St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-23
CITY HALL GOSSIP.
The New Clamor for Street
Franchises and What It
Means.
Streets OF the City and Some
of Their Uses and
Abuses.
Effects Of the Bell Charter
Beauty on Cleaning
Streets.
Snow Ordinances on Paper
and Slush on the Side
walks.

The action of the board of aldermen
last Tuesday evening in refusing to pass
the ordinance to allow the Economy
Steam Heating company to build cOndu-
its and lay wires underground in the
business porsion of the city was doubt
less receivedwith qualification by the ma
jority of citizens. The company, through
its able representative, Senator Stevens,
stated that it was DESTROYS of doing
of its own free will what the common
council will probably order to be done
in the near future. The st. Paul Gas
Light company was on the alert, and. by
a shrewd move, laid certain facts before
the aldermen which resulted in the de-
feat of the ordinance presented. No one
can deny but that the poles and electric
wires which disigure the streets, ana
are a menace to life, should be
put underground, and the c0un-
ell has appointed special committee
to report upon the ACCESSIBILITY of TAX
ing such a step. But most important
feature must be considered in colnec-
ton with the matter. Our streets are
narrow, and at the present time, with
the flying electric cars of Mr.. Lowry Oc-
cupying the center of all principal
streets, the space for vehicular traffic is
barely sufficient to accommodate the
demands. Every one will remember
the serious inconvenience and delay
caused some time ago when the
city railroad company tore up WabaSha
street from end to end for the purpose
of building a conduit for feed wires.
There are a number of companies at the
present time operating overhead wires,
and doubtless they recognize the drift
of public opinion and realize that short
~ they must put their wires under
ground. Now, if each one of these
companies is granted a franchise to
build cOnduitS the result will be
that the principal streets of the
city will be constantly torn up. and
where st. Paul formerly pointed with
pride to the clean and perfect condition
Of its arteries of travel, the reverse will
take place, and visitors to the city will
point the finger of ScOrn to the fearful
condition of the streets.
What should be done, and probably
will! be done by the council, is to order
one main conduit to be built for the ac-
cOmmOdatiOn of all the companies, and
compel them all to place their wires in
the same tGnnel. This will Obyiate the
constant tearing up of the streets, which
would result if the companies were
granted separate rights in the premises.
O.
Another feature of the matter which
the council is likely to consider most
carefully is the question of the financial
value of the franchises granted to cor
pOratiOnS. Many members of the city
government are strongly opposed to
granting the franchises unless a certain
amount is paid for the same. At the
present time tax of So is charged for
every telegraph pole erected inthe CITY,
and for the enormously valuable fran
chiSe which Mr.. Lowry possesses he
pays simply tax Of SO per car per an
mum. Those competent TO Judge es-
innate that the franchise of the street
railway company should be worth $780,
600 year to the city. But unfortunately
Mr.. Lowry cannot be made at the pres
ent time to pay to the city ANYTHING in
return for the valuable concessions
granted to him. AS regards the CITY
railway company, the disposition of
many OF the members Of the council is
that 1t snail be held in the future to the
Atrict fulfilment OIL its charter. During
the recent spell of cold weather the
company neglected for many days to
heat the cars, and complaints from pas
sengers were very numerous. Accord
ing to Ordinance No. 1927, section
5. approved by the council Sept.
20, 1889, the company is re-
quired Ito furnish cars suitable for
the safety, convenience and comfort of
the passengers, and shall be comforta-
bly, heated during the winter months,
and whenever necessary, at any season."
1t takes but little reasoning to construe
this part of the ordinance, that every
person who pays fare is a passenger.
AS a passenger he is entitled to ride on
car with comfort. convenience and
safety" and not be half-frozen when
the mercury falls. The system of max
ing passengers stand up in the aisle
of a car in such numbers
that one cannot even expand