St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-08
QUESTIONS OF CABLE CARS.
Discussed by Mr.. Lowry and City
OfficioIs-.NO Action Taken.
Points Involved.


OfficinIs--No Action Taken--
| Points involved.
| The Selby avenue cable line matter was
again taken up by the committee OH streets
last night. A number of property owners
interested and Mr.. Lowry were present.
Chairman Starkey expressed some objec.
! ton to the drafting of cable line Ordi-
nance where 1t requires the company to
! leave the streets in as good condition as
before the tracks were laid down ''under
the direction of the city engineer" City
Attorney Murray produced copy Of the
Chicago ordinance, giving the right to the
North Chicago Railway company TO lay
cable lines. This ordinance required the
company to pay all damages that would
result through interfering with sewers and
| private water mains; also all damages
which property owners might suffer because
of the construction of the cable line.
The object of Mr.. Murray is to have the
street car company liable for all damages
for which, it no provision was made, the
city might become legally liable. The
Chicago ordinance also compelled the COM
pany to pave the tracks whenever the COM
pany paved the streets, and with the same
material, and the tracks were not to be
elevated above the surface of the streets,
or interfere with the grade in any way.
After some discussion by Mr.. Murray,
Counsel H. II. Horn and Mr.. Lowry, it was
decided to have Messrs. Murray and Horn
draft proper ordinance embodying these
amendments. and the committee would
meet to take action on it next Tuesday
morning, so as to report to the council at a
special meeting Tuesday night.
Before the adjournment AID. Petsch
suggested that Mr.. Lowry should not have
any franchise whatever on SummiG az
anue. because it was the handsomest street
in the city and a street-car track would
spoil it. Mr.. Petsch believed Mr.. Lowry
was good enough fellow and would re-
Spect public opinion-Mr Lowry said he
would-but he might sell his franchise
sometime to person or company which
would not be so mindful of public opinion.
1t is understood that an ordinance will be
proposed to debar Mr.. Lowry from ever US
ing Summit avenue for right of way. In
answer to a question by Aid. PetSch, Mr.
Lowry said the same tickets used on street
cars as at present would be good Oh the
cable line.
WHY MIR. MURRAY OBJECTS.
Mr.. Murray objects to the proposition
requiring Mr.. Lowry to put up retaining
walls ON the south side Of the cable-line
tracks. between Third street and Summit
avenue, sufficient to retain the earth on
that side in its present position, and to
grade the eight feet on the north side of its
tracks on Selby avenue, between Third
street and Summit avenue" He is not in
favor of having the retaining walls put up
| Immediately alongside of the track as the
wording of the ordinance implied. 1t
would greatly benefit A. II. Wilder's prop
erty, but the public has some rights and the
city council is there for the good of the
public and not to improve Mr.. Wilder's
property. We are all friends of Wilder"
he continued, 'but we are here to look out
for the public interests" A rather COM
pick question arises from this. The
double tracks of the cable line will
occupy about sixteen feet. On the north
side eight feet is to be graded for
eight-foot sidewalk This takes up alto
gether thirty-two feet of the sixty-feet-
wide street, leaving twenty-eight feet on
the south side. If the retaining walls were
putup Immediately alongside the tracks it
would benefit Mr.. Wilder as much as to
virtually give him possession-rot actual
possession in fee simple, of course-of this
twenty-eight feet OF public property for the
purpose of retaining his property. Taking
into consideration that the walls must nee
essarily slope to support the earth, for a
perpendicular wall would not bear the
pressure, not great deal of property would
be left on the level surface above to make
it any object to the city to use it. But if
the city should have Mr.. Lowry put up re-
tanning walls on the property line, as Mr..
Murray suggests. the slope of the wall
would cause shrinking in Mr.. Wilder's
property, and the city would be liable to
damages if Mr.. Wilder desired to institute
an action. 1t is not generally known that
final order is before the board of public
works now, directing the board to proceed
to grade this portion of Selby avenue into
terraces, with view to having Aid. Van
Slyke set out trees and make pretty park
of it,