St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-21
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
A Third street Bridge.
To the Editor of the Globe.

To the Editor of the Globe.
For the last twelve or fifteen years it has
been favorite project Of Dayton's bluff
and lower town residents to have East
Third street bridged. With increased rail-
road traffic and numerous tracks, the pass
age of this thoroughfare has become almost
impossible, at least, very dangerous, and it
| is very gratifying that no more accidents
with fatal termination have occurred. The
Fourth street tunnel has been constructed
with view to overcome the difficulty and
to divert the travel to Fourth street, but the
objections to it's usefulness are too many
and too well known generally to require
special mention.
| Recently vigorous attempts have been
| made again to urge the bridging of East
| Third street, and had the promises of the
| interested parties, city as we'll as railroads,
been kept. the bridge would have been an
established fact before this, probably to the
disappointment and grievance of its pres
| ent most Jealous advocates. The necessity
OF another thoroughfare from Dayton's
bluff to the city perfectly justi1es the en-
| ergy put forth in pushing the construction
of a bridge, but for some, to the general
public unexplainable, reason another inter-
| dict is interposed. The fact seems to be
that some interested parties forsee the i'm
| practicability Of such bridge. Its cost
comparing with the expected benefit leaves
them at least very passive in the
matter, if not openly opposed to it,
At the present condition of things would it
not be well to reconsider the pros and cons
of the project from an entire disinterested
| standpoint? Perhaps we may arrive at con-
illusions which will make it desirable to Sc
1r,af +tcr. Ill For Pow
| Third street Now, supposing the Third
| street bridge should become fact, we have
| to consider, first, its enormous cost; sec
| ondly, it's great length from Hoffman ave-
nue., or even Commercial street. to Locust
| or John street; third, the actual deprecia-
| ton of adjoining property and resulting
| heavy damages payable to present owners;
| fourth, it remains a dangerous driveway
| for teams not accustomed to the chaotic
noises of locomotives and railroad trains;
then, fifth, its impracticability as thor
oughfare for Dayton's bluff residents and
| farmers, in relation to- the distance they
have to go before they can reach their bust
| ness friends. Before they can distribute
themselves over the city they have to go up
to Broadway, then probably come back on
Seventh street, which, of course, is a
loss of time and naturally they will prefer
to come in town on Seventh street. Then
again, that part of East Third street is al
ways crowded with teams for heavy hauling
to and from the depots, freight and ware
no uses. which for general travel is very un-
desirable. The construction of the Third
street bridge is trying to avoid the Scylla;
when done it is running into the Charyb-
dis, plus the expenses and damages.
1t seems that under existing circumstances
East Third street below Broadway should
be vacated for general travel and left en-
tirelv for freight and warehouse business.
Then Commercial street may be graded up
to Fifth street, perhaps with the grade
raised between Third and Fifth streets, to
make communication more easy and acces-
sible to Hoffman avenue. Then q viaduct
OF bridge should be constructed across the
chasm below Seventh street fill and thrown
across the Duluth, Manitoba and Northern
Pacific railroad tracks. landing on the foot
of East Fifth.
The advantages would be very numerous
and greatly beneficial to the lower town dis
trict. First, much less expensve; second,
| almost Level grade; third, no expensive ap-
proaches nor high UNDERSTANDINGS; fourth
| no condemnation of private property nor
any claims for damages; fifth, making Com
| mercial street and even Hoffman avenue
into business streets; sixth, more equally and
easily accessible for the general public COM
ing and going; seventh, landing the farmers
directly in the center of the lower town
| business part and more easy communica-
ton to all other parts: eighth, individually
the residents on Commercial street, Hoff-
man avenue and in fact the whole district
below Broadway immensely benefited;
ninth, business of lower town must neces-
sarily increase.
The railroads probably would more cheer
fully contribute to the Fifth street bridge,
considering the gaming of lower East Third
street for their own business traffic, the
hauling Of freight, wood and coal would be
confined to Third and Fourth street and the
Fifth street outlet would give an easy, safe
and short way for trade and commerce.
Before further action is taken it seems
well to reconsider the project, especially
when DAYTON bluff and lower town interests
are at stake. CITIZEN.