St. Paul daily globe., 1889-10-25
BOTH WANT BRIDGES.
The St. Louis and Manitoba Roads
Are Willing to Arbitrate.

After wrestling Wlln tne everlasting
crossings case for three hours yester-
day, the railroad committee of the cOun-
Gil adjourned for one week without
having accomplished anything. The
object of the meeting was to listen to
the propositions of the Manitoba and the
st. Louis roads, and to settle, If pos
sible, the controversy at present exist
ing between the railroads relative to
the lowering of the tracks of the st.
Louis and Manitoba roads, and to arrive
at a settlement of the case in advance OF
the decision of the United States SUI
preme court. There were present at
the meeting Aids. Warren. Cole, Bar
rows, Lowell, Blichfelt, Phillips,
Warren and Brueshauber, Re-
ceiver Truesdale and Judge
Springer, of the st. Louis railroad,
NJ. D. Grover, K. G. Beuton and Vice
President ClOugh, of the Manitoba Sys-
tenn; George b. Young, of the Chicago,
Burlington & Northern; G. c. Good
rich, City Attorney Russell, City Eli
gineer Rinker and number of inter-
ested citizens.
The city attorney reviewed the situa-
tiOn at length and read the proposition
of the city to pay for the approaches
and the st. Louis company to pay for
the bridge proper, and said that the city
had extended the same offer 10 the Man
itoba road. He was very anxious that
the differences between the railroad
companies and the city should be settled
as soon as possible and without any
further litigation. -,
Receiver Truesdale, of st. Louis Toad,
said: "This whole matter was taken
OF no flrAnQQHlnpC
fore the United States supreme court.
After the court had said that the cases
would have to take their regular order
on the calendar, we reluctantly agreed
to a compromise. Now we are willing
to build the bridges, providing the city
shall build the approaches and pays the
damages to abutting property. The
company is willing to lower the tracks
TO conform to the Judgment OF the dis
trict court"
In reply to Mr.. Truesdale. NJ. D.
Glover, of the Manitoba, said: II as
sume that both the city and the railway
companies have acted according to their
best understanding. Heretofore. the
companies have not been able to agree.
Since Judge Young has made the order,
it may be possible that compromise
might be accomplished. If the city sees
fit to adopt the proposition of the st.
Louis company for the city to build the
approaches, the Manitoba company will
not object. The tracks now used from
First to Sixth street was owned by the
Manitoba company and leased to the
st. Louis company in 1870. The tracks
are to be lowered at least ten feet. With
bridges across every street from
First street to Fifth street the freight
houses and yards of the Manitoba will
be inaccessible to the public and will
render useless land owned by the Mani
toba company valued at 100000. Under
the plan proposed there can be only one
way to reach the freight houses, and
that would be over the Washington ave
nue. bridge. The Manitoba company
now offers to change the location Of the
st. Louis tracks and to construct the
bridges and approaches at its own eX-
peuse. The company also offers to
erect depot to be used by both cOm-
panies, the st. Louis company to pay an
annual rental for its use of 215 per cent
on the value of the land, and agrees to
make lease of the same to the st.
Louis company for from five to ten
years."
Col. Benton followed In the same vein
and was explaining how beneficial the
depot would be to the st. Louis road
when Mr.. Truesdale interrupted him.
"How long will the lease run?" he
asked.
''From five to ten years." answered
Col. Benton.
"We certainly will never accept any
such proposition" was the reply.
mo, you will not accept anything un-
less it is destructive to the Manitoba
road" replied Col. Benton sarcastic
ally.
Judge Springer, In speaking for the
st. Louis road, declared that the Man.
itoba's proposition starts with false
hood, and to put it mildly, it is replete
with statements that are not the truth.
That company had presented the same
old plan, which had been considered by
numerous committees. 1t consents to
nothing but the confscation and injury
of the st. Louis cOmpany's property.
Warming up OH the subject. Judge
Springer said: ~ charge that the
former city attorney, Judge Smith and
the attorneys of the Manitoba road COM
bined to confiscate the property of this
company. 1t was nefariOuS scheme,
and don't believe that public opinion
will ever uphold them in that nefariouS
scheme. The receiver certainly will
never recommend to the bondhOlderS
the adoption of the Manitoba's PROPOSE
tiOn,"
AS Mr.. Truesdale wanted time to an
sWer the Manitoba'S propositions in
writing, the committee adjourned to
meet Thursday next, when the matter
will be further considered.