The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-18
railway company without going into

ness community ola not regard the
river commerce as needing any more
leVee accommodations. The railroads
did practically all the business. The
of the present warehouses
would be of great detriment to the
business firms. In answer to Aid.
Kenny's questions, Mr.. Seabury said
be would gladly lease the levee to the
road for the term Of years desired.
There was no need, he said, for any
more leVee for river commerce than
the city now had.
E. A. Young thought the city could
not use the property for river use as
the channel would not admit of the
boats landing at the levee.
Aid. Kenny said everyone was in
favor of the Milwaukee road, but If the
city had rights there they should get
something for it. He understood the
land was worth 100000, and if so the
city should get more than nominal
rent for the land.
A. H. Lindeke favored arbitration
of the question instead Of litigation.
The convenience of the public ship
pers should be considered. The levee
was of no great value to the city any
longer. If the city could gain any
thing by not using the property for
levee purposes he was in favor of the
council agreeing to the proposition.
Mr. Lindeke did not care to fix any
rental figure He thought seventy
five years was a long time to lease
the property for. If the city could get
half million for the property 1t would
be a different matter
Mr.. Kirk, of Farwel, Ozmun q
Kirk. thought If the city could not
sell or lease to the Milwaukee road
they could not do anything with 1t.
There had been long term OF 1tlga-
ton and a good sum had been eX-
pended on each side. The city had no
business to stand out against the road
when nothing could be gained Inc
read was a convenience to the city
and he hoped the matter would be
considered fairly on both sides and
without litigation. He had no idea
as to what cheap or fair rental would
be for the property. Aid. Kenny said
the company paid no taxes or any
assessments and he wanted a price
rented. Mr.. Kirk thought if the title
should be given to the city and there
should be no more litigation there
might be no rental eXacted. The land
in question was not worth half MIL
Ion dollars. The question OF rental
should be fixed after careful inVesti-
CATION He thought seventy-flve years
was a. long time and suggested a
shorter lease rather than considerable
amount for rental He thought the
lease should not be for longer period
than fifty years. 1t was the duty OF
the city to foster the interests Of the
business men and shippers. rms
would, in a great measure. depend on
the length of the haul to the freight
houses.
Assemblyman Thompson, as citi-
zen. thought the amount saved the
city by dispensing with the litigation
would balance with what the COM
pany would save.
Mr.. Norris denied that the property
was valued during the suits at 100000
or at any sum. The question Of value
did not come up at any Of the trials.
The first time 100000 was mentioned
was a part Of Mr.. Norris address dur
ing one Of the trials. The amount was
mentioned as a standard Of damages
in case the levee was taken by the
city and the two parts of the road
separated. The city, he said, did not
own the land, except an easement, and
the only thing the city could do with
the land would be to use it for levee
purposes. River commerce had gone
down, because the goods Of business
men were neither received nor shipped
by this route and the railroads had
taken the bulk If not all Of the bust
ness The diminution of river COM
merce was the wise choice Of the bust
ness men Of the city. There was moth
ing in the propositions to prevent the
city from building docks or slips out
into the river If it was desired.
Mr.. Seabury said the property below
Sibley street had never been used as
a levee since 1861. The Diamond Joe
line paid 10 per year for a lease Of
their levee rights. He thought the
same consideration should be shown
the railroad. About twenty-five years
he thought would be about the right
length of time for the lease.
Aid. Bell thought the question was
how best to settle the matter. If the
court decided in favor of the city,
there was nothing to gain, as the land
could not be leased or rented to other
roads and would have to be used only
for levee purposes.
D. R. Noyes said the cause Of the
growth Of the city was due to the
railroads. There was no river COM
merce today. The city interests should
be protected and no valuable franchise
given away. He knew nothing about
the value Of the property or the
amount of rental The property was
valuable in it's present use and should
be given to the Milwaukee road The
road has been valuable factor to st.
Paul. The matter should be taken out
Of the courts and settled as other bus
mess matters. The object sought could
be attained without litigation. There
should be a small rental, if any. He
advised some term of lease less than
so years. The lease should not, in his
opinion, exceed twenty years and ten
or fifteen years would be much bet
ter.
F. w. Root said the council could in
sist on only a safe and sufficient bridge
on Summit avenue. By putting in a
few hundred dollars the present bridge
could be maintained for several years.
The company, however, would agree
to build according to their proposition
q fine bridge at the point.
H. ]. Horn said the river commerce
was a factor in the future prosperity
Of st. Paul. The depth Of water in the
channel of the river was two feet
deeper than ever before. He quoted
from reports Of Col. King made to
the Merchants Exchange of st. Louis
in 1895. The system of improvements
was begun in 1878 and was undertaken
to get a depth CT from, four to six feet
of water between st. Paul and the
Missouri river. Between st. Paul and
the st: Croix river, thirty-two miles,
the depth Of low water had been in
creased from eighteen inches to over
four feet. The cost was $4,000 per
mile. This, Mr.. Horn said, proved that
the river was navigable, and more so
than at any other time. The tonnage
between ST. Louis and ST. Paul in 1895
was 100000 tons. Cereals. Mr.. Horn
said, could be shipped from ST. Paul
to Liverpool by water at a less rate
than by railroad. The matter was to
be decided not for the present, but for
the future The idea Of giving a sew
enty-five years lease was not to be
considered for a moment Tn tho host