The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-09
MAYOR DoRAN's REASONS FOR Or
POSING AN ISSUE OF 100000
BONDS
TO IMPROVE COUNTY ROADS.
COMMISSIONER GEORGE HI. ALLEN
FIGURES OUT THAT AN EXPEN-
DITURE OF 100000
WOULD HELP THE CITY IN THE END
of Trade Because of Ramsey's
Poor Roads.

There Is decided difference of
opinion among the members of the
board Of county commissioners as to
the propriety of issuing $780, 600 worth
of bonds for the purpose of raising
the money necessary to macadamize
and improve the White Bear and Rice
street roads. The majority of the board
are in favor of the proposition as was
demonstrated at the July meeting
when Commissioners Allen, Moritz,
McCarron and Wright voted to adopt
the recommendation of the committee
on roads and bridges to the effect that
bonds to the amount of $100, 900 be is
sued, redeemable, $4,000 worth a year
for ten consecutive years. Mayor Do
ran, the chairman of the commission
and Commissioners Ness and Keller
man opposed the scheme, on the ground
that it would, If carried out, impose
an unjust and unnecessary burden on
the taxpayers.
Though the amount of money needed
was provided for In the county tax
estimate for the ensuing year. the
board of commissioners has not yet
formally voted to issue the bonds, and
Mayor Doran hopes that at least one
OF them will change his mind before
the final vote Is taken, as he is strong
ly opposed to the proposed action.
Commissioner Allen on the other
hand is convinced that IL would be a
Morftz, McCarron and Wright were
strongly in favor of it. AS long as the
mayor remains opposed to the scheme
it will be difficult to put it through, as
the law requires his signature, as
chairman of the board of county COM
missioners, to be affixed to all bonds
issued by the county. Commissioner
Allen is convinced that it would be a
stroke of enterprise ON the part of the
county to issue the bonds, and that it
Is mistake for anybody to stand in
the way of such needed Improvement
1t is easy to demonstrate" said
Commissioner Allen yesterday, chat
the proposed improvements of the
White Bear road and the Rice street
road from the city limits to the line of
the Minneapolis and White Bear road,
would in the end tighten instead of in
creaslng the burdens Of the taxpayers
In case the bonds are issued, the plan
Is to macadanize both roads to-
width of sixteen feet ad to depth of
twelve inches, the foundation to con-
s1st OF eight inches of heavy rock, upon
which three and one-half inches Of
granite or trap rock will be placed and
over the latter half an inch of screen
fEgs. 1t is also proposed to construct
a gravel roadway seven feet In width
on each side Of the macadamized por-
ton, thus making roadway thirty
feet wide in all, the grayelled portions
helping to maintain the macadanaized
| portion. With the White Bear and
Rice street roads SO improved I main,
tain that Ramsey county and the city
OF St Paul derive material benefits. AS
for the additional taxes to be. levied TO
meet the $4,000 worth of bonds each
year, the increase in the amount each
property owner would have to pay
would be insignificant I doubt If the
opponents of this proposition have
stopped to consider the important fac
tor that the county property will con-
stftute if this Improvement is accom-
plished. Today the city of ST. Paul
probably pays IS per cent of all the
taxes paid by Ramsey county, but with
these splendid naacadamized roads, the
value OF the country property must be
materially enhanced and thus relieve
the city property, in a measure, from
paying such large proportion of the
taxes.
Moreover" continued Mr.. Allen.
| these macadamiZed roads will save the
county the expense of the constant re-
pairing that the present roads are sub
l.
the best nothing but patch work of no
permanent value, whereas properly
macadamized roads will last for TWEEN
ty-f1ve years with comparatively no at
tendant expense.
But the vital feature of the i'm
provement will be the material gain to
St Paul in securing the patronage of
the market gardeners and farmers from
the surrounding country This is es-
of orf7a
ers and farmers from the north and
northwest portions Of the county At
present Minneapolis is favored by
them, as the roads approaching that
city are superior to ours, but if we
| make the proposed Improvement III the
White Bear and Rice street roads, the
gardeners and farmers will once more
come to ST. Paul to dispose of their
products, and do their trading, as they
used to do in past years"
Mayor Doran, when seen last night
said: Il am against imposing at this
/ time, any such additional burden upon
| the taxpayers as would result from the
county's issuing 100000 worth of
| bonds. While I am an ardent advocate
I of good roads, do not think that the
/ county ought to expend so much
| money for such purpose during these
| times. The burden, of course, will fall
upon the citizens of st. Paul who pay
| 81 per cent of the county taxes. I adj
init that the existence of good roads
results in diverting to the city large
number of farmers and market garden
ers, but I do not think that a city that
! has grown to the metropolitan proper
lions Of st. Paul, is so materially bene-
fitted by or dependent upon the country
| Immediately surrounding it, as to war
rant such an expenditure in such times
| as these. The forfeitures of property
| for non-payment of taxes are appalling
| now, without unnecessarily increasing
| the burden"