St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-07-18
FOR WEST SIDE ACCIDENT.
THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON
STREETS HOLDS A SPICY
SESSION.
LEWIS. ARos1N AND REARDoN
Disappointed in Their EndeavOrs
to Locate the BIame-The
Matter Is Dropped.

! sembly committee on streets, to
throw the responsibility for the
death of the two children buried
under the West side embankment
upon City Engineer Rundlett ended
last night in a complete fizzle.
No testimony was adduoed
to show that the city en-
gineer's department had ever been
notified, either by word or letter, of
the dangerous condition of the en-
banllment, while on the other hand,
it appeared from the testimony of
a citizen who lived near the top of
the embankment and also from the
! statement of eX-Assemblyman F. b.
Doran, who exhibited a marked de-
sire to charge the city engineers de-
partment with all the blame, that
both Mr.. Doran and the citizen in
question had long regarded the
/ place as dangerous. The citizen is
{ c. W. Douglass, Who informed the
/ committee that he had never
! licked his oldest girl over three
! times" in his life, but he had pun
ished her and another of his chill
! dren for going below the embank-
ment to dig sand.
LEWIS GETS EXCITED.
During the course of the proceed
ings Mr.. Lewis became excited. A
mild observation by Mr.. Van Slylle
put in interrogative form was what
! agitated the assemblyman from the
| other side of the river.
Are not" inquired Mr.. Van SlyIxe,
1.-The representatives of the district
as much to blame for the accident as
anybody eise?'''
In reply to this question Mr.. Lewis
was permitted by Chairman Arosin
to digress from the subject under
consideration in an attempt to show
that the city engineer had not paid
proper attention to communication
| from him QeWiS) regarding the dam
gerous condition of the steps on
South Wabasha street The assem-
blyman failed to establish this
charge.
After listening for two hours to the
acrimonious chickering's, innuendos
and accusations of the aggressive
L.
| Strouse arose and administered a
scathing rebuke to them for attempt
ing to blast the reputation of Mr..
Rundlett. Then the committee ad-
| journed.
Chairman Arosin opened the pro-
ceedings by reading the petition
signed by some seventy-five West
side citizens censuring City En-
gineer Rundlett. who they declared
was, in their opinion, guilty of GRIM
inal negligence for the accident. Be
sides the committee, there were pres
ent not more than half a dozen West
side citizens, of whom F. 3. Doran,
c. w. Douglass and Mr.. Quehl were
the only ones to speak on behalf of
the petition, and their names were
not all subscribed to it.
RUNDLETT IS HEARD.
City Engineer Rundlett was allowed
to make a statement in his own behalf
Mr.. Rundlett explained the matter
briefly and clearly. He informed the
| committee that the street was graded
eight years ago; that the slopes were
not condemned, and, that in conse-
| quence, certain portions of the slope
could not be touched, and were left
in their original condition.
There was nothing" said Mr.
Rundlett, Ito call particular attention
to any dangerous condition here. NV
attention was never so called, either
officially or unofficially. There was no
sidewalk under the embankment, and
no place to travel there in the natural
use of the street, where one would en-
counter danger. No one passing along
the other side of the street or in the
middle of it would be in danger
Mr.. Rundlett referred to the heavy
grade there, and expressed the opinion
that the landslide was occasioned BY
an excavation underneath or a seam
behind it.
In response to Mr.. Van Sykes re-
mark that it was strange that people
in the neighborhood never noticed the
apparent Danger, Mr.. Lewis said that
ordinary" people didn't notice such
things, but that the city engineer and
board Of public works were supposed
to know of such conditions and were
chargeable with notice
L. Machovec, one of the street in
spectors attached to the city engineer
Office, said he had seen the embank-
ment, and never suspected it was
dangerous.
Then F. B. Doran received a gracious
invitation to speak, and he spoke Mr.
Doran said that he did not know
whether the city engineer had ever re-
ceived any notice of the dangerous
condition of the premises, but he knew
that the people of the Sixth ward felt
that gross and criminal negligence
must be charged on the city engineer
department. Mr.. Doran further added
that he had once called the attention
of the city engineers department to
the dangerous condition of the South
| Wabasha street steps.
And they were attended to, were
they not?" asked Mr.. Rundlett.
Mr.. Doran admitted that such was
the case. Then pursuing his criticism
of the city engineer, he declared that
it was time that the citizens located
the responsibility for the accident.
Either abolish the city officials or pass
a law creating a responsibility Al
this point Mr.. Strouse asked this ques-
ton of Mr.. Doran:
DORAN'S NEGLECT.
Did it ever occur to you when you
were in the assembly that this place
was dangerous?'
Yes, SIR"
Did you report it?''
mo, sir"
why not?" inquired Mr. Rundlett.
Mr.. Doran confessed he didn't know
why he had not.
Chairman Arosin wanted to know if
the accident could have occurred had
there been a fence constructed at the
foot of the embankment.
Yes, SIR was the emphatic re-
Spouse of Mr.. Rundlett-
Mr.. Robb asked Mr.. Doran if he
thought a fence would have prevented
the children from visiting the spot
where they were buried. Mr.. Dorar
thought it would
Not on your life," retorted Mr.
Robb.
Did the accident occur on the
street?'' inquired Mr.. Strouse.
IT,