St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-11
EXTENDING THE LIMITS.
The Citizens of the Corporation and
Suburban Territory Discuss
Annexation,
Get Excited, Say Harsh Things and are Doubt
less Sorry for 1t.
The Question Discussed from Both Selfish
and Disinterested Points of View.

county delegation in the legislature and the
| county commissioners should meet Yesterday
afternoon for general interchange of views
upon the very important subject-the extern
sion of the limits of the city of st. Paul The
news of the proposed meeting was well dis
seminated and at 8 O'Clock the council:
chamber was filed with representatives of
| the rural districts north, east and west of st.
| Paul. together with interested parties from
Merriam Park, Hamline and the Harvester
works. Men began to gather, in fact, as
early as O'Clock. and an impromptu dis
cussio1 was going vigorously on for two
hours before the meeting was called to Or
der. A map was thrown across the reporters
table showing the present limits of the city
and red line indicated the territory, a full
description of which has heretofore appeared
in the GLOBE, proposed to be incorporated.
1t was easy to discern that the opposition to
! extension was present in full force, and the
earnestness of the preliminary remarks was
an indication of the deep interest felt in the
! question. There was no disposition to be
facetious, and the ground had been pretty
thoroughly traverscd before the hour of the
meeting.
At O'Clock the gathering was called to
order by Mr.. E. A. Hendrickson, represent
! ing the country district in the legislature,
who stated the object Of the meeting to be
the consideration of the question of the ex-
tension of the city. Hon. H. NJ. Rice was
called to the chair, and, after a fruitless
attempt to secure secretary, some one re-
marked that none would be needed. The
assemblage was so large that it was resolved
to make the meeting informal, and give
everybody an opportunity to talk to their
! hearts content. 1t would be a trife difficult
to describe the proc eedings. They
neither partook of the nature of a prayer
| There was con sidarabie Of the
earnestness of the former and some Of the
excitement OF the latter. If anyone knows,
| in chemical parlance, what will result from
mixing equal quantities of honest enthu-
siasm, selfishness and suspicion of jobbery,
he can imagine what sort of a gathering it
was to a T. There were sensible suggestions,
ridiculous suggestions. amusing suggestions
! and terrible insinuations. Mr.. Moore already
regrets the reflection be made upon the st.
! Paul committee on Union fair grounds, and
! City Attorney Murray is doubtless sorry that
he accused Mr.. Moore Of lying.
Several sensations were produced by re-
marks made in the heat of excitement, and
more or less bitterness was engcndered. A
! great part of the acrimony of the discussion
would have been avoided had the speakers
! confined themselves simply to the matter of
| extension, but a great deal OF time was
wasted in scoring Minneapolis and explain
| ing past events in personal history, and fin
ally the meeting dissolved without any more
| definite result than to develop the fact that
majority of those present desired no extern
sion whatever. City Attorney Murray said
some sort of bill would be prepared, how
ever, and presented to committees of the
council, legislature and county commission
ers for their action.
The meeting was of such boisterous
nature that it was difficult to get the views of
the speakers. In the following we aim TO
give them about as expressed, emitting
| good deal having no direct bearing upon the
subject:
c. n. Bell, Of the county commissioners,
said: In order to get this matter fairly before
! the assembsge, move that it is unadyisable
! at the present time to extend the city limits.
This is my judgment. All things considered
think the boundaries Of the city should not
now be enlarged
City Attorney Murray: Gentlemen, there
isn't question in any Of your minds but
-
must all admit it. There are differences
of opinion, however, as to how far we should
20 in this extension. Now, let us try to find
out what is right under all the circumstances.
Ex-senator Robbins-It is proper that we
should consider how this proposed action ia
going to affect Ramsey county VIII the
incorporation OF the surrounding villages
have tendency to advance or retard the
growth of the villagesl Is It quite the thing
to increase our burdens without 4 CORE
spending increase of bcneftsl We feel at
Merriam Park that annexation to 81. Paul
would check our growth. A great many peo-
pie from Minneapolis come out there to live,
but they would not come II they expected
ever to become part of st. Paul. Now we
ask for a separate incorporation. a separate
existence. We had good and sufficient rea-
sons for going there to live, among these
being the desire to take our children away
from the influences Of the saloons. want
10 emphasize the statement that the growth
OF the community depends on our separate
existence. Let us be broad enough To con-
slider the whole OF Ramsey county We have
at Merriam Park remarkable growth from
both WAYS, and II is easy to be seen that it is
Ramsey county's gain. We want things to
ourselves. This is almost unanimous sen
timeut with us. Besides Il would be ex-
trcmely improbable Mt this time to add this
territory TO the city, because there are two or
three miles OF almost uninhabited territory
between the present limits and Merriam
PARK.
Judge D. 4. J. Baker-Thls notion OF cx-
tension is preposterous. | represent the
farmers in a portion Of this territory, and
say we don't want TO come into the city
because we cannot pay the taxes Of the great
municipality. We contribute 10 the CITY what
grows in our gardens, but If you insist upon
extension you win ruin US aud send US
farther to the west. Ali the vegetables aud
cereals that We raise for your markets would
not then keep US from mortgaging our
farms and finally having them sold for taxes.
Tell Us, Mr.. Murray, what you want What
have YOU done for usi We have University
avenue. but the county made most OF the
improvements on that. Nuw, Mr.. Murray,
YOU are a glorious man and want you to
stay n offiC-, but don increase our taxes
Ne don't have your water, your gas aud your
ere protection. and, we pray you, don't give
us your taxes. Minneapolis has added as
much to the value Of our land as St Paul.
We sell here ell We raise, and the moment
you seed our land for houses wen sell il TO
YOU. Put houses out there aud then extend
the limits. The fingers and thumhs Of my
hands would number all the houses