St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-17
Attorney Morris Method Of
Convincing an Alderman
lie Committee.
The Hamm Brewery Spur
Track the Bone Of Con-
tentiOn.
Many Changes Will Be Made
Next Winter in the City
Charter.
Kerker's Salary Adjusted and
General City Hall
Pointers.

AID. Zlmmerman'S ordinance reScind-
ing the grant ID Theo Hamm to cross
Reaney and Fauquier streets with a
spur track was the matter under con-
sideratiOn before the committee on
streets of the board OF aldermen yester-
day. There are few property owners
and Aid. Zimmerman drew up and Pre-
sented an ordinance to annul the grant.
The property owners who object to the
track were represented before the COM
mittee by an attorney, Mr.. Morris, who
was decidedly caustic in his re-
marks. He roasted William Hamm,
who was present, and pointed
to a diamoud ring that he wore to show
that he was an aristocrat who had his
heel upon the throat of the poor. He
drew, also, picture of Mr.. Hamm
mounted upon stately steed'' and
parading before a coterie of ladies. The
effort provoked deal of merriment,
and then Mr.. Hamm gave clear state
ment of the facts. He said that the.
Hamm company contemplated good
many improvements in the near future.
and that contracts were now being
awarded for the erection OF new works
of 100000. Mr.. Hamm maintained
that it is necessary to have
the track to facilitate the business.
Otherwise it would be necessary to haul
all the wheat to the Touring mill by
teams, and in like manner to haul away
the product. The same, he said. was
true of the brewery. Since the ordi-
nance right had been passed by the
council two years ago. 100000 worth of
improvements had been made, and the
present year $4,000 had been expended.
Unless the railway facilities were per-
petuated. Mr.. Hamm explained, he did
not feel justified in proceeding with the
erection of his new mill. All he asked
for was the right to switch cars over
the tracks in dispute once day,
atthe most, and he thought that every
other day would suffice, in fact. He
was willing to place fiagmen on the
street crossings, and he was, moreover.
willing to enter into an agreement not
to move cars at speed faster than four
| miles an hour, so that life could not be
imperlled.
Mr.. Morris followed with volubIe
statement, in which he arraigned Mr..
Hamm in bitter terms. He said that Mr..
Hamm'S statement that the tracks were
at grade was false, and represented
that there is an excavation,
below grade. This lnclted Chairman
Copeland, of the committee, to
retort that he knew that there was no
excavation, save Oh private property
owned by Mr.. Hamm. Mr.. Morris sub
mitted lengthy brief reviewing the
law of New Jersey to prove that the
city had no right to give privileges to
private individuals TO occupy streets;
hnf Mr. xuh bo m Hron
| i'll, being asked for an opinion. stated
| that the city council is vested with the
| entire control of the streets by virtue OF
| the charter provisions, and, in his Opin-
| ion, had perfect right to grant rights
| to the individual.
Mr.. Bohn, of the Bohr Manufacturing
| company, wanted to explain that, as a
committeeman from tue business mems
union, he had given the subject care
full investigation, and he felt that to de-
| prlve Mr.. Hamm of the track privileges
would be to cripple an important st.
Paul industry: He said that only two
cranks were opposed to the privileges
| that had been given Mr.. Hamm by the
! council, and proceeded to show that
| just such narrow courses had deprived
st. Paul of two important industries
| of late. He did not con.
slider that the track could dam
| age any one a dollar, and to deny
| it would be to prevent st. Paul from
| reaping the benefits of an immense
trade. The Hamms' mill and brewery
| give employment to large corps of
| laborers. and they are of material bene-
fit to the city. Mr.. Bohn spoke in a
| positive strain. and asked the committee
| to go out and view the premises.
Aid. Franklin thought there was a
| legal phase in the question that pre-
| vented.the grant, and wanted to post
pone action for week to give the cor
| poration attorney opportunity to make
report. He claimed that the petition
for the ordinance was largely signed,
and MIR. BOhn volunteered to get two
thirds of the petitioners to sign re-
quest to grant continuance of the rail-
way track privileges.
| Aid. Warren urged that the commit
tee should look over the premises, and
| Mr.. Hamm extended cordial invitation
to the committee. 1t was then voted to
view the premises Monday afternoon.
The ordinance inStructing the chief
| of police to remove all hacks from Sixth
| street, between Robert and Jackson,
was considered, and it was decided to
| recommend that the matter be referred
| to the joint committee on streets of both
| council bodies.