St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-02
LANDS FOR A LEVEE.
The Chamber of Commerce Will
Not Bolster an Alleged Syndi-
cate Scheme.

Not Bolster an Alleged Syndi-
cate Scheme.
The principal theme of discussion at
yesterdays session of the chamber of
commerce was the West side levee. The
secretary read the report of the special
committee. which has heretofore been
published. Upon Mr.. Merrill's motion
to adopt the report, Mr.. Somers sug-
gested and urged that the resolutions
which were considered last week be
adopted with the report. These resolu-
lions are designed to head off the legiS-
lation now pending. which provides for
the deciding back to the original owners
of the lands condemned for levee pur-
poses. Mr.. Merrill favored the report
because he thought the city had no
moral or legal right to retain property
ostensibly for public use without
actually devotlng it to such. Mr..
Murray was of the opinion
that the scheme to convey
back to the original owners was all out
rage. At Mr.. Murray's request the
secretary read letter from an attorney
in Tacoma, which stated that a citizen
of that place had for a consideration of
500 given a quitclaim deed to lot on
South Robert street worth $4,000. Mr..
Murray also stated that syndicate is
buying up these lots in the hope of &C
curing final title from the city. The
levee was intended as much for railroad
purposes as for breakwater. The
consensus Of opinion was against a re-
conveyance of the property to the origi-
nal owners. but that levee be built
forthwith. Mr.. Stevens stated that he
had introduced bill in the legislature
providing for the appointment of levee
commission to look into the matter;
that to condemn the land and construct
the levee would require an expenditure
of 100000. The report was adopted with
the exception of the last recommendation
which is to the effect that the city shall
reconvey the land unless the levee is
built. Mr.. Rogers did not vote, and in
explanation said: "If the city obtained
the property for levee purposes, and
does not use it for that purpose, it has
been obtained under false pretenSeS.
and should be returned. But if syn
dictate is buying up the property. the
syndicate should not have the benefit of
the recOgniZance." The reception COM
mittee, TO which Vas referred the mat
ter of the June memorial festival, re-
ported favoring the Endorsement of the
plan. A guarantee of $4,000 is required,
and the chamber recommends the mat
ter to the favorable consideration of the
public. Capt. Castle introduced resO-
Washburn to petition the secretary of
war to revoke the order removing the
field guns from Fort Smelling.
Taxpayers Story Is Very Thin.
To the Editor of the Globe.
Having read in one of your contem-
DorarieS communication signed Tax
payer giving an account of meeting
held at Lucker's hall on March 2S,
report of which appeared in the col
umns of your paper on the 10Th, will
try to show the fallacy of the said COM
munication. Who is this new Rich
mond in the field? A poorer champion
than Taxpayer could not be found to
take up the cudgels and fight the battle
of the East side syndicate. From the
beginning to the end the communica-
ton is complete tissue of falls ehoods.
In the first place, the meeting was held
within a mile of the Indian Mounds.
miles from the proposed park. The
meeting was not convened by Mr..
Davis, but by a committee of gentle
men appointed at an informal meeting
of the citizens of Dayton's bluff, pre-
viously held to deci lie on the course of
action to be pursued to protest against
the intrigueS of chosen few who have
been the main wire-pullers in having
the site known as blocks z, s, and 10,
Suburban Hills, condemned as the site
for public park. l say now, if men,
Der OF the park commission can SO far
forget his duty as TO go in direct oppO-
sitiOn to the majority of the residents of
DaytOn'S bluff in the question of park,
h IDrC NV rnE n4HI f.Nv, fDy4 tho
dence repoSed in him by the public. |
appeared at the meeting as the repre-
sentative of the majority of the taXpay-
ers of Dayton's bluff, and not as friend
and colleague of Mr.. Davis. l acted as
such representative without fear or
favor and without reward. | have yet
got to learn that a person must be a
resident in this city for forty-four years,
as some of the speakers at the meeting
claimed they had been, or that person
must come to your beautiful city as a
poor boy Gas Mr.. Middleton stated he
did to learn the origin of the East side
syndicate. l think any one coming
here with the ordinary amount of brains
of this real estate clique. 1 have, it is
true, only been in your city
but a short time, but my inten-
ton is to become. one of your
citizens, and | only hope that after
forty -four years. re sidence amongst the
people of st. Paul, more extended
love and friendship will exist between
the citizens of st. Paul and myself than
seems at present to exist between them
and MIR. Middleton. Facts, sir, are very
stubborn things to overcome; andI can
thoroughly understand that one OF two
gentlemen have sat rather uneasily in
their chairs for the past day or two; but
when your readers know that | was
threatened that unless / remained in
doors during the evening would lie
treated with violence. it appears to me
that the truth has gone too deeply home.
1t is the pride of Americans to boast of
this being free country; | ask, in the
name of large community, to extend
to every one the right of free speech. /
will not touch seriatim upon all the
points in Taxpayers communication,
as they, along with others of the same
class, meet with the contempt they de-
serve; but say if Taxpayer" will call
meeting this week, the citizens will
pronounce the same judgment which
they did on Thursday night last. The
report of the meeting which appeared in
your issue of the 29th inst. was the cor
rect one, and defy Taxpayer" to dis
pute it. | have read Taxpayers"
communication very carefully. and l
think that any one who will read be-
tween the lines will see that the writ
ing is that of Esau, while the voice is
that of Jacob. Yours truly,
F. F. PRICE.