St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-08-21
The FATAL SUBJECT.
Impossible to Keep the Fran
chise Question Out Of the
Council.
A Proposition for an Electric
Test Deferred to Mon
days Meeting.
Two More Franchises Are
Added to the Increasing
Number.
Chief Inspector Clausen Sug-
gests Changes in the
Grain Grades.

When the common council convened
last night the aldermen were firmly re-
solved to stick to routine business.
They fell down at an early stage of the
game, however. The electric motor
bugaboo bobbed up Unexpectedly. and
beforetany one expected anything wrong
the city fathers stumbled over COM
munication from Archbishop Ireland
and Thomas Cochran Jr., and were
hopelessly lost. The document that
precipitated the trouble reads as fol-
lows:
To the Honorable the Common Council of
the City of st. Paul: The undersigned re-
specially represent that i'll advocating the
use OF electricity upon certain lines of street
railway in which they feel an especial inter
est and which have been already indicated
to your honorable body, they did not antici-
pate the complications which have arisen
with respect to this subject, and which have
produced considerable delay as we'll as I'M
certainty with respect to the success of the
plan which they have hitherto favored.
They desire much that a plan may
be arrived at which may at
once produce practical results and be free
from present complications. They feel that
much would be accomplished practically If
the electric system could be fairly tested by
immediate experiments and have obtained
the consent of the ST. Paul City Railway
company to make such tests within the lines
favored by us, and witch are set forth in the
formula of a resolution which we herewith
respectfully submit
JOHN IRELAND.
THOMAS COCHRAN JR.
To the communication was attached
the following resolution, by Aid. Sulli-
van:
Resolved. That permission is hereby
granted to the st. Paul City Railway COM
pany for the purpose of experimenting IN
the use of electric power on the street rail:
way service of said company upon and
within the limits of the following lines in
the city of St. Paul, viz: On Fifth street,
from Smith street to Wabasha street; on
Wabasha street. from Fourth street to Sew
enth street; on Seventh street to Tuscarora
avenue; on Randolph street, from
Seventh street in continuous line to
the Mississippi river; on Ramsey street
to Oakland avenue, on Oakland avenue from
Ramsey street to Grand avenue, from thence
in a continuous line to the Mississippi river;
to place and erect in the said streets the
necessary poles, wires and appliances used
for similar purposes. to the satisfaction OF
the city engineer, and to operate the proper
cars for such service within the period of six
months from the approval of this resolution:
prove satisfactory to the city council the said
poles, wires and appliances may be removed
at any time within one year by order of the
common council of said city.
THEY WE'RE HEARD.
When the clerk finished reading the
communication and resolution Aid. Sui
Ivan suggested that the petitioners be
heard, as both occupied seats in the
chamber. This was Aid. Fishers op-
portunity to object. His first objection
was mild one-so mild that it had lit
tie effect. He was next heard from in
no uncertain voice.
u object to any snap game of that
kind, as special meeting of the coun-
ell has already been set apart to con-
slider these matters. / object"
"a snap game" was. just what he
called it, but Aid. Sullivan wouldn't
have it that way. Aid. Sullivan wanted
to hear the bishop. Whether the other
aldermen did or not was conundrum,
as they were dumb as oysters on the
subject. Aid. Fisher forced the matter
to a vote, and had the satisfaction of de-
claring himself alone against granting
Bishop Ireland aud Mr.. Cochran an
audience. Aid. Weber. who acted as
chairman in the absence of both the
president and vice president, de-
clared that the gentlemen should be
heard. Aid. Fisher still object
ed, but they were heard, notwith-
standing. Both of them urged the
passage of the resolution, Archbishop
Ireland claiming that it is essentially
necessary to test the practicability of
the use of electricity in st. Paul. 1t is
an experiment, he claimed, and might
prove useless in this climate. For that
reason he urged that test should be
made during the winter months to
avoid The possible covering of the streets
with a network of worthless railways.
Mr.. Cochran'S remarks were of the same
tenor. At the close of their remarks
Aid. Sullivan moved the passage of the
resolution, claiming that it would be
unwise to pass the resolution in
the absence of several members of the
sufficient members present to do so le-
gally. Corporation Attorney Holman,
when called upon, did not think the
council could pass such a resolution, as
it gave. the company rights to lay track
and operate lines on Grand avenue and
Randolph street, which is practically
what is proposed in their ordinances.
Such privileges could be granted on any
of the company's existing lines, he
thought, were it not for the fact that
the resolution provided for the obStruc-
ton of streets with poles. On motion
of Aid. Cullen the communication and
resolution were laid upon the table, to
be taken up at the special meeting next
Monday to consider railway franchises.
ANOTHER STREET RAILWAY SCHEME
was brought up by Aid. Sanborn. who
introduced an ordinance supplemental
to the ordinance authorizing the con-
struction of the Selby avenue cable
line. 1t provides for the extension of
the Selby avenue line from st. Adams
street to Fairview avenue, and Stipu-
lates that the line shall be completed
and in operation by Nov. 1, 1890.
Passage of the ordinance was
urged in communication from
a large number of Selby avenue prop
erty owners, who stated that they had
raised the necessary 100000 bonus, and
had the company's assurance that but a
single fare OF five cents would be
charged on the entire line. On motion
of Aid. Sanborn the ordinance received
order for the special meeting next Mon
day.
S. and o. Kipp, John B. st. Aubin,
Louis n. Dion, Alfred Dufrene, J. W.
Cooper and H. Il. Sattler also petitioned
for franchise to a company to be
named in future. The proposed line is
on Rice street, from its intersection
with Minneapolis avenue to Maryland
street, to Park avenue, to University
avenue, to Cedar street, to Second
street. The matter was also made an
order for the special meeting next Mon
day.
NOTHING LEFT.
But little routine business was trans
acted. Two vetoes were received from
Mayor Smith. The first was Aid. San
born's resolution prohibiting base ball
playing within one square of the inter-
section of Grotto street with Summit
avenue. His veto of the resolution au-
thorizing the city engineer to have the
necessary dredging done in front OF the
levee at the foot of Jackson street, at a
cost not to exceed $500, resulted in a re-
consideration of the resolution. which
was afterwards laid upon the table to
be taken up at the next meeting.
Health Commissioner Hoyt petitioned
for authority to increase his present
foroa Inv tho oppoiDtmpDt of milf apd