St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-27
PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS.
Discussing the Proposed Amendments
to the City Charter by the
Legislature.
The Question of Building Stone Arch
Bridge and Other Bridges.

The Hennepin county delegation to the
state Legislature met the council committee
on legislation and number Of citizens yes
terday afternoon, for the purpose of listening
to the arguments to be presented TO sustain
the petition for bonding the city to secure
permanent improvements
Mayor Pillsbury was the first speaker. He
wished to correct SOME enron eous statements
made by the board of trade. and be expressed
his regrets that that upper body was not
fully represented at the meeting. He then
referred to the allegations which had been
made against the board of water commits
sioners Dy Mr.. Bassett, of the board
OF trade, which was published
in these columns at the time.
The mayor explained that the powers of the
board Of water commissioners were limited
in some particulars. At one time they
wanted vacant lot or some place on which
to deposit the pipes and mains being re-
ceived. They petitioned the city council
without avail. 1t was probably an oversight.
1t has been charged that the cost of the de-
partment was $40, 900 per year, while it was,
as matter Of fact, only $4,000. Here the
statistics published in the GLOBE relating to
the expenses and receipts of the department
were read, when the mayor continued to ex-
plain that the board should either be abol-
ished or given more power.
Commissioner Foote explained that the
city had suffered much owing to the delays
occasioned because Of the want of more
power by the board.
Commissioner Andrews put in word for
a salary. He thought it stood 10 reason to
conclude that in order to get good work from
the commissioners they should receive fair
recompense.
A. c, Austin, from the school board, made
plea for that department. He said the
board had been kept seriously handicapped
for lack of finances. The money hid all
been expended for new buildings. Last year
some $50, 900 or 500, 900 had been expended
for that purpose.
Aid. Hashow addressed the delegation at
some length in the interests of the proposed
new bridge across the river in North Mime
apolis. His constituents demanded it and
they would have 1t sooner or later He was
emphatic in his denun citation of the board of
trades action in the matter.
Aid. Walsh made strong plea for bridge
across the river in South Minneapolis. He
used telling arguments, aud among other
things, said that times are not now as they
were years ago. There is no east, there is no
west, and there should be bridges so that
there could be practically no dividing line
between the two sides of the city. Further
more, there should be bridge In South Min
| neapols to connect the two cities-Minne-
apolis and St. Paul. The nearer we get the
two cities together, the closer the con injection,
the better for both cities.
Aid. Hangar, also representing the southern
district of the city, took the floor to advocate
the cause Of the south side bridge. He said:
If bridge is TO be built within the next
few years, II had best be done at once The
materials are all at a low price; iron is cheap,
lumber is cheap and so is labor. The bridge
is needed and will undoubtedly be con-
structed within few years. As 1 said be-
fore, 1t can be done cheaper now, aud,
therefore, now is the time to in
augurate the work. The bridge
will not only benefit residents of the Sixth
and Seventh wards, but will convenience
every part Of the city. II will take from the
Tenth avenue bridge large per cent. Of the
travel now confined 10 II and fast wearing il
| out.
Mayor Plllsbury, as an ex-alderman, was
! certain the council had always acted wisely
and conservativcly, and had never asked for
anything not urgently needed by the city.
| He was surprised at the opposition of the
board Of trade, and could see no reason in the
or of hp ri in lAa IN Quf
down the amount Of the appropriation TO be
| asked for. He did not think 1t would be
| practical to ask for more than per cent. Of
the assessed valuation OF the city. Should IL
| be in excess of that amount ii would natur-
ally have a tendency 10 dcteriorate the credit
of the city. lie did not think there were
| three members OF the council who would ask
for anything in excess OF per cent. of the
assessed valuation.
Ole Byorum asked II il would not be
saving 10 have the old suspension bridge
taken from its present site and placed across
the river at some other point, thereby saving
the cost OF one of the proposed new bridges.
Aid. johnson did not know what the ex-
pense would be.
Aid Cooley replied that the truss work,
etc, could be used In another bridge, but it
would be impossible 10 use the cables Tue
wire ana all Tie materials could be PUT 10
some purpose. The wire could be used for
fences, aud the stone and other materials
could be used in other ways. hut as to using
the bridge for a suspension bridge it is not
practicable.
Aid. Morse brought up the question Of
danger 10 the tails in case u stone ARCH pier
bridge is built He was cognizart OF the OPP
position OF the government to stone arch
bridge at the time the suspension bridge was
erected, and did not believe the government
would allow such bridge built at this time.
Aid. Cooley had charge Of the survey Of
the bed of the river at the time the matter
was discussed before. He found that Just
below the piers of the railroad bridge was a
cavity worn into the SAUDI rock forty feet
deep and for distance Of $50 feet This
was occasioued by the displacement Of the
water by the piers, narrowing up the width
Of the channel and increasing the current
Tue government then objected to allowing a
pier bridge to be constructed across the river
at the site OF the present suspension bridge.
In bis opinion danger must attend the con-
structiou Of such a bridge.
John DeLaittre did not tank the effect OF
the piers would be Of any Consequence. The
government at one time did iuterpose objrc-
lions 70 the plan of a pier or stone arch
bridge, but since then the government had
changed It's plan aud placed concrete bed
at the falls. The railway eompsuies have
narrowed up the stream much more than the