St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-02-27
SHALL THE MOTORRUN?
Important and Significant Facts Stated
by Member Of the Com
mittee,
Utterly Routing the Statement That the
First Avenue Property Has Been
Damaged.
On the Contrary, II Has Outstripped
Second Avenue in Increased
Values.
Rapid Transit Absolu tely Necessary
TO the Eighth and Seventh
Wards.
For the Globe.

For the Globe
With persistency worthy of better
cause. the opponents Of the motor are again
revamplng the statement that the use of
steam on First avenue south has 50 depre-
ciated the value of property thereon as TO
amount 10 q virtual cOniiScatiOn OF the same
"a statement one fails 10 hear made when
sites are being sought for prominent build
ings, as witness the fancy prices asked
when postOffices, Masonic halls. public
libraries. etc, are TO be erected Nor is it
OF record that the property owners on said
avenue We're Oyer-anXiOus 10 unload when
several entire squares were desired short
time since for exposition purposes.
To the end that / might be officially in
formed as TO the percentage OF depreciation
several hours were spent yesterday in the
Office of the county auditor oyeThaulng as
sessment rolls from 1875 lthe year the mo-
tor ordinance was passed, +. ,. COrser be-
ing the president and one OF the most active
workers theren) 10 the present time. Judge
of my establishment at learning that in
stead OF depreciating. the property on the
motor line from First street 10 Tenth street
(which was as far as my investigation ex-
tendedl had actually advanced in value in
the six years following the passage Of the
ordinance. and not only advanced but ad-
vanced in far greater ratio than its next
neighbOr. And this Notwithstanding the
well-knOwn fact that First avenue has
never logged behind when reduced valua-
tons by assessors and tax attachments by
the proper officials have been in sight. In
order that he
WHO READS MAY RUN
and that he who reads may run down the
hereto a resume of the assessment
rolls on First and Second avenues
south for 1873, lss0, 1852 and 1SS4-
reality being assessed only in even num-
| bered ycars-as equalized by the authorities.
| grouping all property abutting on both sides
/ OF said avenues by blocks. As on both ave
nues most OF the original lots run lengthwise
and front on the intersecting streets the
buildings reach back upon other lots and
| the tables necessarily include all property
/ taxed with lots abutting on the avenues.
| Any one who will take the trouble 20 look the
/ matter up will see that this plan has no ma
/ ter!al effect on the results.
! This plan was adopted 10 avoid any seeming
/ intention TO be too personal, rs in certain
| cases the valuation might suggest the adviS-
| ability of the corn exchange holding another
! meeting for the adjustment OF taxes on n
/ more equitable basis-sOme property on First
/ avenue being assessed for n mere rental AS
/ compared to the prices asked therefor. and
| 10 some extent this il true on Second avenue
1 also. Il will be seen that while in 1875, just
| before the passage of the motor ordinance
l and AZ a time when the effect of the motor
was wholly problematic, the valuation OF
! property on the respective avenues named
! WAS about the same, the ''accursed motor
! has not only failed to hold First aveu ne
/ property In check, but that ON the contrary
/ IL has constantly gained over its former
| rival not only when the property is con
~ : win hmr y rql Ia
| blocks in every instance.
| IL is said that figures wont he" certainly
official figures should not, and the following
| will serve TO show that Dir. Corser was not
| only honest in the arguments used by hin
| years ago. but that ne eau triumphantly ap-
/ peal to the record for vindication OF the
/ stand he then took. Here are the figures:
FIRST AVENUE SOUTH,
from First TO Tenth streets, including botl
| sides q the avenue.