The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-26
WEST SIDE WILL PROFIT
WABASHA STREET BRIDGE MAY
BE WIDENED NEXT YEAR
Comptroller McCardy Says All That
Is Necessary Is a Transfer of the
$4,000 Which Has Been Re-
ceived From the Sale of Bonds
Great Northern Shops.

Comptroller McCardy says that the
$4,000 now in the city treasury as a
result of the sale of bonds for the con-
struction Of the Broadway bridge can
be used to widen and reconstruct the
north end Of the Waibasha street
bridge All that is necessary to ac-
ccmplish this is to kill the Broadway
proposition and transfer the money to
the Wabasha street bridge fund, to
which there is now substantial credit.
If this is carried out the Wabasha
street bridge can be rebuilt next year
without difficulty.
What do you think of the Great Northern
shop matter?'' he was asked.
The forty-hve acres which the Great North
ern proposes to use for the erection Of their
extensive shops is located In the vicinity
where the tracks cross Dale street. To show
that the company means business, l have seen
some Of the plans and drawings of the pro-
posed shops and have also seen the results
OF some of the experiments made to test the
nature of the ground in question. 1t is simply
a peet bog of from sixteen to thirty feet Deep
and would require the expenditure of large
sum Of money to put IN in shape to accom-
modate railway or any other kind of shops.
In its present condition the land is simply
a dumping ground for refuse from cattle cars
and the necessity of bridges across it Or
streets through it Is a question that does
not interest the present generation. The To-
cation of the shops the grounds means
difference Of 10000 people living in the city,
and such an addition to the population of St.
Paul is worthy of most careful considera-
tioEl.'
What about the contract of 1880 for the
repair Of bridges?'
81 am not sufficiently familiar with the
terms Of the so-called contract to give def
mite information concerning 1t, but the facts
are that copies Of this contract have been pro-
duced. l understand the city engineer has a
uros do
this being shown by the fact that the city
admitted its existence constantly for the past
four or five years by making the repairs on
the Third street bridge. The entire course of
the city I'D to the time the formal question
of the existence of the contract was raised
goes to prove that it was executed in good
faith But because of the fact that this con
tract cannot be found at this time the rail-
ways which constructed the bridges under
the conditions then agreed upon, are entirely
dependent upon the good faith of the city
in complying with the conditions Of the agree
ment. l am in full accord with the sentiment
that when the city enters into this or any
other contract the terms should be strictly
observed. Any other method than this would
SAVIOR of reputation, which the people Of st.
Paul abhor.''
"And how about the Broadway bridge?"
THE Broadway bridge will not be butt.
There is no necessity for 1t. Conditions which
led to the conclusions to build the stone piers
upon which the bridge was to stand do not
exist today: Times have changed. There
Of erecting the substructure of that bridge.
OF the amount $4,000 has been expended,
leaving $4,000 now in the city treasury. It
would require the issuance of at least $3.50 COO
additional bonds to complete the structure. If
there is any one idea upon which the people
Of st. Paul are determined 1t is that no more
bonds shall be issued. at least for bridges,
and you might as easily ram your fist through
one Of these stone piers as to carry by pop
ular vote proposition to issue bonds for
inst he is al ha
charter also prohibits it. On page 60 Of the
charter you. will find these words: The
present funded or bonded debt of the city
around this plain provision of the charter
legislation would be needed, and all the trou-
bles of special legislation would be encoun-
tered to say nothing of lawsuits and years of
litigation. There is no necessity for the
bridge. Surprising there was need of another
bridge Then we should build it at Jackson
street or at the bend of the river, half a
mile further east, rather than consider the
building of the structure at Broadway that
would drive away this tremendous industry
so much desired by the people"
What would be done, with the $4,000 on
hand?"
1.-THE strictly proper thing to do would be
We're ssue p Bu be %oud
give up the securities before they mature.
Therefore, after the council has put quietus
ommend that the money be used for the pur-
pose of reconstructing the Wabasha bridge.
This $4,000, with the $24,OOO now in the treas
ury for repairing this structure, would make
a respectable sum to be expended in widen
ing the entire bridge to the full width of the
reconstructed end. No, the Broadway bridge
will not be built for another twenty years.
Meanwhile, with those proposed shops located
on Dale street, SIS, coo. 600 will have been paid
by the Great Northern to skilled mechanics
and laborers, who will be making their homes
in the city.
1.-The present generation owes three debts
One to its predecessors, one to its success
sors, and one to ITSELF To it's predecessors
its obligation consists Of paying the financial
obligations laid upon it. This has been done
in six years. To our successors we will
leave very respectable amount of debt to
worry with when 1t becomes due. To our
selves we owe the duty of providing labor
for our own people, and in what way could
we provide for 50 many as in encouraging
the building Of this great Industry"