St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-08-12

Oh ~ OfhS oToCfSu W w
Ahead With Assessments, but
Not for Keeps, According to
the Commissioners.
The park board met last evening, land,
after a lengthy discussion, passed a
resolution directing the board of public
works to proceed with and complete
the assessment for Ridgewood park.
Commissioner Horton fought against
the adoption OF the resolution, but Pres
ident Wheel0ck and Commissioners
Aberle and Bredenhagen claimed the
provisions of The resolution were such
that while the board of public works
would go ahead with the assessment, it
would not be finally completed.
Commissioner Horton brought the
matter up by moving that his resolution,
introduced July II, directing the board
of public works to abandon all proceed
ings in the Ridgewood park condemna-
ton, be adopted.
To head this off Commissioner Aberle
handed in substitute which provided
that the board of public works proceed
with the assessment so far as to show
how the assessments were to be dis
tributed in order to afford the park
board an intelligent basis for future
action.
Mr.. Horton said there was no need Of
foo:ing along on the proposition with
that kind of resolution. The board of
public works had practically decided to
condemn the property 10 be used for a
park, and had set the price to be paid at
S62, 800. The completion of the assess
ment was held in allegiance simply on
the promise of the board of park COM
mlssionerS to take some definite action
at this meeting. The substitute of Mr.
Aberie, he said, was simply to adj
vance the proceedings a step farther
toward the
Purchase Of the Park.
If information was all that Mr.. Aberle
wanted, that could be procured from the
board of public works without ordering
the completion of tie assessment. This
statement of Mr.. Horton was corr0b-
GRATED by Walter Hoeombe, who said
the board of public works had informed
the property owners that lots AUDITING
the park would be assessed SfO0. and
other lots, within radius of one mile
each way from the park, from $50 to
s2.50 per lot, according to the nearnesS
10 the park.
Mr.. Aberle said some progress should
be made, and that, while he was in
favor of the assessment being COM
pleted. if hard times kept up he would
not be in favor of purchasing the park.
Mi. WheelOck was of the same Opin-
Jon, but he informed the members that
he considered the location very hand
some one for a park. and the only thing
that prevented him from being in favor
Of the purchase at this time was the
Strlngency of the money market and
the inability Of the people TO be assessed
to pay for the pork.
L. ID. MerWin, who represented the
owners of the property to be taken for
the park, said Mr.. Aberle's resolution
was all right. and even if the board of
public works did complete the assess
ment the park board, by three fourths
vote, could at any time abandon all
proceedings. Mr.. MeTwin contended
that large number of the property
Owners wanted to know how much they
were to be assessed, and the only way,
this could be done was to have the
board proceed with and complete the as
sessment, and then all would know how
much the park would cost them
James Middleton had the same idea
as MIR. Merwin. He wanted TO know
how much he would have to pay, and
the only way the amount of the assess
ments could be determined was to have
the board of public works decide OH the
amount to be paid for the park
Mr.. Horton said il information as to
how the assessment was to be SpHad
was all the members wanted, it
could be obtained without ordering
The board of public works to proceed
with the completion of the assessment,
and he offered resolution requesting
the board to furnish such information.
This received but one vote, and after
more speeches by members of the COM
mittee who were opposed to the park,
the resolution of Mr.. Aberle, which
had been, amended by Second Assistant
Corporation Attorney Pike. was adopt
ed, all the commissioners except Mr..
Horton voting for it. 1t reads as fol-
lows: $500 -.
AberIe's Resolution.
That the board of public works is re-
quested to proceed with the assessment
SO far as TO show how the assessments
are TO be distributed in order to afford
the board OF park commissioners an in
telligent basis for future action, also
TO furnish the board with list of as
Sessments and thereupon continue from
time to time any hearing i'll said matter
which may now be ordered by said
board of public works without final
disposition of said matter until further
resolution Of this board.
While the roll call was being taken
Mr.. Horton remarked, That buys the
park"
To this statement Mr.. Merwin OBJ
lected. claiming that it dit nothing of
the kind. and Mr.. Aberle also said it
had no effect.
Mr.. Horton said the board of public
works under the charter had no other
action to take under the resolution but
proceed to the completion of the assess
ment and ten days after this was done
the property owners had no recourse
except by hiring attorneys and proceed
Ing to fight the matter in court.
President Wheelock appealed to Sec
Ond Assistant Corporation Attorney
Pike, who Informed him that the prop
erty owners had all the time they de-
sired to appear before the board of pub
lie works and protest against the price
TO be paid, and Oh this opinion Mr..
Wheelock voted for the passage of the
resolution.
Appeals for Other Parks.
j. j. COrcoran, who represented resi-
dents of Merriam Park, requested the
board to spend a little money in improv-
ing the park at that point. The park is
known as Terrace park, consists of
seven and half acres, and was donated
to the city by John l.. Merriam for park
purposes.
Commissioner Horton wanted the
corporation attorney to pass on the
question of whether the city owned the
park before any action was taken.
Supt. NusSbaumer said it would take
almost $1,000 to improve the park as it
ought to be. All of this sum need not
be spent at once, but it would take
$1,000 TO start the work. The superin-
tendent was directed to submit plans
for improving the park at the next
meeting.
A communication from the council
asked the board to abandon park at
lytOn place and Park ayenua