St. Paul daily globe., 1895-04-16

While the others occasionally arose
to interject pertinent inquiries and
declare their sentiments.
AS soon as Chairman Johnson an
nounced that the resolution of AS
semblyman Strouse regarding the
Seventh street pavement was before
the committee, Mr.. Strouse was seen
to smile
A FLEETING SMILE,
which was explained by the following
remarks of that gentleman, who arose
and said:
Il wish to place myself right before
the people of st. Paul and the council.
l introduced this resolution Mr. john
son has just read, but 1 disclaim it's
authorship. I was simply asked to
present it, and complied with the re-
quest because 1 conceived it my duty
as representative of the people to do
so. L do not consider that 1 am in
any way committed to vote for it,"
Quite right" murmured William
Pitt Murray, in an amen tone.
Mr.. Robb then started the breeze a
blowing by moving the adoption of the
resolution. 1t was suggested that some
OF the property owners might desire
to be heard upon the resolution, as 1t
involved the whole question at issue.
"Oh, no" remarked Mr.. Murray, sar-
castically, 81 don't think that the prop
erty owners care to be heard upon
such a motion, as they prefer to leave
1t to the integrity of the committee"
with significant look at Mr.. Robb, ac-
companying the word Integrity Mr..
iRobb puffed his cigar unconsciously.
But Emil Geist; who had already be-
gun to shift uneasily in his chair, saw
that the time had arrived to do his
duty. Accordingly, he submitted the
resolution adopted at the meeting of
the Seventh street property owners Sat
urday night, in which they censnred
the reopening of the Seventh street
matter, and called upon the council to
vote down the resolution introduced by
Mr.. Strouse.
Mr.. Robb explained his position He
said that certain conservative and reli-
able members of the assembly had, as
result of their visit to the East, come
to the conclusion, from their observa-
tions, that asphalt pavement between
the tracks and rails was impracticable.
1t was only question of which was the
proper pavement.
Mr.. Van Slyke made a few remarks
to the same effect, and cited the result
OF such a pavement in Detroit. Mr..
Murray, still sarcastic, suggested that
the property owners be permitted to
test an asphalt pavement from curb
to curb. Emil Geist then proceeded to
score the st. Paul City Railway COM
pany. He said:
I'VE now have a good chance to see
the perfidy of the city railway company.
This action compels the property own
ers to hang around the city hall, where
as we usually have no occasion to come
here except to pay our taxes. The
city railway company agreed last fall
to lay an all asphalt pavement on Sew
enth street, and now they repudiate
their contract Mr.. Geist pointed out
what an unsightly appearance Seventh
street would present if paved between
the tracks with granite.
Mr.. Van Slyke moved that the matter
BE LAID OVER
but this acted like wildfire on William
Pitt Murray, who exclaimed:
II object to it's being laid overt 1t.
should be disposed of. l know what you
want. 1t is a question of making
new loop down around Sibley or Wa
couta streets, but that has nothing
whatever to do with this matter of
paving Seventh street"F f2t2
Mr.. 7Cramer and Max Geist expressed
the opinion that the question of a new
loop had nothing to do with the Sew
enth street paving.
Mr.. Murray. insisted that if the pres
ept resolution pending before the COM
mlttee was not disposed of. the board
OF public works, out of courtesy,
would not order the contractors 10
proceed with the work of paving Sew
enth street
Mr.. Reardon then declared himself.
He thought the council had no right
to oppose the wishes of the people in
the matter of paving material, and
tnat ne would vote to pave the street
with putty ii the property owners
wanted it.
MAJ. Espey said he was distinctly op-
posed to putting down the granite
pavement. 1t was the worst pavement
In the world for business street. The
question was whether the propertv
owners on Seventh street had anv
rights the city railway company was
bound to respect.
we will not" continued Mai. Espey,
have granite between the tracks mn.
DER any circumstances even If we
nave to fight it in the courts. Now if
the street car company will Law the
proper kind of track, asphalt fcan he
laid successfully
Mr. Mum asked Mai. Espey some
questions regarding the asphalt nave
ments between the tracks in Cincin-
natl, but Maj. Espey had made no in.
qulrles of the city engineer there. Mr.
MUM mad, however, and had learned
from that official, as well as from b,c
own observation, that it was failure
tnere, even though the tracks wera
iald as Maj. Espey said they should he
MI heardon moved that the resolu-
ton be indefinitely postponed mas
much as, in his opinion, the discussion
old not amount to anything. Rut Mr.
MUM was permitted to proceed. And
ne dld proceed. He roasted Emil Geist
1or characterizing the street railway
company as perfidious. 1t seemed tn
MIN that a man who would make sucb
an unwarranted statement was nm
american, to say the least. Then Mr..
MUM challenged anybody to contra
alct truthfully, the statement that
IN no city in the United States had
asphalt paving been laid between the
tracks successfully for three years.
1t could not be maintained. At the
end OF ten years, it would cost the
company three times $4,000 to main
tam 1t. That was what Mr.. Murray's
experiment would mean. The COM
pany