The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-25
BATTLE FOR LAKE
TRAFFIC IMPENDS
Great Northern to Get Back in
Steamboat Business on
Minnetonka.
TROLLEY LINE TO GO
TO THE UPPER LAKE
Then the M. & st. L. May Get In
with Motor Car
Line.

prepared to see strong competition this
year between the transportation COM
panies for the passenger traffic to and
from the lake, owing to the aggressive
advent Of the street railway company,
have had only a foretaste, compared
1907.
The Great Northern railway, in addi-
ton to the service which will be fur
nished by new steam motor cars, is
planning to put on a line of swift boats
For service from the north shore to all
parts of the lake.
Meanwhile the trolley company has
plans for extension of the electric serv-
ice from Excelsior, the present ter
minus, to Birch Bluff in the upper lake.
This incursion into its territory is not
to be accepted by the st. Louis road
quietly, and it is expected to hasten its
pending plans for a motor car service
similar to that in operation by the
Union Pacific and Chicago & Alton
roads.
Back in Boat Business.
Re-entry of the Hill interests into the
steamboat business, after vacation OF
some twenty years, has seemed inevita-
BILE ever since the boats of the Lake
Minnetonka Transportation company
were absorbed by the street railway
company in an endeavor to contro! the
steamboat business. Altho it has been
stated authoritative that Mr.. Hill had
business again, the partial monopoly
of the steamers by the street railway
company has worked to the disadvan-
tage of the Great Northern line in
throwing the travel from the city to
the trolley cars, which are met regu-
larly by boats. 1t was soon discovered
that the Great Northern must subsidize
I III L L ~ 41VV
lake points. The visit Of Commodore
Johnson, formerly of the L. M. T. line,
to the Great Northern offices in st. Paul
this week was therefore not unexpected
and it is reported that the negotiations
mean a Great Northern fleet on Lake
Minnetonka as soon as the boats can
be built.
The Great Northern Service.
South. shore as we'll as north SHORE
people are pleased over the outlook fol
fast service to the city, for, with ex
press boats from south shore points tt
Great Northern stations on the NORTH
shore, better time can be made to The
city by the Great Northern line thar
by any other method offered, includ
ing the automobile The Great North
ern has the shortest route from the lax,
to Minneapolis, and having no stops
to make in the trip to the union sta
ton, can cover the ground much NOR
quickly than the trolley cars.
Trolley Line Extension.
Invasion of the upper lake by tn
suburban line has been q foregone con
clusion ever since the rails were lal
to Excelsior.
Early realization Of the scheme ha
seemed more certain since G. G.. Good
rich, vice president Of the street raj
way company, bought Shady Isle, tw
weeks ago: This island lies ,oopposlt
upper lake line. It may be made avail
able for hotel and pleasure-resort pu1
poses and can be made to serve a sim
lar purpose in the upper lake to tina
of Big Island in the lower lake.
The street railway company now ha
rights on all Of the streets of Excels1o
except the one which connects the p,t
Whether the company will see
permission from the county con
missioners to operate on highway, {
whether it will be deemed more advi
able to buy a right of way outright
still debatable question. s.--
Pleaded for Years.
South shore residents Of Upper LAX
Minnetonka have pleaded for years f
better service AS a concession tt
St. Louis road has put into service a
early train, starting from Zumbl
Heights. This has been considered on
half loaf by the cottagers, and the
will hail with interest an announceme1
that the electric line will be extendt
even SO far as Birch Bluff.
At the same time the St. Louis COZ
pany must necessarily make some. de-
sive move to hold it's business, as it d
this year by putting new equipment.
service to Tonka Bay and Excelsi!t
The officials have been watching wi
interest the experiments in motor cal
which have been made recently
other lines, and it is expected that t
company will do as the Great Northe
has done and decide upon motor c
service, which will enable the road
give better service to south shore poin
between Deephaven and Excelsior
I well as to the upper lake.