St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-02-05
ROASTED TO A TURN.
Aid. Yoerg Drops a Bomb at
the Meeting Of the City
Council.
The Northwestern Telephone
Exchange Is Razzled in
Fine Shape.
Why Roche Refuses to Sign
the Broadway Bridge
Contract.
Mayor Smiths Veto Kicked to
the Four Winds Of
Heaven.

H.
Aid. Cullen and Yoerg, of the COM
mittee Oh streets, made minority re-
port upon the Northwestern telephone
franchise. The report in full is as fol-
lows:
The city has grown too great, and its
future is too well assured, to continue
the policy-long since fallen into disuSe
and disfayOr-Of granting perpetual
rights to a corporation of the streets for
this or other purposes. and the granting
of the franchise without limit as to
time would seem to DE in conflict
with the prudence manifested by this
council on other occasions.
Section L provides that the tele-
phone exchange shall have the right to
construct. maintain, and operate and
repair electrical wire, conduits or sub
ways with necessary manholeS and serv-
Ice pipes sufficient for the purpose of
conducting or distributing its wires upon
and through the streets. alleys and pub
lie grounds of st. Paul, giving them
permission TO enter and build cOnduitS
In any or all of said streets, without so
much as defining the portions or the
streets to be occupied or the amount of
space to be used. The conduits to be
bulltare for the exclusive use of the eX-
change and by not requiring them to be
common carrier for tenure wires it
Will be necessary to grant similar fran
chiSes to other companies. which, owing
to the limited space in our streets
would be impracticable, and in view of
the expiration of the telephone patent
some three years hence, would operate
diSastrously to other telephone COM
panies desiring to obtain equal rights,
and give to the public competitive Sery-
Ice with possible reduction in prices.
1t is not good policy for the city to
grant street privileges without rea-
sonable compensation. The ordinance
does not define any system of operation,
or when construction shall be COM
menced. In rejecting the ordinance re-
turned to the council on the 18th ult.,
the telephone exchange offers as a rea-
son that it is not permitted by its char
ter to engage in general conduit bust
ness. This seems remarkable, but.
without wishing to reflect upon tie rea-
sons assigned for the rejection or
the ordinance, in our opinion,
the council can i'll afford to conform its
legislation to the charter of any organ
ization unless its articles are in accord
and harmoniZe with the best interests
and requirements of the city.
The report was referred back to the
committee on rules.
WITHOUT HIS NAME.
Comptroller John Roche made the
following report upon the matter of the
substructure of the Broadway bridge:
The papers representing a contract
between Kirkland d Starkey, of the
party of the first part, and the city of
st. Paul, of the second part, for the con-
Struction of the substructure of the
bridge across the Mississippi river, from
Broadway to State street, were received
by me on the Goth ult., for signature
and filing in my Office.
The important sections of the iegisIa-
tive act approved March z, A. d. 1887,
relating to the said bridge, provide as
follows:
Section l. That the common council, of
the city of ST. Paul, by two-thirds vote is
authOrizedto issue bonds TO the amount of
two hundred thousand (S10o,UO0) dollars,
for q free wagon bridge across the Missis-
sippi river, from the foot of Broadway. etc.,
etc,
sec. 8. The common council of the city
OF st. Paul shall have the supervision of the
construction of said bridge, etc, etc.
Sec. 4. THAT it shall be the duty OF the
fore the contract or contracts for the con-
struction of said bridge are let TO cause the
establishment of the grade of all streets in
terSected by or running to or from said bridge
and its approaches ETC., etc.
This section also authorizes and en-
powers the common council to condemn
any property necessary to be taken for
the purposes of constructing the said
bridge or its approaches. but does notin
any way make it the duty of the council
to do so before letting the contract or
contracts, as it does only in the case of
the establishment of street grades.
Section 5 requires that before the common
1,.,.l 81. sue. H.
shall be submitted to the vote of the people
at the general spring election of May 1,
1888, ETC.. etc.
The people voted upon the question
at the said election held May 1, 1888, re-
sulting as follows, viz:
Yes..,.. ..... ...................!,2 S3 votes
Majority in favor Of bridge 8, 224 votes
The only issue of city bonds up to the
present time as authorized by the pop
ular vote, and under vote of fourteen
Il y members OF the common council for
the construction of this Broadway bridge
amounts to Sl50,000, bearing date of
Jan. 1, 1889, to mature Jan. l, 1920, go
years. per cent. fully agree with
Corporation Attorney Holman, that the
first legislative act, approved March z,
| 1887, is in no way or manner inconSiS-
| tent with the second act of Feb. %. 1889,
| and that said second or last act was
wholly enacted for the purpose of in
creaSlDg the appropriation of city bonds
| TO $3.50, 200, being Sl50,000 more than au-
| thoriZed by the first act of March z. 1887,
| In answer to my letter of 3lst ultimo to
| City Engineer Rundlett he replies that
| the grades have been established on all
| streets that will in any way be affected
by constructing the Broadway bridge
! $50 called and its approaches, except
| Alabama and Tennessee streets. In
West st. Paul, and that on the east or
Broadway side Of the river no change
will be required on any of the intersect-
ing streets. Broadway being eighty (60l
feet wide. no change will be required in
the sidewalks. etc. The solid approach
of the bridge near Prince street will
only occupy about thirty-four (34) feet
of the center of the street. State street
grade will require to be changed from
Fairfield avenue to the levee: also Fill
more and Fairfield avenues.
The city engineer also states that 1t
will not be necessary to condemn any
property for the purpose OF construct
ing said bridge or its approaches and
located between the Mississippi river
and Third street, but the corporation
attorney has already given his opinion
to the council on this point. Corpora
ton Attorney Holman claims that the
property in dispute belongs to the city
of st. Paul, therefore condemnation
proceedings will not be necessary, The
large majority (3.224 vote of the peo-
pie, May l, 1888, authorizing the con-
struction of this Broadway bridge,