St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-12
No Settlement of the VeXa-
tious H. & D. Track Prob
lem in Sight.
Annual Meeting Of the Board
Of Soldiers Home Trustees
Yesterday.
Another First Ward Park Fight
Observation-Disclosures Horn
Parks Status.
Post-Convention Mass Meet
ing Of the Y. P. S. G. E.
Around Town.

Yesterday was a busy time with the
aldermen, and from early morning Until
late in the afternoon the members of
committees were kept busy. AT 10 a.
m. the subcommittee appointed by the
railroad committee to confer with the
Milwaukee officials as to the disposition
of the tracks of that road met in the
office OF W. H. Norris III the Corn EX-
change The railway company was re-
presented by Messrs. Norris and Will
Jams and the city by Aid. Grimes,
Woodward. Durham and Hunter, City
Engineer Rinker and City Attorney
Russell. Aid. Durham opened the
ball by explaining the business
of the committee to MeSsrs. Norris
and Williams and Superintendent
Williams replied that he should be
pldaSed to hear any proposition the
committee had to submit. At this point
City Engineer Rinker insinuated him.
self, and stated that pursuant to in
structions from the COUNCIL he had pre-
pared plans for the lowering of the
tracks, and that he had also made plans
for raising the tracks, which he con-
sidered a more practical solution of the
difficulty. He added, however, that he
had not yet been able to bring any of
the aldermen to adopt his views.
Mr.. Rinker then proceeded to state
why he considered the idea of lowering
the tracks impracticable, nOtwithstand-
ing that Aid. Hunter made several deS-
perate efforts to shut him off. He stated
that. while there was no question as to
the possibility of lowering the Eighth
ward tracks. the olher line from the
depot to shops could not be lowered for
rnh hof
plan would cut off connection with the
elevators. and further. that the right of
way did not allow sufficient room for re-
tanning walls. He suggested that
the council take measures, to
have all the streets bridged
which would be equivalent to leaving
the tracks. City Attorney Russell stated
that the council had power to compel
the road to bridge its tracks but not the
power to compel the lowering OF the
tracks.
The plan proposed some Gays since of
abandoning both of the Objectionable
sections of track and leaving the city by
the st. Louis tracks on the west and the
Northern Pacific bridge on the east was
then taken up. This scheme Mr..
Rinker favored. He argued as follows:
The saving in the maintenance of
street signals alone would pay interest
on $3.50, GOO There would not be sim
gle grade crossing by the proposed
plan. and the terminals of the road
would not be disturbed. 1t was useless
to daily with the question longer.
Something must be done, and if plan
could not be agreed upon, then the
council should bring an action in court
at once to secure the bridging of the
tracks.
Mr. Norris objected to this idea, stat
ing that the st. Louis road ran on leased
tracks part of the way, and had no
power to sublet.
He argued strongly against the idea
of trying 10 obtain right of way from
a road as deeply mOrtgaged as the st.
Louis, and stated that he did not be-
lieve that the receiver would have the
right to give perpetual lease.
After some further discussion it was
decided to hold another conference upon
the return of President Earring, of the
Milwaukee road, who is now absent
from the city, and in this shape the mat
ter was lett.
The committee on sewers met at the
council chamber yesterday morning and
awarded the contract for two tanks for
crude oil at the North side pumping
station to the De Sofa Boiler works.
The bids were as follows:
North Star Boiler works. .............S1 81, 400 90
De Sofa Boiler works. 1855 90
Nicollet Island Steam Boiler works. l,460 90
The committee on Bethany home met
during the afternoon and agreed to re-
port favorably upon an appropriation of
5000 for that institution.
The railroad committee decided to
recommend the extension of the Lake
street electric line to meet the private
line from st. Louis Park operated by
the ST. Louis Park Land and Improve
ment company.