St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-28
THE SIXTH WARD UNION.
1t Will Ask that the Dirt Taken from the
River he Put on the Streets.

1t VIII Ask that the Dirt Taken from the
River be Put on the Streets.
The attendance on the meeting OF the
West Side Citizens union last evening was
only moderate.
THE LEvEE AND GRADING STREETS
The municipal matter talked over was that
of the levee and grading streets. Some OF
the members of the union, headed by MIR.
Lienau, desire to take the dirt that is
dredged out of the Mississippi river by the
government and use it on certain streets in
the Sixth ward. Other members are opposed
to this and insist upon it that the dirt re-
moved from the river bottom be used on the
leyee and nowhere else. When
the president called for report from the
committee on Mississippi river and the
levee, Mr.. Lienau stated that he had not
called the committee together, but as Mr..
Somers, formerly city engineer, was present,
he could explain the situation. Mr.. Somers
made a statement in which he gave history
of the appropriation by congress OF $4,000
for improvng the navigation of the river. The
idea was that the dirt taken from the river
bottom was to be delivered by the govern
ment to the city authorities to be used on
the levee, but he feared the government
would be at work taking out the dirt before
the city would be ready to grade the levee.
In that case it would be judicious to use
the dirt in grading Fillmore avenue
and State and Alabama streets, as
The city was authorized to do. If the city did
not do this the government would take the
dirt down the river and dump il, and thus
the city would wholly lose the benefit
OF having all the dirt to make the fills with.
SECOND REASON
he gave for using the dirt on the streets was
that the bed of the river would be found to
be composed of saw-dust and sand, and con-
sequently would be wholly unfit to be used
on the levee, as it would all be washed away
by the first high water. For these reasons he
thought arrangements old be made to
grade the streets before the govern ment
commenced work. He therefore presented
three preliminary orders for grading the ave-
nue. and streets above named.
Capt. Starkey was opposed to this idea Of
using this dirt for grading any particular
streets 1t looked like favortism. The dirt
should be used on the levee and not on the
streets. He intimated that Job was at the
bottom of it and that certain gentlemen
were trying to gain an advantage by divert
intended If the dirt taken from the river
bottom was saw dust and sand and therefore
unfit to put on the levee because 1t would be
washed away, it was equally as worthless to
put on the street. The first high water We
had would wash 1t from the streets the same
as from the levee.
Mr.. Somers agreed with Capt. Starkey that
the dirt ought 10 be used on the levee. The
question is, can 1t be done? II the
levee can be got into shape in time TO take
advantag of the excavation, The proper
thing would be to use the dirt on the levee.
If the levee is not ready for the dirt and can
not receive 1t, rather than have the dirt lost
to the city, he favored putting IL on the
streets. In answer TO Capt. Starkey Mr..
Somers said the levee was all located and the
monuments placed.
Aid. St Peter argued that II they wanted
it to grade the streets with the way was to
GET UP PETITION
and 60 before the council in regular way.
He mildly blamed Mr.. Somers for the delay
that had already been caused. Mr.. Lienau
insisted that it ought TO be hurried up and
not wait forever on red tape.
Mr.. Stanley argued in favor Of using the
dirt on the streets, and repeated the argu-
mcnt used by Mr.. Somers He thought that
the people of the Sixth ward had a right to
meet aud talk over these matters. If they
had not and had no influence the union
had better adjourn sine die Mr.. Wilde
argued that they ought to wait and
get up petition for grading the streets, and
thus 90 regularly at work. Finally n vote
was taken, on a motion made by Mr. Lienau,
to refer the three orders TO the aldermen OF
the Sixth ward with instructions to present
them to the council, which resulted In tie
vote of twelve, when the president gave the
casting vote in the affirmative and the mo-
ton was declared carried. Considerable
feeling was manifested on both sides during
the discussion, and often the vote was de-
clarcd. Mr.. Wilde offered a resolution, which
was adopted, to the effect that the aldermen
of the Sixth ward see that the dirt taken
from the Mississippi river be used for the
best interest of the city.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Mr.. Llenau offered a resolution that the
union was opposed to the proposed grade of
Eaton avenue, which contemplates bridging
Concord street and tuuueling George street,
which was referred to the committee on
streets.
Mr.. Lieuau spoke In favor OF reducing the
number Of the voting precincts In the Sixth
ward from six to four, but nothing was done
about It.
Mr.. Wilde offered resolution to change
the bylaws So as TO hold the meetings of the
union once in two weeks instead of every
week, which went over to the mex. meeting
under the rules.
This finished the business, aud the union
adjourned.