Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-06-02
THAT TWO FEEH OF LAND.

AAlIt0o dPPoiAISu 1Or ZIG purpose, nSlu
meeting in the city hall and listened to the
evidence introduced pro and con in The
litigation arising from the disputed two
feet of land in the alley in the rear of the
Eastman property on Nicollet avenue and
Fourth street.
Present Aldermen Nelson, Walsh, Watt
| and Channell.
Proceedings were opened with the
statement of his honor, the mayor. The
following is copy:
THE TESTIMONY ADDUCED.
Mayor Ames testified as follows My
| attention was first called to the alleged
| attempt to raise money for the purpose of
securing the passage of a resolution vacat-
ing portion of the alley in block s, mic
| ollet between Fourth and Fifth streets), on
last Saturday afternoon by A. B. jackson,
| attorney for R. F. Hurlburt, one of the
owners of property in said block. He
told me what I communicated to the city
council.
ME-. HURLDURT's STATEMENT.
| own the building next to the Eastman
| property. Mr.: Harmon came to me re-
Gently and said that he was getting a petit
ton signed by the property owners on the
alley in question to vacate two and one
third feet which Mr., Eastman's building
extended into the alley. He said that it
would cost a large sum to get the matter
through the council, and asked me to con-
tribute toward it, putting the figure due
from me at $500. [ told him that wouldn't
give cent for such a purpose. Mr..
Eastman had already brought suit against
me and l would not contribute further to
| adjust difficulties between him and Mr..
Eastman. The next time saw Mr.. Har-
| mon was after the special meeting of the
| council called to consider the matter. He
| seemed annoyed to think the matter had
| been made public, as he did not want it to
look like anything in the way of bribery,
and denied having had any such intention.
He asked me to make no statement in the
matter, but injustice to him I must say
| that he did not intimate that the money
was to be used for buying votes, but he did
not state what the money was to be used
for. He did say that considerable sum
of money was necessary to secure its pas
! sage through the council. afterwards asked
him in what way the money was to be ex-
pended. He replied that it was to be paid
to property owners on the alley, to re-
munerate them for costs of their suit
| against MIR. Eastman"
Mr.. Harmon here interposed and ques-
| toned Mr.. Hurlburt closely; the answers
elected were to the effect that no mention
has been made of the purpose for which
| the money should be used except to aid
property owners to pay court costs. There
was no explanation made as to what it was
| to be used for. do not know that any
one else was approached on the same
question"
'Did tell you," said Mr.. Harmon, ''that
| If we could get the signatures of all the
property owners On the alley, there would
be no difficulty in getting the matter
through the council?'
Il will not be willing to swear that you
did or did not. You seemed very anxious
to get all the SIGNATURES
Mr.. Eastman-"Did Mr.. Harmon ask
you to pay $500, more or Iess?"
Mr.. Hurlburt-"Only $500; I supposed
| that was my pro rata share OF the expen-
| ses.''
Mr.. Hurlburt's statement was then read
| to him, and he signed the same and took
| the oath.
FRANK :. MACKET
| said Mr.. Harmon did not come TO him and
ask for contribution to secure the pas
! sage of a resolution vacating any portion
Of the alley, through the city council. He
did ask for $500 to fight Mr.. Eastman in
his suit against him.
MR. HARIoN's STATEMENT.
Mr.. Harmon made a brief statement.
showing how the error occurred in locat-
ing the line of the alley. After Mr.. East
mans building was destroyed by fire he
was notified that he extended two feet over
the alley, and he commenced suit to re-
move the cloud from his title. I had
owned and occupied this property eleven
years, and this was the first intimation
had ever received that the alley was
| other than sixteen feet wide. Judge Loeb
| rem having decided that it was a twenty
foot alley by reason of occupation, Mr..
Eastman at once commenced suit against
Mr.. Hurlburt to recoverEtwo feet of ground.
had talk with Mr.. StiIlman and Mr..
Eastman, who agreed to Withdraw the
suit if the matter could be adjusted,
but considerable money would be
required to pay cost and quiet the
matter. Among the property owners in
terested IN the matter were Mr.. Mackey,
Mr.. Hurlburt and others, and the expenses
we thought should be borne equally. At
Mr.. Eastman's request 1 called on
Mr.. Mackey, who refused to en-
terrain the project. then called on Mr..
Hurlburt, stating that it might take more
or less than $500, and stated there would
probably be no difficulty in securing the
passage of the resolution, provided we
could get signatures of all the property
owners. Mr.. Hurlburt replied that he
didn't care the snap of his finger for the
Eastman suits, and would not contribute
to the fund. Have never paid any of the
aldermen cent nor approached them in
any way.
Mr.. EASTMAN
then made statement in relation to the
matter in controversy, showing that be had
offered to settle with Mr.. Hurlburt, but the
latter had declined.
The committee has not yet decided what |
report it will make to the council at the |
next meeting, but may make further in
vestigatioh.
The testimony was sufficient, even
though nothing more comes of it, to war |
rant the mayor in demanding a searching
investigation. It was clearly shown that |
Harmon said it would require large sum |
of money to get the measure through the |