The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-02
Continued From Preceding Page.

IL tile paTI Oh the city which accord
ing to recent and actual growth shows
the city is extending, so as to be in the
heart of the business district.
IN front of the proposed new union
station large open space or plaza,
equaled by few American cities, will
greet the view of the visitors as he
leaves the station, and standing, as one
might say, in the beautiful front en-
trance or vestibule of a modern city,
with a system of streets opening up
splendid view to the business district
and the governmental and administra-
tive center. The adjoining, open square
in front of the new postoffice site, and
overlooked by the courthouse and cham
Der of commerce, will form pleasing
park, unwilling to the view the costly
city hall and courthouse.
Diagonal Streets.
Two diagonal streets, one from the
southwest and one from the southeast
corner of the courthouse. the one ex-
tending to Henaepin avenue, Harmon
place and Tenth street, the other formed
by the extension of Park avenue, will
give short and easy access to the court
house, and at the same time give fine
views down these. avenues to the center
Of the city. Other proposed diagonal
streets will serve the double purpose of
facilitating communication and of unit
ing the Older sections of the city with
the new additions, which are bound to
p follow with the rapid increase in popu-
lation.
The open square or public concoursc
shown east of the chamber Of commerce
block, which according to the direc-
ton in which the business is moving,
will be in the heart of the future bust
l>o tIo
for the grouping of high office build
ings. thus ins'.ring light and air which
is impossible to obtain for high build
ings erected on narrow streets. OF
equal Importance is the open square on
the east side, which in time to come
will undoubtedly be highly important
business section. From this square ex-
will be the shortest and most import
ant connecting link between Packing
Town and the city business district.
Necessity for New Street Plan.
Sucl extensive transformations as
have been wrought in Paris and
Vienna. or such street changes as have
been made in Berlin and Rome, are
possible only under concentrated and
autocratic local government, unknown
in this country. American cities must,
step, for there is as much need of a
good general plan in the American
cities as there, is in Europe, and there
fore, in order that every step made
toward i'm provement may count and
bring us II little nearer toward the
realization of the complete scheme Of
general arl 'angement of city streets,
there must be a scientifically studied
plan to be consulted and followed.
Without q unh q nlon we ShOu16 he in
danger Of OF 'ening or widening unneces-
sarv streets, or we might make mock
cry of impro vement by choking a pub
lie thorofars with criss-cross travel
where the street is barely spacious
enough at the present time to handle
converging traffic. That the. problem
of the street plan in the business dis
trict is not Fad or merely theoretic
sufficient proof may be found in all
the larger cities. New York, Philadel-
phia, Pittsburg, Chicago and other
cities have been confronted with the
problems of traffic congestion in the
downtown districts, and each has been
forced to solve the problem at an i'm
mense cost of money; New stations,
ever growing congestion of a steadily
increasing population, which always
makes itself felt where there is no
scientific plan for the distribution Of
the traffic forces a problem before us
that calls for a solution. Shall We
profit by, the experience Of other cities
[Chicago, for instance), while there is
yet time, or shall we ignore the warn
ing and allow things to take their own
course in the old haphazard way, until
forced to admit that we are over
whelmed and like Chicago, have to pay
the penalty for our negligence in not
providing adequate street passages for
the immense traffic that is bound to
develop in the not very distant flu
ture3
All indications point to Minneapolis
the country. Few people realize the
immense Importance Of the future river
traffic alone with it's stupendous posi-
bilities. Commercial interests all over
the country are being forced to admit
that Minneapolis is the logical business
center and distributing point for
+ United States and Canada, and are
losing no time in. putting their con
may be seen in the coming to the city city
) of such firms as Armour & Co., Butler
Bros, and many other important firms
who have located here this year, OF
who are ready to come at the first OPP.
portunity.
The Union Station.
The union station is located in the
diagonal of block 10, bounded by First
and Second streets and Second and
Third avenues S, because it is the
closest contact point of the ma ority
of the systems running passenger trains
and includes the most modern passen-
ger station in Minneapolis, that Of the
Milwaukee.
One of the advantages is the easy
distribution of all of the traffic from
such a union station to all sections OF
the city, as five streets serve as feeders
to and from the public plaza in front OF
the station. Various accommodations
as information Offices. streetcar waiting
rooms, etc., are located opposite the
station. The central building, with al
T the waiting rooms is also accessible in
the rear from the boulevard running
from the existing steel arch bridge
to the proposed Fifth avenue bridge
East Minneapolis. The observation
rooms, discloses a, panoramic view
4 The passenger tracks are separated
from the rest of the trackage SO as tt
insure an absolutely safe and indie
pendent connection of the union sta
ton with the different systems.
The entire trackage, from the exist
ing steel arch bridge to the relaid anc
enlarged freight yards, is sunk to the
same level as that already existing al
the present union station. The freight
houses of the Milwaukee railway an6
all the freight depots and trackage