St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-09-10
THE COMO BOULEVARD.
Reason Advanced why the I'm
PrOvement should E6e Made.

Reason Advanced why the Inn
prOvement should Be Made.
The proposed widening of Como ave-
nue., from Rice street to the lake, twenty feet
on each side of the present street, was con-
sidered and discussed in an informal way
at the board of public works meeting last
night. The plan is to make boulevard to
the lake 100 feet wide, with street car
tracks in the center and drivewayS on each
side. Ex-Ald. Van Slyck and A. S. Tall
madge urged the necessity of the improve
ment, which, aside from benefiting
the property would also be of
great benefit to the whole city,
A. E. Clark thought st. Paul was in the
rear ranks as to improvements that metro
politan city should have. President Bar
rett said the great difficulty in condemning
property for an improvement of this kind
was not with large property owners, but
those who owned single lot and had a
home, all they were worth il the world, on
the street. The question was, how did it
benefit them? True it made grand
boulevard to reach the lake and the park,
but it practically confscated their property.
Suppose it did enhance the value
of their property, instead of pay
ing taxes on 81, 500 or 81 900. they would
then have to pay on $4,000 They had
their all invested in the one piece of prop
erty and those should be the ones the board
would have to pay some attention to.
Judge Flandrau said the avenue could never
be used as pleasure drive, the noise of the
locomotives and cars rendered it impossible
even now to drive a team unless they were
like team of oxen. Fred Neuru thought
h,,Si = l..
turned into a boulevard it would be de-
stroyed for all business purposes j. C.
Kennedy thought if it was to be public
boulevard. the public should pay for it. If
this was the way it was to be done he was
in favor OF it. If the property owners were
to be assessed he was opposed to it.
President Barrett said there would be
local benefits which the property would re-
ceive by the widening of the street, but the
Improvements after the street was opened
would be at the public expense. Mic Pott-
gieser was opposed to the improvement.
He owned property which would be greatly
damaged by the widening of the street.
Commissioner Qunby suggested the taking
of forty feet on the north side of the street
instead of twenty feet on each side. This
would decrease the cost considerably. and
as there were less than a dozen buildings
on that side. it would probably be the bet
ter plan. A letter was read from j. w.
McClung, in which he
OFFERED TO GIVE LAND
for boulevard around the lake provided
he was not assessed for the widening and
grading. d. r. Noyes was opposed to
spending one dollar unless the streets lead
ing to Como avenue could be wdened and
cod - h.
There should be, he thought, some avenue
leading to the only park the city had and
the fair grounds. EX-Ald. Van SIyke
thought as it would be benefit to the
public the public should pay for it. The
estimate could be made as to the cost, and
at the coming meeting of the legislature
the amount for the condemnation could be
secured under special law.
Commissioner Hoyt said if it was pub
lie benefit it was certainly much more a
local benefit to adjoining property.
Clark and others who offered to give
property. providing they were not assessed,
were informed by the president of the
board that no such indemnity against as
sessments could be considered by the board
A. S. Tallmadge said public improve
ments had not kept pace with the city.
No city in the country was so deficient in
broad streets. The property in the line of
the proposed improvement could not help
being benefited
President Barrett said million and a
quarter had been expended on public i'm
provements this year which was certainly
a good showing. He was of the opinion,
however, that if the avenue was to be
widened now was the time to do it, as it
could be done for less than one-half what it
would cost in two or three years. Gov
Marshall said the city had 265 acres on the
west side of the lake which could be sold
$500, 900. 1t cost only SS3, 600, and there
was no access to 1t except
by this avenue. There was and always
would be opposition to public improve
ments. While it was hardship for some
it benefited more than it injured, and was
in this instance a necessity. The city
should also build an attractive boulevard to
Minneapolis. ST. Paul was neglecting the
park and boulevard question, while Min
neapolis was spending SO to st. Paul's 81
for the purpose. The improvement would
give poor people a chance to ride out to the
park and get breath of fresh air for 5
cents, and beside, would be a great benefit
to the city. The matter will be considered
by the board, and the cost of the improve
ment estimated by the city engineer.
Stamped Envelopes.
Postmaster Day has received an order
from the department in relation to dispos-
Of