St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-11-06
The Proposition of the West
epn Union Raises a Big
Ruction.
1t Proposes to Substitute Four
Cables for the MaZes Of
Wires.
A Mysterious Case of Babe
Burial That Is a Harmless
RuSe.
Yesterdays Run Of Local
Events Disconnected With
the Election.

the Election.
81 am opposed to any measure which
proposes the granting of rights to any
company to erect poles for any purpose
on the streets of the city," That is the
position taken by Judge Flandrau in
the matter of overhead wires. The
declaration was made at last evenings
meeting of the committee on
streets and anent proposition
by the Western Union Telegraph
company for erecting new poles of
lesser height than those now standing
for the carriage of its wires in cables,
instead of singly as at present. The
overhead wires of the Western Union
have been the basis of discussion at
several meetings, and in prefer
ence TO being compelled to intro
company submits proposition
to replace the present unsightly and
dangerous system with another present
ing fewer diSadvantageouS features.
They will replace the siXty-eight foot
pole with one forty feet in height: the
twelve cross-arirS and intricate system
of wires with two croSS-armS, carrying
four cables, which will contain all the
wires, the entire space occupied by
croSS-armS and cables to be 3X4 feet as
against present occupancy of 10xiS
feet. Judge Flandrau's position on the
question called forth remark from
Chairman Gehan that if the city
granted the Western L Mon the right to
lay conduitS for its wires other cLn-
panics would demand similar priv
ri lnt ftn .las
ground uses to which the streets are
put, there would not be room for all.
Mr.. Sanborn thought that if it was
proper to compel the placing of
the wires under ground there
was but one way to do it
grant the same privileges accorded the
telephone company. and stipu!ate that
failure to remove the wires within
specified time should entail their re-
mOval by other means. The electric
light wires should 20 in q conduit /. II
one side of the street, and the telegraph
wires on the other as precaution for
safety. Mr.. Sanborn moved, however,
that permission be granted the COM
pany to construct new lines on
the plan submitted for the ap-
prevail of the committee. The
motion was lost. The same gentleman
fed of the refusal of the committee to
consider the request, and that the city
attorney be instructed to draw up an
ordinance providing for placing the
wires underground, and submit the
same to the committee for its approval.
This carried unanimously. The matter
was then brought up of granting the
use of certain streets on the upper Eevee
by the Chicago, Milwaukee IL st. Paul
ilway company necessary for the ex
tension of its yard system and for ac
cess to and from q lieW round house it
proposes to construct on parts of blocks
90 and 20 of Irving's enlargement of
Rice 81 lrving'S addition. which prop
erty is owned by the company. 1t was
shown that section of ;. street
now inaccessible from anywhere
would be blocked by the construc-
ton of the building as proposed.
An ordinance passed the council grant
ing the concession scmc time since, and
was vetoed by Mayor Smith OH the
ground that the provisions of the ordi-
nance were in direct violation of 4 sec
ton of the city charter which says that
the city council has 10 power to
grant such concession. A num-
Der of reSidens along the \biuff
above the plateau occupied by
the railway tracks were represented
at the meeting, by Attorney H. j
Horn, Attorney, Chittenden, Walter
life and others. Mr.. Horn pointed out
that. as the city charter expressly
stated the nOn-eXistence Of power with
the city council to grant the plea of the
company that it might blockade pub
lie street, there was no method of pro-
ceedure except by the vacation
nf ft,n rfr or
such use in the regular way.
General Supt. Collins for the company
showed that il owned almost the entire
property which could possibly be affect
ed by the measure proposed, and made
a lucid statement of the methods it pro-
posed to follow in carrying out the
proposed work. On motion of Judge
Flandrau, the ordinance was read. 1t
grants to the company the right to use
the surface of the streets mentioned
in it, reServing to the city
all the rights for subterranean
and overhead construction as though it
had no existence. Mr.. Horn stated that
he represented about 400 residents of
the hill district. He was, he said,
resident himself. but was not there on
personal grounds. He attacked the
ordinance from the standpoint that
himself of a harangue on the
smoke nuisance created by the ex-
istence of the present round house
of the company, assuming that such al
legged nuisance would be aggravated by
the construction of a house Of increased
capacity. His argument was chimeri-
cal however, the real rock against
which the measure seemed likely to
founder being the question of the cou-
fiict with the city charter, to which at
tention had been called by Mr..
Horn. The charter, he said, gave
the council the power to grant
right OF way, but not the block
ing of a street. Attorney Morris, for
the company, being called upon, SAID:
1--WE don't claim there is anything in
the charter authorizing the ordinance.
10 call the proposition one to vacate
street or streets is misnomer-it va
Gates nothing. We own the property,
the city is the user. We propose to
allow the city to remain so. By the
terms of the ordinance the city fore
goes none of the uses to which the
street could be put by the city. AS [
said, there is no provision in the city
charter authorizing the measure, but
there is one i'll the statutes of Minnesota
which deals with the question involved
precisely. 1t permits the city council of
any city or town in the state to grant
the use of street for Just
such a purpose as is here shown.
After the statement by Judge FIandrau
that he was i'm favor of granting all the
railroads in the city. or wanting to come
in, all possible advantages and good
deal Of discussion on the smoke issue
and other side shows motion was in
trodueed by Mr.. Sanborn and seconded
by Judge Flandrau that the committee
recommend the passage of the ord IL
ance. The motion passed unanimously