The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-25
FAVORED LEASE OF EVf
MANY CITIZENS ADDRESSED JOINT
COMMITTEE MEETING LAST
NIGHT
NO DEFINITE ACTION rs TAKEN
Union Depot Company Not Anxious
for "a Lease ON Account of
the Uncertain Tenure
Involved.

AS had been expected there was a
great deal said at the meeting of the
committee on streets from the two
branches Of the city council last night,
but very little was accomplished or
brought out in the discussion except the
advisability of leasing the part of the
levee desired by the Union Depot COM
pany, rather than by deciding it over to
them bodily
Chairman Noyes of the committee of the
various commercial bodies of the city
again submitted the result of the investi-
cations of that committee, and Attorney
Hallam, representing the Union Depot
company, again told of the bad state
of congestion in the depot yards and of
the companys great need of increased
facilities.
The advisability Of a lease had been
urged, he said, but the Union Depot com
pany would not care to put in the pro-
posed improvements owing to the uncer-
tainty incident to leasehold possession.
After considerable discussion Assem-
biyman Benson moved that the opinion Of
the corporation attorney be requested
on the point, whether the city has a
right to lease the parcel, and if 1t had not,
If the legislature has power to pass the
requisite legislation; report to be made
at the meeting of the committee on next
Monday evening. The resolution was
adopted unanimously together with an
invitation asking for the views at that
time of all who are interested.
Some of the gentlemen spoke substant-
ally as follows:4
D. r. Noyes: "It seems to me that
all Of us and the city council ought
to take this opportunity to keep ST. Paul
as the great distributing point of the
Northwest. At present it is the great
transfer point, and If it is to remain so,
facilities must be given to the railroad
companies, or of necessity they will go
| somewhere else, where they can more
easily get them. Fortunately we have
it in our power give them the facilities
which are imperative.
I'VE would be promoting our own inter-
ests even more than those of the railroad
companies. They ask a great deal and it
Is our duty to protect the interests of
the city, but if we did not believe that
we were promoting the city's and our
own interests we would not appear
here"
c. P. Noyes again brought out his
points of last Mondays session:
1.-THE congestion at the Union depot is
without parallel In the United States.
and it is the opinion of the committee
that there is no way to remedy the diff
ficulties except to give them rights along
the levee."
Jesse Gregg: 1--WE have got the freight
transfer business in St. Paul, and now
let US keep the passenger transfer busl-
ness here. 1t will advertise the city. As
for those levee rights the city has owned
them for one hundred years, more or less,
and has never had any use for them, and
probably will never have.
Speaking Of the matter of leasing, At
torney Hallam said:
In my opinion the city has no
power to make a valid lease OF that
parcel. Under such a proposition the
Union Depot company would not be able
to invest 100000 or 900 on property
which might be taken from them at any
time. I want to call your attention to
the fact that the Union Depot company is
not close corporation. At any time
any road may enter and receive all the
benefits. It's charter provides for that.
Then, too, it has been decided by the
supreme court that they may not raise
the price of capital stock. Today any
company may buy it at par. The Mime
apolis s. ST. Louis might enter at once
but for the eramped facilities. They are
anxious to enter, and as soon as we have
facilities they will do So The amount
of traffic carried through the depot is
enormous During the year closing with
last August so, 179 trains, or 1877 per day,
passed through the depot. There were
233, 0S5 cars there included, or 63S per day,
or 100000 per year; 240,S24 freight cars
last year, with %, 419 engines, have passed
over the transfer tracks, or $50 cars per
day. st. Paul is unfortunately situated
for a depot. There IS no other place for
one If it was put further north the
southern roads could not reach it, as all
the land has been bought up. The roads
entering by the north are similarly linn
| tied. The wholesale houses crowd right
on to the depot on the north, and the
only direction left for the needed room
is toward the river. If we do not get
the room, some of the roads will have
| to get out and build new depots.
THE question is raised as to what the
| Union Depot company would pay. The
| location is very expensive one So far
| they have invested $S5O,O00 and expect to
| add 100000 more. The union depot Is
doing considerable for st. Paul, and all
! they ask is certain rights which the city
has no use for. Other cities have given
up valuable property for the same re-
| suits.
81 do not believe that the city has the
right to lease the levee for other than
levee purposes, and so believe that the
lease to the Milwaukee Is invalid And
what other purpose can the Ievee ever be
| leased for"
A communication was received from H
j. Horne protesting that the city ought
never to part with its riparian rights
there, and that it had no right to divert
| the property from the purpose for which
! 1t was dedicated.
| Gen. Flower, president Of the Stock
Yards company, also spoke. He said that
| his company was willing to waive any
requests they had made for the present.
! The Union Depot company's plan proyfd-
ed for them, and while it was not the
/ best they could desire, they were salts
! fled to let it stand.