The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-10
CANNOT AID ST. PAUL
TO IMPROVE CITY
ROADS
STRONG EFFORT TO BE MADE
Good Roads conference Appoints
Committees to Seek "a Way
Out of the Diff
Guilty.

Mayor Smith, members of the city
council, the county commissioners and
representatives from the several COM
mercial bodies debated at length yester-
day at the city hall on the question Of
good roads, but the results, so far as
participation by the city in the $4,000 to
be expended by the county board is con-
cerned, can scarcely be said to be salts
factory.
Beginning next June the board Of
county commissioners will have avail
able $4,000 for the construction and re-
pair of county roads and bridges, and
the conference yesterday at the city hall
was for the purpose of seeing if a part
or this amount could not be expended On
the roads where they enter the city
E. w. Peet was made chairman of the
meeting and outlined to those present
the object of the gathering and the
necessity for activity in heading off
farming trade that now seeks Mime
apolis ana way railroad stations as it's
center.
"All sign boards" said Mr.. Peet, point
to Minneapolis; in fact, in my travels
over this county I have failed to find
one that bears the name of st. Paul.
Our citizens pay 50 per cent Of the taxes
that go to make UP the county budget,
and it seems odd that all of this should
go toward the construction of roads
miles from our borders, while the high
ways at our very doors must suffer be-
cause of no improvements. These roads
should start from the very heart of ST.
Paul and penetrate the remote borders
of the counties surrounding u.s."
The concensus of opinion among the
citizens and city officials present was
that part of the money should be used
within the city limits, but this, boch
Commissioners Wright and Powers
thought. could net be done They.
however, agreed that the repair of the
roads both in the county and where they
enter the city was absolutely necessary
and they said they would do all in their
power towards bringing about a re-
form
Mayor Smith said in his travels over
the county he found the roads in a de-
plorable condition, so much so that many
farmers preferred to go miles out Of
their way in order to reach other points.
Leading out Of Hanline avenue, he said,
there was a road that should be pushed
on so as to penetrate Anoka county but
in it's present condition it was only a road
in name. He also advocated that all
work be done by contract.
Discussing the condition of some of the
roads within the city limits, Commits
sioner Powers made the statement that
on the Saltwater road one farmer lost
his load of hay by getting mired in the
sand. This state of affairs existed with
in the city limits
Assistant Engineer Wilson was Of the
opinion that the city budget could be
augmented 50 as to take care of roads
where they enter the city, but the work
he said, could not be done under the
prevailing scheme Of assessment against
the property, as it would be practical
confiScation.
Commissioner Powers said the coun-
ty board was anxious to do everything
in its power towards making good roads
and suggested to the gathering that two
or three roads be determined upon and
these would be repaired along their entire
length. The city would have to take
care of them, wherever they entered the
corporate limits
COMMITTEES APPOINTED.
On motion of w P. Murray the secre-
tary Of the meeting. Mr.. Beardsley, was
instructed TO see the county and city
attorneys and secure from them opinions
as to the raising and expenditure Of
money, one to see if a sum could not
be added to the budget and the other
to furnish an opinion as to whether any
county money could be spent on roads
where they lie in the city limits.
On the invitation of the county com
missioners Mr.. Poet appointed a commit
tee, consisting of Mayor Smith, the
chairmen Of the street committees Of the
two council bodies and ex-Mayor Doran,
to take a ride over the several county
roads and determine which in their opin-
ion should be repaired first. They will
be the guests of the county board.
After the adjournment Of the gathering
Assistant County Attorney ONeiIl and
County Auditor Johnson gave it as their
opinion that county funds could not be eX-
pended on improvements lying within the
city
Mr.. Johnson said that as long as he
was in Office he would refuse to draw a
warrant for expenditures from the roads
and bridge fund for any city road The
courts will have to order me before 1
will do it," he remarked.