St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-02
OUR CROWN JEWEL.
West St. Paul, the Present Sixth
Ward, the Most Precious
Gem in the Munich
pal Diadem.
4 District Which Possesses All That
Makes Lite Agreeable or Pleasant
in the Way of Location,
Scenery, Landscape
and Health.
With Few Free-Hand Pencilings Concern
ing the Superior Natural Advantages
of West st. Paul for Elegant
Home Sites, Factories and
Commerce.

Coming from the fiat plains of Illinois, In
diana and the far west the visitor to st. Paul
when he first places his foot upon the planks
Of the Wabashaw street bridge is greeted
with burst of such joyous, fresh, enter
tanning beauty that be his nature ever so
cold, ne becomes mpressed-poetic, en-
chained. The noble, silent river, the
far and graceful sweep Of the
deeply wooded hills, the bright
blue sky and the distant column of smoke
rising high in air from some factory denotes
sylvan life and commercial pursuits mingled
in harmonious pleasing shades, and he I'M
consciously mutters an orision to his Maker
to nature and the sublime joys of modern
life. Gazing on the river whose crest is bur
dened with the debris of saw mills, his mind
goes far down the stream to the mighty
cities below where the lash of the majestic
stream is cOnsummated at the gulf Going
further into his thoughts and communing
with self we realized that we are on a site
which will ring in modern time with the
thrilling notes of power, OF magniicence,
towering greatness, and be ere long potent
influence in shaping the destinies of the ma
ton. Proceeding further and breathing
with thankful joyousness the fresh, pure air
which sweeps forever amidst the spans and
trcstes Of the bridge, we reach the
other side and are ushcred into
field which in future years viii make history.
West St. Paul, we pause in contemplation
Of thy future; the skIllful eye of the fnancier,
the far reaching vision Of the prophet cannot
read thy bourne! The region round about
possesses all in dingle, meadow, dell and
forest that goes to make elysium. Accident
placed the population on the north bank of
the river; after years viii correct this, and
West st. Paul will rival its sire in 5ustling
business and population. In numbering its
material advantages for iiresides stores and
factories we find ample cause to arrest our
serious attention. In the first place the un-
rivailed advantages in location are such that
we wonder now why it is not trebled in pop
ulation and wealth. If St. Paul is ever to be
manufacturing city, where are we going to
locate the factories except on the pats near
abundant water and the broad
stretch Of river bottom in West st. Paul
promises future busy life. The Sixth ward
gymnasium, planning mill, box factory, bar
rel factory, two lumber yards, one saw mill,
seven brick yards, and three stone quarres
in operation, and the West Side Liedertafel
and Opera Block syndicate propos es to erect,
corner Of State and Susan stree Is building
for amusement purposes which it is antic-
pated will be completed this fall. Taking
Dakota avenue, the thoroughfare which leads
up to the bridge, as exponent of West
st. Paul traffic, we learn from a prominent
firm on this street, that according to careful
count, under their directions, by two men,
that on Saturday, September 10, which was
a rainy day, Il, 4GS foot passengers
and 1871 teams passed a given point near
the bridge during the twenty-four hours, this
is an index of the importance of the place
which speaks stronger than any words. Re
garding the improvements, over five hundred
building of one kind or another, have been
erected during the year 1884, among which
are a number Of substantial brick stores. Ger
tain Chicago parties will break ground this
fall and lay the foun dations for a large build
ing, corner of Dakota and Chicago avenues
which will be a great improvement to the
place, covering, as il win, one hundred feet
frontage, in fact building is progressing here
at n rate which is not witnessed in any other
portion of the city. Among the fine i'm
proved streets which the Sixth ward possesses
may be mentioned Fairfield avenue and.
George, Concord, Ohio, ROBBIE
Winifred, Susan and Texas streets
The streets now in process of Improvement
which will be completed shortly are Oakdale,
Dakota and Cherokee avenues and Starkey,
Con, Ada, and portion Of Winlfred streets.
These thoroughfarcs will give the town am-
pie outlets for trade, commerce or pleasure
driving, and contribute largely in increasing
the value of surrounding property, and the
good work will go on un iuterruptedly as the
mass of the property owners are public
spirited and oppose nothing that viii improve
the ward or enhance her material interests
In an interview with Mr.. Somers, our city
engineer, we find that West st. Paul will
possess levee of substantial and durable
character that will place the river bottom
forever out of reach Of floods The portion
which will first be built begins at point n
little above Ohio street and extends
down to the east line of Ambs
addition. II trouble Is found
in completing the remainder below the
bridge we doubt not that private capital
would gladly step IN aud assume the work,
strong, trustworthy levee with 100 feet of
made ground back of it for dockage, etc.
Such strip one mile long five years from
to-day would be worth millions of dollars
with an increasing value all the time. Es-
peciaily would this be if a bridge was thrown
across the Mississippi at point near Wa
couta street. 1t is an open secret that
the Minnesota Il Northwestern railroad
Contemplates building railroad bridge 10
carry passengers into the Union depot and
If they were supported by the city and pri-
vate means bridge for teams and passen-
gers might be added above with compare
lively trihing cost, that would prove of iucal-
culable advantage in bringing into more in
innate relations the city aud West st. Paul.
Regarding the present bridge at wabashaw
street the entire bridge win be recon-
strueted, and when completed viii be
Rll OF iron; at the lower end OF the bridge
there viii be two through spans, five differ
emit forms and kinds OF trusses will be en-
ployed, two new stone piers will De built.
aud an immense abutment AZ the south end
will be required. When the west end en-
bankment Is completed the bridge viii have
been shortened 100 feet. The entire bridge
when flushed VIII be thirty-two feet wide
with an eighteen foot roadway and two
seven foot sidewalks, the entire improye-
ment costing So. 900. which has been annro-
3riated by the city. The United States CIV