St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-10
FORA WEST SlDE ROAD
The Fifth Ward Transfer Com
pany Wants Additional
Franchise
For a. Line Crossing the River
and Cutting the West
erneLevee.
The, Committee Has a Warm
~ Discussion on Buried
.ep Wires.
1t. Appears That Comptpohe r
Mac Held Back the Gas
os Bills.

The. assembly committee Oh stree IS,
held a warm session last n ght on, the
matter of granting right OF way to the
Fifth Ward Transfer Railway company.
This company asked for the exclusive
right of way over the West side levee
for width of thirty or forty feet, and
privilege to cross the river aud cross over
to the leyee III the Fourth ward from
a. point near the northerly end OF the
Wabasha bridge to connect with its
grant by former ordinance in the
Fifth ward. This contemplates putting
draw bridge across the river. and, as
c. I'll. PetSch said, would mean a new
railroad and shops for St. Paul. The
company was represented by NJ d.
Mum and G. H. Petsch. The company
asked for an exclusive right to build and
maintain one or two tracks and wanted
to build a second or third track, to be
used, Jointly by such other roads as
might desire to avail themselves OF the
privilege. The proposition was to build
one track from South st. Paul during
the year. The-llne laid out is to enter
the city over the lower levee, going
westerly from the intersection OF State
and Annapolis streets along the, leyee-
crossing over Robert street at grade,
then going to the center line of Hyde
street ON line to be designated by the
city engineer The proposed ordinance
provides that one line be LAID beyond
Eva street within ayear. e.:
This ordinance met with decided OPP
position and was the subject of an
earnest debate, AssemDlyman Lightner
taking the lead in the opposition, sec
onded by AsSemblyman DOran.
MIR. Petsch and Mr.. Mum stated the.
desires of the company in brief way
as outlined by the ordinance. Then The
discussion MAS opened by Assembly
man Lightner, who began by saying.
that a.tvaiuabie franchise had been
asked for.p He believed that the Fifth
Ward Transfer company is WORKING Ill
the interest OF some railroad OF the city,
although he does not know which.
He believed lone. track enough
for any road to have the exclusive
franchise for, and he would be opposed
to grant any company right SO Vall-
able actually giving them miles. of
right of way over valuable city property,
and with tia right today two or three
tracks. He wanted to know if MI. Mum
would be willing to incorporate aopr0-5
.vlSo in the ordinance giving other ROADS
the right to use the tracks, the same as
other lines give between this city and
Minneapolis. II
Mr.. Mum replied in the negative and
added that ibis company wants the eX-
elusive right to at least one track, but
would consent to the joint use Of add
tional tracks. q
Mr.. Ligbtner stated that he wants to
reserve the right to say to any other
company that it can have a joint use OF
the track or tracks upon condition that
they pay tor a proportlonate part OF
construction and maintenance.
Mr.. Van Slyke said: This company
proposes to build road within a year
and to put bridge across the river.
They also agree to build fifty miles OF
road in the state. | think the West side
peoplesare making mistake in opp0s
ing the road even if it is giving away Il
valuable franchise. Here is a chance
of building UP the West side and giving
it the only road it may ever expect to
get, besides adding thousands to the
population. am in favor of building up
the'citY, and am in favor OF railroads.
l move that the company be given the
exclusive right to one track. This mo-
tion was not seconded and was not con-
sidered further. NIr. Lightner said
that he would favor giving joint right
to one track, provided there were other
restrictions added to compel the build
ing OF fifty miles of track in the state
and such other provisions as were put
into the ordinance granting the right OF
way to the same company in the Fifth
ward. .
Mr.. Mum stated that it would be no
use to pass the ordinance with the re-
strictions proposed by Mr.. Llghtner, as
the company would not accept the ordi-
nance on those terms.
Mr.. PetSch stated that the road meant
shops for the city, besides the building
of bridge across the river. and would
entail an expense of $500,000.
Mr. Van Slyke urged the opponents
to relent. and reminded them that the
city is giving bonuses to industries,
while the council refuses to grant the
right of way to railroad that would do
the city great benefit. In his view
such course has always hindered the
growth of the city.
MI DOran said that the people of the
West side want to reserve the levee for
factories and don't want it TO be given
to railroads.
After some further discussion the
committee decided that it was draw
with Messrs. Lightner, Doran and Rear
don on one side, and Messrs. Van Slyke.
Johnson and Sandal OH the other.
They were afraid to put the mat
ter to a test vote and an adjourn
ment was had until $3.50 Wednesday
afternoon, at which time it was under
stood that the committee will fight the
matter out, and il it is found that eight
assemblymen can agree on an ordinance
acceptable TO the company, it will be
approved and reported to the assembly
Thursday evening.