St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-07-02
MIR. AUsTIN,s COMMITTEE.
The Unkind Things That are Being
Said Ab0utIt.


meeting Tuesday, referring the explicit
charges made against the building committee
back to the committee itself for inyestlga-
ton. has rot struck the average citizen as
lust the right thing to have done in view or
all the circumstances. The committee "as
empowered to employ such expert aSsislance
as might be necessary, and mas oecloeu on
Building Inspector Pardee as the expert.
The committee will probably come as near 10
vindicating itself as is possible, but this self
yindication will probably prove something CT
q boomerang.
Mr.. Austin. as chairman of the committee,
suppressed the report of Assistant inspector
Hazen, which rather shady performance Is
denounced by the latter as uncalled 1or ana
IniI1st 10 the public. The "open letter peo-
ple are still saying unpleasant things, and are
making cruel tcynical filings at the para
doxical position that the building COM
mitieeas sumes in investigating itself. Inc
cool effrontery of the committee IN prevent
ing competition receives the following scor-
ing at the hands of Messrs. Goodwin. camp
and COrSer.
Connection among architects on terms securing
honorable work would at any time bring out sew
eraI schemes equally efficient But no. MIR. AUS
tins committee had been 80 poor" that they
could not venture on the competitive system Al
though the public might thereby nave got seven
good buildings for the same money they nave now
paid for six very bad ones of no greater accommo-
dations. When. therefore, Mr.. Ankeny yentured
the suggestion that the building Just ordered at
Forest heights be suspended and built according
to skilled design it wouldn't do at ALL contracts had
been let and damage suits would follow. nj.
Britain whom Mr.. Austin's GOO went so lar OUT
OF the usual course to make so honest mat
there should be no doubt about IT. stated tnat the
footings of the wall were in and the wall partly
laid, when in fact but one-fourth OF the iootlng
stones we're in place, and no stone Oh the van
proper laid. Now what were these contracts
Were two of them made by the committee with
members of the committee? Was there IN exist
ence in any case q valid contract with the oearoE
FOURTH AVENUE CROSSING.
The Council Committee Aiding the
JTamItoba--The ST. Louis Objects.
The council committee yesterday morning
held a conference with representatives Of the
Minneapolis & st. Louis railroad in reference
to the crossing at Fourth Avenue north. 1t
was expected that the Manitoba road would
also be present. but no one appeared. a
large map representing the crossing, pre-
pared by City Engineer Rinker, was hung up,
and AID. Johnson explained that tue commit
tee had previously determined upon asking
that tracts be lowered from First street 10
Sixth street. and that the bridge at Washing
Ton avenue should be made the full width of
the street. The damage to AUDITING
property would be at least % per
cent. smaller than by any other plan
that could be adopted. 1t should also be re-
the side wall of the bridge to admit teams to
the freight houses. The committee had also
decided that all tracks on Washington ave
nue. should be lowered at least twelve feet.
vICE-PREsIDRNT TRUEsDALE
said the Minneapolis & st. Louis company
recognized the necessity of crossings and was
willing to do what was reasonable. He
thought the Manitoba road was seeking to &C
complish. through the committee. what 1t had
failed to do in the cOurts-to lower Its tracks
eight feet at First street, where the Mime
apolis u St. Louis crosses. This would com-
pei his road to lower all its roads and tracks
at once. and would require vast outlay OF
money. He proposed to tunnel under the
tracks at Washington avenue at a width of
sixty feet, giving room for two street
car tracks and driveway on each side, thus
leaving twenty-One and a half feet
abutting property would not be dam
aged. AS for the other crossings
this company would bridge on tie present
grade at the rate of one bridge year. This
would provide six crossings, and would give
North Minneapolis good accommodations.
Engineer Rinker said he estimated that the
Minneapolis & St. Louis could lower its tracks
according 10 his plan for So, 900. Mr.. Trues-
dale said it couldn't be done for fifty cents q
yard. He did not think the council had the
legal authority to compel the lowering of the
yards. Aid. Eichhorn said he thought the
lie whose streets it is using. Judge Springer
retorted that the city didu give the railroad
the use of its streets, the privilege being OBJ
tanned from the state in 1853.
NORTH MINNEAPOLIs PROPERTY.
aid. Pratt said the growth Of North Mime
lpOs had been retarded by the
railroads. Mr.. Truesdale answered
that the Minneapolis & St. Louis
mad not delayed the growth of any part of the
city. 1t had expended 100000 in Miuneapo-
is, when its receipts for the first half of the
year had been S150,G00 less than during the
same period last year. Engineer Rinkel
thought his proposed plan would be worth
$l,000000 TO the city. Aid Pratt said the
benefit to North Minneapolis property would
amount to that. City Attorney Cross said
Yes, i've times that amount" The confer
ence here ended. and adjournment was taken
TO Saturday afternoon, July 10. The Mime
apOis s. St. Louis objected still furth er tc
lowering its tracks upon the plea that il
could not cross the Manitoba's tracks so as tC
run into the yards of the Northern Pacific
The council committee will investig ate this
feature of the case in the meantime.