St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-21
half of the amount received as assess

ments.
PROF. CLEVELAND.
Prof. Cleveland followed Mr.. Loring,
and referred to an address he delivered here
some time ago, in which he demonstrated
that no city could be without parks. park
ways and >boulevards. He was surprised
at the progress Minneapolis has made in
this respect. More work has been done
there than in any city he had ever known
in the same length of time. He explained
map he had hung up. showing how he had
planned the decorating of a two hundred
foot avenue, leaving two roadways, each
forty feet wide. with a park in the middle,
with fifteen feet on each side of the center
for walks. Here in st. Paul the topography
of the country is so remark
ably diversified that very beautiful
effects can be produced. He spoke
In very earnest manner of utilizing Min
nehaha by making it a part of park sys-
TEN, and urged that the river front ought
to be preserved. In regard to Summit ave-
nue., he said that he could not add anything
to what he had already said about it. 1t
was magnificent avenue, and if properly
improved it could not be surpassed by any
other in the United States. In improving
Summit avenue the natural topography
should be preserved as near as possible. OF
course steep hills ought to be avoided.
These are inadmissible. but the grading
should be as light as possible. In reply to
Mr.. Cochran Mr.. Loring said that
fiye-tenths of mill would be sufficient
tax to maintain the parks and bOulevardS.
Thomas Cochran, Jr., in behalf of
the audience expressed its thanks to Prof.
Cleveland and Mr.. Lorng for all the assist
ance they had rendered in this matter, and
moved vote of thanks. He said he was
sorry that Minneapolis was so far ahead OF
st. Paul in parks and bOulevards when he
was interrupted and corrected by Col
James II. Davidson, who said Mr. Cochran
undoubtedly intended to say that he was
sorry that st. Paul was so far behind Min
neapolis. This raised laugh and the cor
rectiOn was accepted.
OTHER REMARKS.
William B. Dean regretted the loss of the
river front, and thought the beautiful hills
south of Summit avenue, running along up
the river, ought to be preserved. He
groaned when he thought of the fact that
the engineering department of the city had
already begun cutting into them. He
thought another Summit avenue could be
built on these hills where splendid view
of the river valley could be obtained.
Judge j. j. Egan called attention to the
fact that the constitution of the state pro-
hbiJed the city from altering, laying out
oropening general highways outside the city.
He had no suggestion to make, but desired
simply to direct the attention of all to the
obstacle.
G. n. Bell called the attention of the au-
dience to the fact that there was not an
other street in the city that could be
widened besides Summit avenue. for the
reason that the lots are only from ITO feet
to $50 feet deep, running back to an alley,
consequently these streets and ave-
nues cannot be widened. He con-
demned this and also denounced the
plat commission system as it exists
in st. Paul. where additions are made to
the city. the streets of which do not con-
form to those already established. He
was quite severe OH this subject of the plat
commission. Even Smelling avenue, which
is destined to be the great avenue from
north to south. is filled up with shallow
lots the same as on the streets on Arlington
heights and Dayton's bluff
The legislative committee was directed to
meet with the chamber of commerce COM
mittee Monday evening to prepare a bill in
regard to park commission to be submit
ted to the legislature.