The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-03-20

improvement. To large proportion
of the city population it is the usual
conveyance employed in making social
calls and carrying on social intercourse
The distances which must be covered
for these purposes in large cities are
$50 great that social intercourse would
be much restricted without cheap and
rapid transit. Thousands attend chur.
ehes, theatres, music and lecture halls
and other places of entertainment and
instruction who would otherwise be eX
cluded altogether or be compelled tc
cinfine their patronage to establish
ments in the neighborhood of char
actcr much inferior to those now
lreadily accessible via the railways.
The social service rendered by street
railways in carrying the people from
the crowded parts of cities to places
of recreation and amusements is alsC
important. The Public Parks find then
usefulness immensely increased by the
cheap and easy access offered by street
railways. The large country parks
recently opened at some distance from
the closely built areas of Boston
New York and other great cities, de
Ipend almost wholly on this means Of
transportation for their patronage
Beaches, race tracks, ball grounds
amusement and recreation parks Of
all sorts owe their accessibility most
ly to the electric railway.
A considerable portion of the people
of large cities attend numerous places
of entertainment in the evenings or OF
holidays and Sundays which would
be impossible without the aid of this
mode of transportation. In the hot
summer evenings many a family en-
joys ride on the trolley car and finds
delight and cheap recreation merely
in the ride about the city or to thu
parks. With the systems of transfers
) in use in all large cities, it is possible
to spend good share of the entire
evening at cost not to exceed II
cents per capital, and it is mos
delightful relief from the hot stnffy
rooms i'm a close apartment.
An interesting service is carried
on in many cities in summer in run
ming observation cars for tburists ovel
the principal lines. 1t is cheap quicl
and easy way to see the city. "Seeins
a town by trolley is like being taker
into the best rooms in house; see
ing it from train is like looking owe
a fence into yard, and back yart
at that"
Street Railway Parks.
Another interesting development il
the establishment of parks and resorts
by the street railways themselves. a
large proportion of street railway com
panies now operate directly or indi
rectly amusement and recreation places
of some sort. In practically all eases
street railway resorts are located al
some distance from the closely, built
parts of cities. One of the chief at
fractions in hot weather is the Ions
swift ride in the open car with thu
cooling breeze created by the motion
The grounds are often of consider
liable size and present the attractions
iof woodland, lake, sea and river, but
since these natural features are not
sufficient to create the traffic upor
which the company depends for its
profit except possibly on Sundays and
s holidays, forms of amusement suitable
for afternoons and evenings are usu
ally provided. An excellent ilustra
ton is found in Big Island Park, Min
netonka Lake, Minneapolis. A trir
over this line one day last summer
was certainly most delightful, a TWEEN.
.,tv mile ride on the trolley, two OF
three mile ride on steamboat to a
most beautiful wooded island in the
lake. made day long to be remem,
bered and the blessings of such privi-
leges to the inhabitants of large city
can scarcely be over estimated.
The country is brought actually near
err than it is to the jewellers in small
towns and villages having no electric
lines and the cheapness of such trips
brings it within the reach of almost
every person for occasional trips at
least. Bands, Theatrical companies,
scenic railways, merry -go-rounds, pie
mic grounds and many other forms of
amusement cater to all sorts and clas-
ses of people.
Great as has been the increase in
the facilities for transportation, the
means employed are grossly inadequate
for handling the people as rapidly as
desired. The loss of time on street
ears is something enormous. Probably
the majority of jewellers in large CT
ties lose at least one hour day in go
| ing to and from their places of bust
ness and many of them much more.
The transportation question is GER
tainly one of the problems of every
great city. Surface lines are probably
doing all they can ever do in many
of the cities. Elevated roads are help
ing wonderfully and subways in few
cities are affording much relief, but
the cry is still for more and better
| facilities for moving the people.
l. When such an enormous number of
lpeople desire access or agrees from GER