Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-05-15
THE ELECTRIC RAILWAY
EVIDENCES THAT WORK IS BEING
PUSHED FORWARD.
Preliminary Work Well Advanced and In.
dications Point to an Early Commence.
ment Of the Construction Work.

ment OF the CONSTRUCTION Work.
The promoters of the Minneapolis,
Rochester and Dubuque Electric rail.
kway have not heen asleep the past few
weeks, although little has been seen
about it in the papers. The chief
engineer, Mr.. Hunt. has been ira
versing the right of way on foot, max.
ing such changes as he deems best in
the preliminary survey, and arranging
for the definite determination of the
exact location of the right of way. AT
Minneapolis large force has been at
work on the vast amount of prelimin-
ary labor necessary to promote such a
great enterprise. We quote the fol-
lowing from Fridays Minneapolis
Journal, which at least shows pro-
gress and enterprise on the part of the
promoters
Minneapolis famous exposition
building on the east side of the river,
now owned and occupied by the In
ternational Stock Food company, is
once more to become public build
ing.
1t has been decided to convert the
ground floor of the mammoth build
ing into a modern terminal station
for the "Dan Patch Line.'' The
Minneapolis, Rochester & Dubuque
Traction Company. whose line it is
promised, will be in operation in less
than eighteen months.
M. w. Savage, president of the
company which has now begun the
actual work OF constructing AN elec-
trio railway line from Minneapolis to
Dubuque, has agreed to donate the use
of this part of the great building for
terminal purposes, and the plan has
been enthusiastically received by the
directors of the new corporation.
Both from its picturesque location
and from its construction the build
ing is admirably adapted to the pur-
pose. It's 222, 400 square feet of
ground space gives room for the run
ming and handling of an immense
number of cars and the caring for
great crowds of travellers and sight
seers.
The plans for making terminal out
ess the great building are not confined
to arranging for the handling of the
company's rolling stock. 1t is proposed
to install comfortable waiting rooms,
check rooms, express and baggage
rooms, first-class restaurant, and
everything else that patrons of the
new road will need to make their
waiting comfortable and furnish them
with desirable and convenient head
quarters for short stays in Mime
apolis. Added to this, the old elevator
in the tower will be fitted up and the
public will be given an opportunity
for getting with comfort birdseye
view of the metropolis of the north.
west aud its surrounding country,
such as can be secured now only from
the courthouse tower after climbing
hundreds of steps.
The setting will not be forgotten
and the surrounding ground, now
owned by Mr.. Savage down to the
river, will be made into beautiful
park that will be a credit to the city,
and especially a matter of pride to
the residents of the East Side. The
location of the building on the banks
of the Mississippi overlooking ST.
Anthony Falls and the entire west
side of the city. is unusually pictur-
esque and makes an ideal place for
strangers to get favorable impression
of Minneapolis.
1--WE are in the railroad business
now and we do not mean to do any
thing bv halves. said Mr.. Savage
today. 1.-The wonderful enthusiasm
of people along the Minneapolis,
Rochester g. Dubuque Traction COM
pany's proposed right of way has been
q revelation to me, and of itself in
sures the roads popularity and sue
cess. With this in view we have de-
cided to do everything in the best
possible way, and our plan OF making
the finest terminal station in this
part of the country is in keeping with
this decision.
In selecting our building for this
station, we are simply taking advan-
tage of our possibilities, and will be
able, with only comparatively
small outlay of labor and expense, to
give the people every convenience and
TO make terminal station that will
be at once a credit to US and to Min
neapOlis.
Our permanent survey is already
being made, and within few weeks
our men and machines will be at work
building our road ont of Minneapolis.
We already have secured a right OF
way for nearly the entire distance to
Dubuque, and the holdings that have
been secured are conservatiyely
valued at q million and half Of dol
lars. With this start, with the finan-
cial backing that we have, and with
the loyal support of thousands of land
owners through Minnesota and Iowa,
it is difficult to understand how any
thing but an unexpected financial
panic can interfere with the COM
pletion of the road and the bringing
into Minneapolis of an enormous new
business now being diverted to other
business centers.
The following from the st. Paul
Dispatch is along the same line:
Plans have been comp leted for the
terminals of the new Minneapolis,
Rochester & Dubuque railway in Min
neapolis. The new company is the
one which is building the electric
line from Minneapolis south.
The officials have conceived the
idea Of turning Savage's International
Stock Food factory, which was for
merly the exposition building, into a