The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-06
Heavy North Shore Travel.

The Great Northern g Minnetonka
patronage this year has been far and
away the largest in the history Of the
lake line and is worth protecting. AL
figures, Superintendent Clarity has told
personal friends that the road carried
10000 more passengersi in September this
year than last year. The June figures
exceeded those Of last year by 1900
and July and August showed cores.
ponding increases. Even now the travel
is very heavy, considering the season
of the year. The pleasant weather is,
Of course, largely responsible for this.
But it is becoming quite the fashion
among Minnetonkans to stay out
late, and the number Of al-the-year-
round residents increases every year,
nowadays with facilities for heating IN
cold weather and with winter plumbing,
plastering and all the other features Of
modern town house. The Great
Northern has determined to keep on it's
morning and evening short line trains
till Dec. i at least-one week longer
than last year. It has also BEEN de.
cided to put on still more frequent
service next year than that Of this year
when. there were eight trains daily each
way in the height Of the season. There
Will be for instance train leaving
Mound at half past 8 or 9 in
the morning for the benefit Of matrons
and others who cannot well take the
The company is understood to have
the question Of electrifying the lake
line under consideration. The amount
Of travel this year has been very sig.
nificant, and the officials are impressed
with the Importance of encouraging its
growth. The Great Northern has stra.
tegic position on the north shore, which
would seem to shut out any trolley com.
petition-at least so far as stations be.
yond Markville are concerned. The
peninsula over which it passes from the
Arcola bridge to Mound is SO narrow
at Minnetonka Beach that trolley line
could not find passage unless the village
Of Minnetonka Beach granted the use
of the streets. The village, being en-,
tirely controlled by the summer resi-
dents, is not likely to do this, as the
sentiment Of the cottagers is against the
trolley. They fear it would bring in a
lot Of undesirable travel.
Chances for Trolley.
IF the Great Northern does the RICH,
thing in the matter Of service, it il
reasonably certain that any trolley en-.
terprise would be denied right Of way
The trolley, however, might easily be
built to Wayzata, Orono and Markville
and then by turning to the north around
Crystal Bay would open up fine lake
country not now ACCESSIBLE. The shores
Of Crystal Bay, Stubs Bay, Maxwell I
Bay and North Arm lie high and art
well wooded and picturesque. Beyond
them, too, lies the beautiful West Arm
which Is very little settled up and which
is now reached from the Spring Parl
station Of the Great Northern.
The street railways plan Of running
ferry steamers from Excelsior to con
meet with it's trains will not satisf,
north shore residents, as the trip woult
take too long. To get a share Of tn,
north shore business the trolley must b,
extended SO as to serve its residents a
well or better than the Great Northern
serves them. This the railroad vii
guard against in every way possible
even going to the extent Of electrifyin,
its line and at least giving an unprece
dentedly good service.