The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-09-22
OFFERS PLAN FOR
A UNION STATION
WALLACE NYE HAS A SCHEME
FOR OVERCOMING OBSTACLES.
Suggests that Blocks Be Acquired Up
to Second Street and Tracks Run at
Right Angles to River Bridge Badly
Needed at Third Avenue s for Regu-
lar Traffic.

Engineering difficulties connected
with the handling of trains at future
union station have absorbed the atten-
ton Of several business men who de-
plore the present arrangement for tax
ing care of passengers at the old sta
/ tion as much as do the officials them
selves.
thought to the question, is Wallace G..
Nye, secretary Of the, public affairs
committee of the Commercial club. The
dangers Of the present system attracted
his attention, also the apparent impos..
sibility, for Typographical reasons, OF
rectifying the system in station to
be built on the site Of the present
building. With a little study he has
evolved what seems to be model plan.
In connection with Mr.. Nye's scheme
s bridge is revived. HThis is an old
scheme,o said Mr.. Nye today, .and
probably. will not be accomplished Tor
| two or three years to come, unless the
people of Minneapolis arise to.the sit
uation and issue bonds for building
such a bridge
The Nye station plan does not pro.
vide for Nicollet avenue frontage OF
the Union station. If found necessary
the plan may be adapted to the neces-
+ SltY. lie .WOuiu. nave Iut SGdtIon WI.
panty buy vacant property on High
Street and First avenue S thru to Sec
ond street before it becomes the site OF
valuable buildings. This land would
+ give ample room for " end-ino trains,
3 desideratum in perfect passenger
| station, and something hard to bring
about in a city which is both terminal
! and thru station.
/ To bring the trains under the shed
"end-in' Mr.. Nye would have the
trunk lines paralleling the riverbanR
with branch tracks into the station at
right angles to the rive, an ar
raa1ngement similar to the one il
use in the new St. Louis termina,
system. In this manner trains can be
backed or pulled under the trainshec
i side by side. Passengers could the1
reach any train without crossing tracks
i Plan Covers Thru Trains Also.
The Nye plan provides for pulling
trans continental trains into the sta
ton. and then, by the throwing Of ;
switch, pulling out, in a continuous
direction without switching. Train
oils can be hauled into the yards mort!
of the station in the same manner, afte
unloading. u. il. s:
Ample room for handling Of mail, ex
, press, baggage, as well as passengers, /
provided in the elaborated schem
,, which. Mr.. Nye has proposed. It j
:. taken for granted that Mr.. Hill has i
, mind a definite plan for Union sta
ton for Minneapolis. The possibilit
that he intends to make notable hi
t SEVENTEEN birthday by presenting
l complete model building to Minneapc
2 lis has been frequently suggested 70
railroad men. .#
! The necessity for a Third ayenu
: bridge, has been admitted for year.
altho the agitation has been permitte
: to rest since exposition days. For
. river city of its size, Minneapolis
I said toEhaWe very few avenues of con
;. munication between its divisions. Tn
Third avenue bridge could be built 9
$ an elevation to accommodate Union st:
: ton traffic and on the East Side,
strike Bank street without interferin
u with Main street travel. It would /
It used primarily for teaming, thus relie'
IS ing the steel arch bridge congestio!
j. Connection with, the present Milwauke
e station would be afforded the East Sid
It much superior to that offered by wa
n Of Central avenue. Other reasons a.
n obvious, it is said by Mr.. Nye and blu
[e mess men, why a bridge at this poi
d is necessary, and why the city can a
, ford to issue the bonds and get II
structure under way.