Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-05-24

HILL Sr.-Ths street runs out Of St. An
thony near the residence Of Mr. Pierson, into
Eagle. Hithcr,o it has been almos, impossible
to get up or down it, but Col. Robertson and
other entrrprizing citizens owning property
near by, have employed laborers to grade 1t, so
that loaded teams can pass over 1t with east -
Ii is further contemplated to open new street
a, the bottom of the bluff. running along by
the Upper Lcvcc. Good.--Timr of the 2Oh.
II. M. NEwsoN, Esa.-Dear Sir The
above paragraph contains an error into which !
probably have led you. In reply to your In
quiry, remarked, as we were passing by Hill
ST., that the property holders Oh it were to pay
for cost of grading, &c. Ii had added, (wha,
supposed you knew that the work was or
dered and the laborers employed under a con-
tract of our excellent City Government, the er-
ror Of your paragraph would have been avoid
ed. The expense is taxed on the lots OIL the
Street improved, and in that ray paid by the
property holders. This is what meant.
ID. "A. r.
P.S. AS ST. Paul is bound to be a great
VIZ
am in favor of borrowing on the city credit
a sufficient sum, say, one hundred thousand
dollars, to open and grade our streets, and Sl0,-
900 to build City Hall. have no doubt but
city bonds, bearing 10 per cent. per annum
interest. aud payable in ten years. would sell
in Wall ST., N. York at par. Cost in interest
would be $ll 900 per annum; the value to
our city Of the money borrowed, two or three
times that sum annually, besides the advanta-
ges derived from grading the streets.
Cash would then be paid to laborers instead
of orders, and consequently the work would be
done cheaper.
1t may be safely asserted that 100000 ju-
dlciousIy expended as proposed, with proper
regard to the future would save the city of ten
years hence, with its population of seventy
thousand, from 100000 to $500, 900, and that
the owners of that date. who will pay the debt,
will applaud the forecast of their predecessors.
To avoid difficulty, the amount borrowed
could be divided equitably among the wards
have II, doubt but our City Government would
make an honest and judclous expenditure Of
the money. An &C. of the Legislature would
be necessary to this project. What say those
interested in the development Of ST. Paul!
II.
REMARKs.-We call particular attention to
the "P. s." of our correspondent. The sug-
grstion is one OF great Importance to every Cit
zen of this city, and now is the time to act eff
feclively. 1t is absolutely necessary that our
streets should be graded. and it would cost less
to borrow one hundred thousand dollars for
ten gears, and an the manner proposed, and poy
the interest thereon, than ii now costs the city
each gear to do only half what might be done
nth the money so borrowed. For Instance
the citizens of this city, this year, will be tax
ed upwards Of $4,000 to grade the streets,
and that $4,000 will reach $4,000, because
the workln"n are TO be paid in city
orders on which there is discount, or the city
will be obliged to borrow the money and pay
or 5 per cent. per month interest. The in
leres OH the 100000 will be but $40, 900 per
year the city will have the cash to pay for
the work when it is done, and consequently
will save from $4,000 to $4,000 on the
100000 invested which is now thrown away
on discounts and interests. Isn't this worthy
notice! And then again, the work will be
done, and done well, and done at once, and the
hundreds Of hands who Wi. be employed to do
it, will spend the money received from the ,ity,
among our merchants and farmers. And then
again, property will advance five.fold and still
again, we shall have a decenty laid out city
We ask our readers, isn't this worth thinking
of?
Our knowledge Of what it has cost the city
of New York. Chicago, Boston, and other
places, to open and widen Streets, enables us to
say to the citizens OF ST.. Paul. if you borrow
this 100000 now, q! 10 PC: cep.. az! lay out
the city properly, in tan: y:ais:i..w1! Ls:a sat
ing to xe.i q 500 oo9s. .Ehe corporation Of
N. Y. cay paid year ago issore: III: one ,i;lt
piece of land in Canal street, than would have
graded the ,chole of that street fifteen years
ago. and the same can and will be said of St.
Paul, i'll the future, if We do not bestir our
selves in matter Of SO much importance TO all.
A City Hall, erected at cost Of $4,000,
would more than pay for itself in ten years, and
its importance to the city is admitted by every
one. Why not then, start the movement i'm
mediatey? We feel sure that # the subject
were properly understood, and the people call
ed upon TO vote, the vote would be almost unan-
imous in favor Of the loan.--Ep.
The TREEs.-The tall grim sentinels that
line the banks OF the Mississippi, have been so
delighted with the weather for the past few
days, that they have passed resolution unan-
imously. to appear in full dress next week.