Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-05-10
Adopted.

Committee to advertise for new bids on
the old and the changed plans.
On claim of Alice Cavenaugh:
The committee to whom was referred the
accompanying petition of Mrs. Alice Cave
naugh Tor damages III opening Melrose avenue
kubin Il Marshalrs addition, report that we do
not advise allowing the claim because We think
the city is not legally liable for it.
The claim is different from the one allowed
Mr.. Dowlon, referred to by her in this, that Mr..
Dowlon was led to believe by Mr.. Timme that
him and he was thus led to fail to present his
claim at the proper time.
No such mistake occurred in the presentation
of the claim in question, and we think the
claimant is bound by the decision of the Board
of Public Works, and recommend the claim-be
| not allowed. PASCAL SMITH,
Chairman.
Adopted.
OF Aldermen of First ward
On q communication from Noyes Bros. d
Cutler, for permission to build shed on Fourth
| street, We recommend the prayer of the
petitioner be granted, as it endangers no prop
erty, and is sixty feet from any buildings.
A. ALLEN.
Adopted.
Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad crossing, mi
nority report
To the Common Council.
GENTLEMEN: The undersigned, members Of
the committee to which was referred the appli-
| cation of the Milwaukee & st. Paul railroad
company, for your approval of their grade at
| street crossings, report as follows: That the
railroad company desires to fix the grade of its
railroad about two feet below the present level
of Fort street, which it crosses at an angle of
| about forty-fve degrees, just north of Grace
street; that the proposed railroad runs for near.
| ly mile with its center line about twenty feet
| north of the north line of Grace street, finally
crossing Grace street at q very acute angle, 80
that about FIVE hundred feet in length of the
center line of the railroad is in the street,
! when the proposed grade is about eleven feet
above the established grade for street;
that it crosses ten or twelve other street.
running at right angels to Grace street
at heights varying from six feet below to fif
teen feet above the proper grade levels of said
streets, according to the plan and profile of the
railroad submitted to you for your approval
1t is the acknowledged plan and intention OF
the railroad company to compel all of these
street crossings to be made at the level of the
railroad.
The law under which you are required, to es
tablish or approve the grade of this railroad
limits the time for your action, and compelf
you to establish the grade for the railroad al
the next regular meeting after application is
| made thus allowing in this case but one weel
l
important matter.
We assume, upon the best authority we hav,
been able to find, that railroad crossings o.
streets and railroads at a level with the track
are dangerous to the public which uses tn,
highways, that the danger increases very
greatly with the increase of population
and business, that it is not entirely prevented
by gates or hagmen, and that such crossing
out not to be permitted except az an absolut,
necessity. The dangerof the crossings seem.
to us to be increased in this case by the steep
ness of the grade of railroad, from 60 to 81
regulating the speed of trains.
The report of the city engineer to this com
, mittee also shows that the adaptation of tn
streets to the proposed railroad upon any pla1
of crossing will compel great increase in tn,
cost of their construction, and will lnflict grea
injury on the abuttinR property by reason o
the unfavorable grades of the streets. It ais,
affords presumption almost amounting t,
certainty, that the railroad might have beef
arranged SO as to bridge over all the streets
without material injury to its line or its grades
and that the increased cost of the construction
, of the railroad, if so built, would be far NOR
than made up by the saving in the cost o
making the streets.
We regard Fort street as one of our most i'm
portaut streets, being the only one leading di
rectly to the bridge over the Mississippi no,
being built at Fort Smelling.
We are therefore of the opinion, and repo1
to you that the crossing by the railroad of Fo,
street and Grace street at the height propose
with the intention of bringing said streets
the level of the railroad, and the propose
crossing in the same way of the other street
laid out, but which are not yet in general us,
is unnecessary and unjusti6able.
= We advise that the grade of said railroad
fixed at the height of not less than fourtee
4 Q4) feet below the present surface of Fo
= street ct the place of crossing.
+ Very respectfully,
w. p. MURRAY.
. J. s. SEwAIL, City Engineer.
W. d. sANBoRN.
( Accepted.