The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-28
Unfolds His Plans.

The announcement was worth wait
ing for. After taking the delegation
over the entire Hill system and after
exhibiting-to their surprise-a mar
velous and intimate knowledge Of Min
neapolis affairs and the Minneapolis
influence turnout the northwest, Mr..
Hill said:
"You gentlemen have the business
in Minneapolis to warrant the plans
always planned to build ahead Of Min
neapolis and st. Paul, as I always had
an Astounding faith in both. When I
built the stone arch bridge, railroad
men told me I was crazy and that it
would bankrupt the road. Minneapolis
has outgrown our present facilities for
the handling of the freight and pas
senger business, but we have been SO
busy with our regular affairs and espe-
cially the rapidly increasing freight
business of Minneapolis, that we have
been bee 7? ;, obliged to allow our plans to
At this point Mr..S$ Hill came to the
subject uppermost in every mind, and
a dramatic climax was reached when,
in a clear and crisp manner, he an
nounced that he would build new sta
tion here. Work will begin next spring.
The present structure will be torn
.toWn. Aocoluing W present PLANS the
present, but will be larger. It is to be
new and thoroly up to date in every
particular, and in addition will show
advance features in station equipment
that will be original with Mr.. Hill and
his architects.
Careful Of Plans.
The architects have been at work for
months on the plans. They have twice
been submitted and returned with sug--
gestions for changes, and are now in
the hands Of the architects. The chief
features Of the new station will be
! improved facilities for the safe and
gage. Every large station in the coun-
try has been studied for ideas. It's
faults have been learned and by tax
| ing the best Of everything only, the
Minneapolis station will be the model
station Of the country.
Mr.. Hills announcement is the topic
of conversation in business circles
today. The delegation. that received
this important announcement consisted
Of B. F: Nelson, W. W. Heffelfnger,
Saisbury v3 %sace " Hys oh VT ST.
terlee, II. M. Hill, s. S. thorpe, Walter
L. Badger and E. A. Merrill. Carried
away by his enthusiasm for the growing
northwest, Mr.. Hill did most of the
talking. The Minneapolis men present
announce that they are not in a posi-
| ton to tell all that was brought out
in the conference as Mr.. Hill was
| speaking in confidence. Nevertheless,
! it is plain to see that the announcement
was entirely satisfactory to the men
who heard it.
~. Big Enough for All. +
Tho the station will be large enough
to accommodate all the business Of Min
neapolis it is possible that it may not
be used for all the roads but only the
roads now using the station. Mr.. Hill
expressed the opinion that the entire
business Of large city can scarcely
be handled satisfactorily thru one
station OF He is said to have, pointed
to care for business there and to have
expressed the desire to avoid trying to
| handle too much. The roads that will
surely use the new station are the
Great Northern, Northern Pacific, Bur
lington, Wisconsin Central and. Omaha,
| Local interests hope to see the Soc,
Great Western and st. Louis roads in
the same station and it is probably
that some plans will be devised where
| CQGSo
roads will make connection with the
new station.
AS soon as possible a temporary sta
tion for use during building operations
will be erected, probably north Of Hen
nepin avenue. In the early spring the
| work Of tearing out the present station
will be started, and as soon as the
ground can be made ready, active
work on the new station will begin. It
will probably take year for the com
/ pletion Of the new station, SO that it
will be ready for occupancy, and even
1 then several months will be necessary
4 for the final completion.
More Trackroom.
It is understood that there will be a
considerable addition Of trackage. with
i the exception of one track belonging to
/ the Minneapolis & st. Louis road, the
Great Northern owns all the property
from the river to High street. All Of
the open space between the present
1 station and High street will be used
for the new structure. The down
4 stairs waiting room plan will be
dropped, rendering this additional space
available for trackagei All waiting
rooms, ticket offices and other neces,
sary facilities are to be on the ground
floor. Passengers will descend from q
platform extending over the entire