Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-11-05
JACKSON STREET.
The Proposed Plan of Cutting Through the
HILL

The Proposed Plan of Cutting Through tn,
Hill.
A meeting of the council committee OF
streets and the aldermen from the First ant
Second wards was held at the city hall las
night, Aid. Dowlan in the chair. The objec
of the meeting was to consider the proposed
change of grade on Jackson street, and I
large number of property owners were il
attendance. Mr.. Sewall submitted profile
of the proposed change of grade, showing
the line of the street and the excavations
that would have to be made at the jackson
street hill. A letter was read by Mr.. Murray
addressed by Mr.. Sewall to Aid. Dowlan, -ex
planning the profile and the features of the
proposed new grade.
The writer first alluded to the grade line
of a former profile and to the estimated cost
of the work. According to the profile un-
der consideration, Mr.. Sewall spoke of the
advantages of a three foot grade at a slope
of one and a half foot, horizontally, to each
foot of perpendicular excavation. The esti
mated cost of the work, and basis of three
foot grade, was put at $15O,00O, or at the
rate of $11.60 per front foot, to be assessed
on Robert and jackson streets. A general
discussion ensued, during which Mr.. Smyth
opposed the change on the ground that the
grade would destroy the property and the as.
ssessment almost amount to confiscation.
MIR. Murray explained that with the as
sistance of the city and with a proper
tionate part of the cost assessed on the
lateral streets which would be filed up with
the dirt, the cost would not be so great as
expected.
Capt. Blakely spoke in favor of the change
of grade; he said there could be no doubt
that the grade would have to be made from
three to four feet to the hundaed as mat
ter of necessity. He explained that railroad
companies would want all the surplus land
made by the levelling of the hill, and that
in short time the property owners
would find that the Improvement would
result in immense material advantage.
The speaker thought that all the freight traf-
fic and transfer business of the railroad com
panies would eventually be CARRIED on at or
near the head of jackson street.
A gentleman thought that Rice street
would be the objective point of the railroad
companies.
Capt Blakely was in favor of ascertaining
the cost of the improvement and have the
same assessed to the property benefited, af-
ter which bond should be issued by the
city, the interest upon which should be
paid by those benefited, and yearly
contributions made as sinking fund to re-
deem the bonds. He thought that all per-
sons in lower town would be benefited, and
that they should be assessed for benefits.
The assessment should include property
benef ted from the levee to the head OF
jackson street and from Wabashaw to Mis-
sissippi street, as asoertained by the board
of public works.
It may be stated that if the three feet
grade is established, it will result IN the
removal of $4,000 cubic yards of earth.
letter was read from Mr.. 81. s. Fair
child, in which the writer spoke in enthusi-
astic terms concerning the future of ST.
Paul. He deprecated the policy of permit
ting public welfare and general advancement
of the city's Interest, and warmly advocated
the improvement of Jackson street.
The profile was referred to the committee
and engineer for further plans and estimates.