St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-06-29
HIGH PRICED SITES
offered by Holders for the
Proposed New State
Capitol.
Four Sets of Patriots Willing
to Make a Deal With
the State.
Blocks Adjoining the Capitol
and on the Hill Above
Offered.
Too Much Money Asked Is
the Verdict Of the
Board.

The capitol commission spent the en-
tire day Yesterday considering PROPOSE
tons for site. Everything offered
was unsatisfactory, however. The se:.-
timent of the commission is that the
proposals that were received were all
too high. There is one condition
that manifestly initiates against
securing site at a low
figure. Each of the bidders was aware
that the commission has 10 cash at its
disposal to pay for the lands that max
be purchased. That is one of the pro-
visions Of the capitol bill, and property
owners acting upon this condition added
at least 20 per cent to the cash valua-
ton of the tracts offered the commission.
Such is the consensus Of opinion, and
the commission refuses to proceed to
business upon such basis.
There were four bids, and all these,
sites come within the prescribed limita-
ton of the law as to distance from the
present capitol. There were delega-
lions in attendance to advocate their
respective preferences for the site of
the choice of each. They were given
audience, and this consumed the entire
forenoon, when a recess was taken
until 80, ami then an afternoon session
was continued until after 5 O'Clock.
w. F. Mason's offer was the south
half of the block on Tenth street imme
diately north OF. the present capitol. OF
course this would not give sufficient
room for the purpose, and cursory in
CURRY was made concerning the balance
of the block. 1t was found that it can
be purchased for S225, ZOO. and this, in
addition to the Mason property, offered
for s175,0OO, brings the total for the site
up to S400000.
The block bounded by University,
Park and Aurora avenues and Cedar
street is another site. Most of it was
offered, although not all. Estimating
the balance anu adding the same to the
proposal. it brings the price up to about
$3.50, 000. In connection with this was
considered the triangular piece bound
Ell by Park and WabaSha avenues and
Central avenue and Cedar street und
Aurora avenue, and which is really
only divided from the main tract
by Aurora avenue. On the lat
ter are several valuable Improvements,
and the Wabasha street frontage,
especially, is evidently considered
valuable by its owners. In this case,
like the block Immediately north of it,
not all the property was offered to the
board, but estimating that which was
not offered upon the same basis as the
proposal, this triangular piece would
cost another $3.50, 200, making total Of
$780, 600 for the site complete.
Another proposal was the property
known as the Bass property lying at the
head of Jackson street. About seven
acres were offered to the board in one
proposition by Frank b. Bass for $132,-
900.
The block Immediately north of Cen
trail Park, occupied by the residences of
William Dawson. Mrs. William Lindeke
and Uri l.. Lamprey, having a frontage.
of about $50 feet on Central avenue by
220 feet in depth, was offered for S342,-
900, including the valuable improve
ments thereon.
These propositions were all carefully
gone over by the board, and all of the
members were present save Commits
sioner De Laittre. In the afternoon. in
company with many OF the property
owners, the sites were inspected by the
commission. Returning to the COVER
nor's Office, the balance of the after
noon was spent IN discussing the
problems presented by the high prices
at which the sites are held. The
money to buy will not be available
until 1S95-6-78. This fact influenced
the market, and the board held that the
prices are unreasonable. The board
finally decided to take all the PROPOSE
tons under advisemeEt, and COM
mittee composed of Messrs. Seabury,
CorliSS and Lalnherton was appointed
TO investigate concerning the expense
of grading the sites where grading is
found necessary, and also to iendeavor
to secure propositions from the owners
of other property than that which has
been offered