St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-05-09
TO BAR OUT THE HERD
The AnimuS of the Scheme to
Change Selby Avenue
Grade
According to Statements Made
at a Meeting Of Property
Owners,
Where the Subject Of a Cable
Line Tunnel Was Fully
Discussed.
The Gathering Decides That
No Change of Grade Is
Needed.

yesterday by Interested piop0llS o"h-
ers, who, at the request of the board of
public works, met in the council cham
Der and discussed it for three long
hours. At the outset the attendance
was small, but before the discussion was
fairly under way every foot Of standing
room in the chamber was occupied.
President German raped the meeting
to order, and read the resolution offered
by Aid. Sanborn, referring the matter
to the board of public works for lnVeStl-
CATION. He requested that the discus
sion be confined to three points? Was
the improvement necessary? How
much would the damages amount to-?
and what property should be assessed?
for the improvement. The estimates
prepared by City Engineer Rundlett
were then submitted; neither OF the
estimates. however, included the dam
age to property or cost Of land necessary
to be condemned for the retaining walls.
The width OF the thOroughfare is sixty
six feet. with a roadway Of sixty feet.
Under Estimate No. 3 it would be neces-
sary when the cut approXimates width
of forty feet 10 condemn ten feet on each
side additional, to give space Tor the re-
tanning walls Following are the esti-
mates submitted by the city engineer:
Estimate No. Am 11-foot grade,
24-foot roadway side, to be supported by
retaining walls with bridge at Summit
avenue: cost, S4S,3UO.
Estimate No. 2-An 11-foot grade,
5O-fOot roadway. with bridge on Summit
avenue; cost 49, $50.
Estimate No. 3-A 6-fOot grade, 60-fOOt
roadway. retaining walls, with bridge at
Summit avenue: cost, 1883, ZOO.
Judge Reid opened the ball by de
ba ,,r,,nnSi4inp a . q cnhpmn of
ten or a dozen residents of Summit ave-
nue. to shut out the common herd from
a full enjoyment of the privileges Of
that thorOughfare. If the grade were
changed as was proposed, all adjacent
property, including that on Summit
avenue, would be greatly damaged.
Persons desiring to embark on the cable
line cars at Summit avenue would he
compelled to descend Il flight of stairs
to do so. Danger now reduced to
minimum would he UNNECESSARILY in
creased by the change, while the one
prominent beauty spot in the city would
be spoiled by the unsightly cut. He re-
ferred to the cable lines in San Fran
cisco, notably the one on California
street, and said he was willing to accept
the Judgment of such men as Stanford.
the Crockers and Hopkins, who were
unanimously of the opinion that the
cable line
ENHANCED TIE ATTRACTIvENESs
Of Mob Hill, in San Francisco, and also
added TO the value of the property.
Gen. Bishop, being called for, said he
would be able to discuss the matter
more intelligently if those who favored
the change would state their reasons
for it. and also what property should
bear the expense of the Improvement.
DR.. Day here sandwiched in his opin-
ions. which elected frequent applause.
The proposition was the most wonder
full he had ever heard of. He could not
see any reason for changing the grade.
While favorimg public improvements of
all kinds. he looked upon this PROPOSE
ton as the pet hobby Of a few wealthy
residents of Summit auenUe who
wanted to be as exclusive as possible
and thought a tunnel under Summit
avenue would effect their purpose. If
his property were damaged. and it GER
tainly would be, he would apply to the
courts for such recOmpenSe as would,
under the circumstances. be Just to him.
self and the public. The argument that
a reduction of the grade from Is to II
per cent would lessen the danger of
travel on the cable line he characterized
as fallac0us. The danger to life and
limb would not lie decreased III the least
by the proposed change.
At this stage of the proceedings Fred
DriscOll got the floor and explained why
he and others favored the tunnel project.
Primarily it would facilitate travel ana
make Summit avenue safe for vehicles
and pedestrians. AT present, Mr.. DriS-
coll said, people driving or walking
along Summit and across 'Selby avenue
run great risk of being run over by the
cable cars, which danger could be OBJ
waited by lowering the grade and con-
structing a short open cut through Sum-
nit avenue. This would have been
done long ago. Mr.. Driscoll Said, chad
not DR.. Day threatened injunction pro-
ceedings. This threat was expressed
by DR.. Day at Il meeting Of the Summit
avenue association. Had the tunnel
been made then, the recent accident on
the cable line might not have occurred"
DR.. Day disclaimed having made any
threats at the meeting referred to by
Mr.. DriScoll. What he did say at the
meeting was, that if his property was
damaged by the lowering of the grade
he would apply TO the courts for ade-
quate recOmpenSe.
MIR. DriscOll said the Summit avenue
crossing was the most dangerous in the
city. The Improvement should be made
and the whole city assessed for it.
A gentleman i'll the audience sug-
of tlagmen, at an expense not to exceed
$1,000 per annum, would put an end to
the danger, and be far better than the
expenditure of so large a sum as would
be required for the Improvement
Judge Reid took advantage of the lull
to gain the floor, and then proceeded to
sail into Mr.. DriScoll. He could not be-
lieve that Mr.. Driscoll meant what he
had said in regard to Dr. Day. The re-
pn,1y ind 4
an unmanly thrust Of the cruelest and
fouleSt kind at citizen.
OF THE HIGHEST STANDING
in the community. He was willing to
excuse Mr.. Drisc0ll, who probably spoke
while IN passion. AS for the cable line.
the whole city is interested in it, and it
should be left just as it is.
Col. Bend said he was secretary of the
meeting of the Summit Avenue asSocia-
that DR.. Day did not make any threats
as had been stated. AS a resident of
Summit avenue, Col. Bend opposed the
scheme to lower the grade of Selby ave
hue. There is no danger whatever at
the Summit avenue crossing.
Col. Barr said that if it were decided
by the board of public works to order
the improvement, the city railway
company would offer no objection. The
colhpdlly, iloNeNcI. uiu itoI plopoSc W
spend cent, nor would it claim any
thing for loss of traffic while the i'm
provcment was being made. The
company was of the opinion
that the city should pay its
fixed charges for the period required
to change the grade. These he com
puted at about $500 a month, besides
the actual cost of removing material,
estimated at $4,000, and $40 per foot for
relaying cable. In response to ques-
ton, Col. Barr said the difference in
grade contemplated by the improve
ment would not lessen the danger oc-