The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-22

would be necessary for the city to pro-
vide some accommodations for hacks
and carriages in front of the union de-
pot. Every other city had a place for
teams and street cars in front of the
union depot, and, If nothing was done
on Stbley street by the city to enlarge
the space in front Of the depot, it
would result in the depot being bottled
up. He suggested that the question Of
widening Sibley street from Third
street to the Milwaukee tracks should
be considered by the council at an
early date. His idea was to purchase
or acquire the property on the west
sid Of Sibley street n make that
street about sixty feet wide. At the
present time there were no permanent
improvements on the property, and it
could be secured much cheaper than at
some future time. AS a matter of fact,
he considered the question he had
raised of more Importance than any
depot loop.
Interrogated by Mr.. Bigelow as to
how the city would get money for the
purpose, Mr.. ClOugh stated hat it
would get it the same way it did for
all other purposes. The railway COM
panies could not furnish streets, as this
part would have to be done by the
city.
N' 'NSSAOSh oo6SCoLCo tI1oI pei =
haps the depot would be extended the
other way, and Mr.. Thompson ques-
toned as to whether the Union Depot
company would stand any Of the ex-
pense. To both Of these Mr.. Clough
answered in the negative.
Mr.. Lowry said he understood that
the plan suggested by Mr.. Hill for the
Selby avenue cut would be feasible,
but thought the city should pay a part
of the expense and the company the
balance. The distribution of the cost
would make it possible, out the com
pany had no money.
Mr.. Murray questioned whether the
damages to property a been con-
sidered. If 1t had not, he was fearful
that the expense would be over $780,
900.
MI. Clough announced thai John f.
Stevens, of the Great Northern, had
prepared plans showing that an open
cut, running from Third street to Nina
avenue in the center of Selby avenue
after it reached Summit avenue, could
be constructed and the tracks relaid
at a cost of $4,000. This would make
the grade from Third street to Nina
avenue one of 6h per cent. A 17-foot
driveway would be left on each side Of
the cut on Selby avenue to Nina and
Summit avenue could be bridged with
a handsome structure. The present
retaining walls on Selby avenue hill
could be utilized in making the change.
This, Mr.. Clough said, was the only
feasible plan, and the figures and plans
as prepared by Mr.. Stevens were at
the service Of the council.
Mr.. Wheelock thought that the prop
erty from Summit avenue to Nina
Would not be damaged in the least
as the avenue was not Travelled much
at h present time.
Mr.. Lowry was of the opinion that
the avenue would be much travelled
after the viaduct was opened, as the
teams would have no obstruction.
Mr.. Murray insisted that the damage
to the Kittson and Newport property
would be great, as the city would find
out when the work commenced.
Mr.. Clough went back to what he
called the pressing matter of widen
ing the street in front of the union
depot. Whatever this would cost, the
city would have to pay. 1t was a
necessity and n that required i'm
mediate action, as the depot would
probably be extended this wear.
Mr.. Kirk thought, if the depot loop
did o extend below Third street, there
was no use in talking about the street
widening matter at this time. The
Thompson ordinance, as he understood
it, did not contemplate the running of
OIiCCt So1S OGIOW 1HlIu street, anu
If the depot was to be built out to the
street, as stated by Col. Clough, it
would only be $50 feet from the depot
to the street cars on Third street.
Mr.. Thompson explained his ordi-
nance, which he said would take only
seven blocks of single track to give
the city a depot loop. He was of the
opinion that the street car company
could afford to lay this amount of new
fro ok without onu O-pn0t nvnaorn
A. H. Lindeke said he had attended
the meeting to listen rather than talk.
He, however, had heard two very novel
propositions. One was that a corpora
ton like the union depot company,
after admitting that it had made a
mistake in erecting a building, wanted
the taxpayers to come to its assistance
and purchase additional property. He
had Travelled all over the country, but
had failed to learn Of a case in any
large city where the municipality had
been asked to pay for land for depot
purposes. The other proposition, which
was a novel one to him, was tina Mr..
Lowry had come before the gentlemen
present and pleaded poverty. Did the
company wish to surrender it's charter,
or what was the matter? Times he
said, had been no harder with the
street railway company than to other
taxpayers in the city. He had been
obliged to pay assessments on his prop
erty for paving two years age, and
the street car company had escaped.
He a to borrow the money to pay the
assessment. He had been compelled
to do this by reason Of a public neces-
sity, and in his opinion the railway
company should not be favored more
than other property owners. He was
in favor of the Broadway loop, and
could see no reason why it was not
operated. AS to the talk made by Mr..
Lowry about the street car company
in st. Paul going into the hands Of a
receiver, he did not know as it would
make any difference; so many institu-
tiCns had gone that way, that perhaps,
it would not be greatly noticed. It
seemed to him there was no need of
passing ordinances for the street car
company, as the officials came in and
talked delay and pleaded poverty. The
Thompson ordinance for a depot loop
would not damage Sibley street, and he
understood that nearly all the jobbers
who had objected to q double track
line on Sibley street, had withdrawn
their objections when it was known
that the ordinance only called for a
single track on the street.
E. G.. Rogers thought the trouble was
that n Improvement was COMPOUNDED
with another. People seemed to be in
doubt as to the Broadway loop, but
there was no division of opinion as to
the public demand for a depot loop and
better facilities on the Selby avenue
line. The ordinance for the paving of
Third and Fourth streets. which would
cost the city railway company about
sec, 00e, could be allowed to lay over,
if the depot loop and the Selby
avenue line were attended too. The
question of oney should not be raised
DC To thccn tu-n nrAnnSitiOnS