St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-18
SUMMIT AVENUE BRIDGE.
Railroad Company Will Submit a
Proposition Soon

The assembly committee on streets
considered a number of matters at it's
regular meeting yesterday afternoon,
but spent most of it's time discussing
resolution requiring the Milwaukee
railroad to build a steel and iron
bridge over it's tracks at the Summit
avenue crossing in place of the pres
ent wooden structure which is only
fortytwo feet in width, while Summit
avenue at this point is 120 feet wide,
according to the statement of the city
engineer. There were present besides
the committee Assistant General Su-
perintendent III. r. Williams, of the
Chicago & Milwaukee road; Judge
Chandler, the general agent of the
road for the Northwest; Attorney
Squires and Aid. Markham, the au-
thor of the resolution.
Aid. Markham explained his object
in offering the resolution, which the
board of aldermen has already passed
Nearly three years ago a. similar reso-
luton had passed the assembly, and
was then laid over by the committee
on streets of the board of aldermen
AT the beginning Of 1894 the railroad
people brought in a petition asking
for delay of one year. In view of the
hard times the matter was laid over
until June, 1894. Then the present
council came in, land nothing has been
done since.
MY objections to the present
bridge" continued Aid. Markham, "are
that 1t is an old, unsightly structure
more or less dangerous and much teo
narrow in view of the width Of the
street. The property owners on
Summit avenue have spent a
good deal of money in improving
boulevarding and identifying this
thoroughfare, which is now the pride
of the city, and I maintain that the
time has now arrived when a suita BILE
bridge should be built at this point. /"
City Engineer Rundlett in reply to
Attorney Squires. said that the pres
ent bridge was safe, and that he had
not heard any question raised as to
the capacity Of the bridge to accom-
modate the travel. The bridge is forty
two feet in width, containing two six
teen-foot driveways. and two five-foot
sidewalks s.
Assistant General Superintendent
Williams on behalf of the railroad
company, admitted that during the
past few months the earnings of the
road had materially increased. but
that the company did not consider
that there was any immediate need of
a new bridge at the point proposed.
Ihe bridge was not handsome struc-
ture, but 1t was safe and ample to ac-
commodate travel If the bridge were
not safe the road would not hesitate
to build another.
Aid. Markham said that the Mil
waukee road had never admitted it's
liability to construct the bridge on
Summit avenue, and he would like to
ask Mr.. Squires if the road conceded
such a liability. Mr.. Squires answered
that the question was a broad one.
He thought, however, that as long as
the bridge was safe and adequate
there was question as to the liabil-
tty of the road to build new bridge.
Finally the committee decided to lay
the matter over for four weeks. and
instructed the city attorney to look I'D
the question of the liability of the rail
road company. At the end of the four
weeks the railroad company is to SUBJ
nit proposition.
The final order for paving Tenth
street, from st. Peter to Wabasha
streets, with asphalt Was laid over on
motion of Mr.. Robb, as it is reported
that a protest against the improve
ment has been filed. ~
The Brady resolution FORGETTING the
franchise of the National Subway com
pany was laid overefor two weeks un-
til Attorney Mum, returns from the
The mayors veto Of the ordinance
granting the right of way to the Fire
Dispatch company and the privilege