statement as to this matter.
Attitude Of the r. G. R. T. Co.
What the Twin City Rapid Transit
company will do, now that there is 6
competitor in the field for the Mime
tonka business, remains to be seen. The
officials Of the company interviewed
today had not much to say. The com
pany asked the village council of Elk
celslor last Saturday evening to leave
the matter Of a franchise open for ont
week, announcing that it had no inten
ton to delay any Improvement which
ing any intention to interfere will
petitioners for franchise. At tn,
same time the company had seriously
considered the project of line to LAX,
Minnetonka and had made several sur
veys, as the interlying country is pref
ty rough and questions of grade ant
curvature are important ones in plan
ming quick service to the lake. Tn
council did not see fit to defer actor
TOR one week, as requested.
, Asked if the new company would b.
granted facilities for entering Minneap
oils, high official did not offer muc]
encouragement, altho admitting tina
the company had publicly announced -,
willingness to assist suburban lines con
Meeting with this city.
As case in point argued tn
official, "take the question Of a troll
ley line between st. Paul and Sout]
> st. Paul. We have announced our in
tention of building to South St. Paul
Now, if a company of promoters 20 t
thai; town and get franchise, coul
we be expected to grant them the us
. of our tracks to enter St. PaulY Gu
position toward the new company vii
possibly develop later. =
a Messrs. Phelps, Kenaston, Robe1
r Jamison, Victor WEIGH and the other
d : interested are public-spirited men an
!, are personal friends Of the officers q
:, our company. We have no desire
antagonize them nor interfere wit
= their plans. Whether we will build t
: Lake Minnetonka will depend entirel
o on subsequent developments. -