Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1954-06-25

ms group aiOHR WIN rel
and televisions, guests of the =,
street cars at the Eastside station
in Minneapolis at 1918 p. m.
Luncheon was served on the
train of street cars as they toured
slowly through the Minneapolis
loop Twin Cities Lines president
Fred Ossanna and board chair
man Elmer Olson and other Of
ficials were on hand to greet the
guests as they boarded the trans,
After a tour OF the loop the
cars were routed over Washing
ton Az to University and thence
to the Smelling Av. station In st.
Paul, where, with proper cere-
monials the last street car" was
burned with President Ossanna
setting the torch.
There was jolly fun all along
the way In the lead car were
most OF the company officials and
the press. For while John G,
Seidel, president OF the Local d-
vision Of the Amalgamated AS
sociation of Street. Electric Rail
way and Motor Coach Employees
of America was at the controls of
the first car
Then TO the surprise and we
might add CONSERVATION of the
passengers, Fred Ossanna Sr..
president of the transit firm took
over as motorman. This was un-
expected After few rather
rough applications of the air
brakes. Mr. Ossanna did "A pretty
good job. He blamed his sudden
stops on the sudden braking of a
police escort which was leading
the tram-cade. However every
body on the lead car breathed a
little freer after the company
head turned the motorman's job
back over to a regular driver.
Investigation revealed that Mr.
Ossanna had only had about ten
minutes instruction on driving a
street car a few days before No
harm was done. OF course because
right close by for emergency pur-
poses WAS both union president
John Seidel and the regular mo
torman
Later on Senator Hubert II
Humphrey just in by plane from
Washington boarded the street
car parade. Naturally he was IN,
ittated into the order Of motor
men He was photographed in the
drivers seat but this writer never
did learn whether the senator &C.
tually drove the car.
All along the route spectators
bravcd the showers TO gaze at the
spectacle Of the street cars con,
vcrted INTO dining cars making
their last run through the city
streets Some persons seemed
startled by the trolley parade
A. Smelling guests comprising
most ~ the Twin Cities Who.
who took almost everything
movable off the interior Of the
streets cars for souvenirs
II vas some party and the
people seemed 10 like being tn OF
an historic occasion marking IN,
complete conversion Of the Twir
city Transit system from street
cars 90 buses IN a record break
ing time
Friday shortly after midnight
the last street car in the Tv1r
Cities made tts final run anc
pulled into tho car barn for N,
Last time
\ total ~ 7ss buses now -erv,
TWIN city public transportation
us"rs replacing the ohsolet.
street cars which served the T,vtr
Cities f0r many years.
Officers Of the frm. mast o
whom were present are Elmer y
Olson chairman a. the bssarf
Frai Oasarna. president. Dr. Ia
vi p Ellison. executive wee
president ard medical director
james u Tow"y secretary an,
treasurer board members Ber
rsrd Nelson. James y. Auue
John 4 Guy Emil y Aslsss'
ami Bsnson LarricE. v.ce-prsz
dent and general manager So
editorial psze ?