St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-19
THE LOCATION LEGAL.
So Says George p. Wilson About
the Bloomington Ferry Bridge.

So Says George L. wilson ABOUT
the Bloomington Ferry Bridge.
George P. Wilson made his report
yesterday morning to the board of trade
on the legality of the action of the board
of county commissioners in the Bloom
ington ferry bridge matter.
He stated that the act of the legisla-
tUre last winter empowered the commits
sioners to issue bonds for $4,000 for
two bridges one of which was to con-
uect Hennepin and Dakota counties,
and tine other to connect Hennepin and
Scott counties. The first of these two
bridges was located at the Cedar avenue
location, and the second at Bloomington
ferry.
In regard to the location of the Bloom
ington ferry bridge, the one over which
the board of trade have been worrying
for the past weeks, he stated that it was
left with the discretion of the commits
siOners to locate it at Lyndale avenue
or Bloomington ferry, or at any inter.
mediate point. The act cOnflicted in its
parts in the fact that the bridge was
| to connect Scott and Hennepin counties
and that it might be located at Lyndale
avenue, which would not make it ex-
actly join the two counties, and for this
| reason if the bridge had been located at
| Lyndale avenue it would have not been
| in accordance with the word Of the act.
| But it had not been, and was located at
Bloomington ferry, and as this was left
wholly to the discretion of the commits
siOners of Hennepin county, it was
legal. whether it meet with the favor of
their constituents or not. But relative
to the giving of contracts, it was the
opinion of the attorney that the COM
missiOnerS had exceeded their authority.
The purpose of the act was that neither
of the two bridges was to be built un-
less both were. The bonds were to be
| issued for both after both contracts
were. made. The commissioners had
| gone ahead with the Bloomington ferry
| bridge, and the contracts for the Cedar
avenue bridge were not yet signed.
| Mr.. Wilson stated, as it was now
| thought that this Cedar avenue bridge
| would be for the benefit of rival city,
st. Paul, it was probably a fortunate
| thing for Minneapolis that the bridge
| had not been built, and that it might
not be built now.
The report of Mrs. Wilson was adopt
| ed and the board took up the cOnsidera-
| ton of the 500 canal. The following
resolution. which was sept to the board
| by II. w. Seymour, and which was pre-
scented to congress by him, with the
various Endorsements 1t might receive.
was read;
THAT the commerce Of Lake Supe-
rior, amounting now to upwards of
| 500, 100000 per year, is of vital interest
| to the Northwest, and its safety should
not be imperiIed by possible accidents
to the old canal at Sault Ste. Marie, and
| our representatives. in congress are
therefore requested to unite in an effort
| for an immediate appropriation by con-
| gress for the purpose of eXpediitng the
work upon the new lock and canal at
| that place in order that the thread which
binds the producers of the Northwest to
the consumers of the East by cheap
waterway may not snap and leave our
commerce stranded, if not wrecked"
81, &. o. Morrison stated that he be-
lieved H.. w. Seymour all right and
moved the adoption of the resolution.
Capt. Reno seconded the motion.
Judge AtWater saw "nigger in the
wood, pile" and said he would vote for
no 81 CHI resolution until it was investi-
gated, and moved as substitute that the
resolution be referred to the committee
on water power and navigation.
E. Z. Steele, who had spent FIVE years