St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-31
A WARM SESSION.
The Committee on Streets WrestIe
With Railroad Men.

The council committee on streets met
last night for the purpose of considering
various railroad and steamboat interests in
connection with the st. Paul public levee.
Most of the aldermen were present, numer-
BUS railroad men and j. w. McClung The
petition of the Chicago st. Paul, Mime
apolis & Omaha Railroad company, to re-
lay the track on the public levee, that was
taken up by the city some weeks ago, was
granted. The Minnesota 81 Northwestern
Railroad company petitioned for the right
20 erect small depot and platform Oh the
evee at the east end of the bridge. The
opposition to this petition was very
.trong, and the old question re-
yived of the rights of the railroads and
steamboats, on the levee. AS attorney for
the steamboat interests c. NJ. Bell urged
that the steamboat interests be considered.
II that depot was erected it would encroach
OH the river front, go on to steamboat ter
ritory and endanger the lives Of the passen-
gers who would use the Northwestern
motor line from the Sixth ward. They
would be compelled to diSembark among
the levee tracks and to cross them, and
with over 100 trains day passing there, be
IN great danger of losing their lives. Ii
the Northwestern road succeeded in its de-
mands steamboat interests
MUST BE TRAMPLED UPON.
Capt. Blakely urged that the railroads be
moved off the levee and back to their priv-
ate property along Second street, and that
that street be opened to Sibley. Only in
that way did he believe that the levee
could be properly thrown open
70 the river interests. At this
functure Mr.. BrunSen. of the Union
depot company jumped up and said that
the company would not waive its right to
lay another track on the levee and would
not permit its rights to be encroached upon.
This track, he said, would be placed be-
tween Jackson and Sibley streets. Aid.
Dowlan and W. P. Murray both advocated
Capt. Blakely's scheme of moving the
tracks back to their private property and
of opening Second street. G. W. McClung
denounced the old railroad buildings on the
levee as ''rookeries'' and said that it was the
duty of the council to forever ensure to the
steamboats, both the east and west side levee
fronts the entire length of the city. After
the reading of the Diamond 10 ordinance
for new warehouse on the levee adjacent
to the present one, Mr.. Bell spoke quite
severely on the
DILAToRINESS OF THE COUNCIL
in granting the steamboat companies any
privilege. He said that the Northwestern
company had got the bulk of the west side
levee without a question. and yet the coun-
Gil delayed in granting so small matter as
this. If this warehouse was erected. the
steamboat companies would at once deed it
to the city and lease it for dollar a year
from the city. After this discussion, the
committee went into executive session and
unanimously voted to the Minnesota Il
Northwestern railroad the right to erect its
depot, provided it places over the railroad
tracks from Second street to the depot a
covered walk tor the accommodation Of pas
sengers. Commodore Davidson was granted
the lease OF the elevator On the levee for
five Years at a rental OF 50 per front
foot occupied. The city has the option to
cancel this lease at the end Of five years on
one years notice. Fifty feet of the pres
ent warehouse. now occupied by the ST.
Paul Packet line. was assigned to the Dia-
mond 10 company. The city engineer was
instructed to prepare plans and specifca-
tons for the paving of the ieyee and Sibley
steel. On Il vote Of to ,. the Diamond