St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-07-20

in the afternoon the board of public
works, all the members being pres
ent, announced that it was ready to
hear Mr.. Horn and Mr.. How. The
former, who represented property
owners to be assessed for the land
to be taken, arose and began his
grafton.
Its eXordium was of a sweeping
character. Twenty minutes elapsed
before the speaker made any refer
ence to Phalen park. Instead Mr..
Horn devoted his time and breath to
censuring the board of public works
and other city authorities for all
evils the city has endured. He
commiserated and pleaded for the
poor taxpayer. Then, approaching
the subject under consideration, Mr..
Horr declared that the men who tes-
titled in behalf of the owners of the
Lake Phalen property to be taken
FOR the park had grossly exaggerat-
ed Its value. The very thought of
this gross exaggeration so inf1amed
the orator that he practically init
mated that these gentlemen had
COMMITTED PERJURY.
although he made the charge in an
indirect manner, saying: ST will
not directly charge these witnesses
with having perjured themselves,
but" etc. Mr.. Horn became more
intense as he proceeded. He went so
far as to declare that the testimony
OF the witnesses for the property
owners would not be considered by
any court in the United States out
side of st. Paul. AS for the rich
men who owned property suitable
for parks, Mr.. Horn said they ought
to donate it to the city for park pur-
poses.
"They have done So" interrupted
Pat Kavanagh.
THE HI they haver" was Mr..
Horr's classic rejoinder.
Il know l have given a strip on
the opposite shore of Lake Phalen, -
responded Mr.. Kavanagh.
Mr.. Horn proceeded then to bewaiI
the condition of affairs in st. Paul.
He informed the board of public
works that Col. D. B. Henderson,
the Iowa congressman, who owned
property to be assessed for Phalen
| park, would resent the injustice of
| an extraVagant assessment by using
| his powerful influence in congress to
defeat the desired appropriation of
100000 for the st. Paul federal build
! ing. In conclusion, Mr.. Horn de-
| clared fearful alternative. If the
| present condition of affairs con-
| tinued in st. Paul he would leave
| the town-he would be compelled to-
| Such oppression of the taxpayers
away.
AS soon as President German, OF
| the board of public works, had re-
| covered from this announcement
! he intimated that the board would
hear Jared How.
HOW LOOSENS UP.
Mr.. How adjusted his eyeglasses
| glanced over them twice at Mr.. Horn
and began:
Mr.. Horn has blackguarded every
| body concerned in this matter-eX.
cept himself. He has not only black.
guarded this board, but also the city
| of st. Paul and its courts, and like
wise q member of the United States
| congress. He has also tried to intim
idate this board. But as a crownine
climax, Mr.. Horn has threatened tC
leave this town. This would be G
calamity, but as for myself, if he viii
stay here long enough to help us out
he may leave town and give my love
to Col. Henderson, and also tell tn,
colonel that we will run this town."
Mr.. How sarcastically credited Mr.
Horn with conceding that the suprem
court had the final power to deter
mine the value of land in such cases
But he castigated Mr.. Horn for insinu
ating in a manner that amounted t.
a direct charge, that Witnesses Johns
tone, Watson, Marvin, Hazard, Hor
rigan and Schurmeier had committed
perjury.
Il do not choose" said Mr.. How
"to defend these gentlemen agains
such a charge, made in such a manner
| would not even defend myself. if
We're among them. 1 simply say t.
you that these gentlemen had no in
terest in swelling or eXaggerat ting tn,
value of this property. No infiuenc,
was at work on them. They wer,
free to use their own Judgment. Yol
know they are qualified by experienc,
to testify as to the value of the land
and you also remember, their testi
mony was not shaken"
| Mr. How then referred to the test
mony of Ferdinand Willius, who valued
| the entire ninety-siX acres at onI,
$4,000, or an average of S160 an acre. a
absurd. Aid. Lindahls witnesses yer
almost as far out of the way, but the,
were honest in motive, so Mr. How
thought. They We're testifying unde
the theory that the land was good onl,
| Tor potato patch or for paSturin;
COWS. If the board believed that tn
| property should be used for either O
these purposes, then the board wouI
be justified in valuing it from SlGO t
SOD an acre. Here Mr. How quote
from an opinion of the supreme court
which is in effect that
MARKETABLE VALUE.
OF property does not mean what peopl
would pay for it who had no particu
lar use for it, but what those who de
sired to use it for the very best pun
pose for which it was adapted, woui
pay for it. On this ground he CONF lid
cd that the testimony of Aid. LindahI'
witnesses should not be considered
In conclusion, Mr. How scarified Nj
Horr for asserting that he represente
q large number OF taxpayers, wherea.