The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-19
ASPHALT is AHEAD
RACE BETWEEN BRICK AND AS
PHALT us GROWING MORE
INTERESTING
ASSEMBLY AS WIRE PULLERs
Performances Last Night Assumed
the Aspect of Farce Conn
edy-SOme Orders Are
Rescinded

The members of the assembly last even
ing rescinded the final orders for the
paving of Minnesota street, Minnehaha,
Decatur and East Seevnth street, brick
and sandstone being specified in each,
and ordered asphalt as the material to
be used in the Improvement of the two
latter thoroughfares The vote in each
instance was close and at times so scat
tered without regard for previous ex-
pressions of preference as to seem a
farce
Paving was the topic of conversation
and the principal item of business at
the meeting of the assembly last even
ing. Unlike the rhetorical efforts that
characterized the meeting of the board of
aldermen at its meeting Tuesday evening
stilted speeches and insinuations were
lacking, but between lightning changes
in regard to voting and a seeming lack
Of knowledge as to what was up for con-
sideration, kept even the clerks in state
of anxiety
The paving controversy came up on
the resolution of Aid. Dobner made at
meeting of the board of aldermen
Tuesday evening, resembling the final
orders for the paving of number of
streets in which brick and sandstone
We're specified and substituting asphalt
instead. The reason was that property
owners desired asphalt, because of it's
unusual cheapness.
HOW THE FRAY BEGAN.
The first of the resembling resolutions
offered, Assemblyman Dix desired sent
to the committee on streets, but his own
vote was the only one he could control.
Assemblyman Wheeler who led the OPP
position against the resembling order
wanted to kill the scheme for all time
to come, and did so partially, in the first
hI1t end
den switching on the part of Assembly
man Nelson, who wanted asphalt for
Decatur street, and he had to retire in
disorder South Wabasha only was saved
from the wreck, and that was at the
earnest solicitation of Assemblyman Dix,
who brought over Assemblyman Denny
AsSemblyman Benson called for a re-
consideration of the vote refusing to
overthrow the final orders for Minnesota
and Minnehaha streets, and succeeded
In eacn instance he was sustained by
Aldermen Denny, Craig, Whitcomb and
President Warner. 1t was a case of
trust against trust, and asphalt won
When the vote on the resembling or
ders had been completed, res olutions from
the board of aldermen calling for the
use of aShphalt in the Improvement of
the streets named were introduced, but
Corporation Attorney Markham gave a
note Of warning, by informing the mem
berS that they could not dictate to the
board of public works the material to
be used.
His warning prevailed in the case of
two streets, Minnesota and Minnehaha,
where brick and sandstone were speci-
fled, but when Decatur and East Seventh
streets were brought up there was a
lightning change, and the asphalt resolu-
ton prevailed. Assemblyman Nelson said
that the property owners of his ward
wanted asphalt.
The final order for the Improvement
of East Seventh street from Atlantic
to Hope, called for macadam, and Presi-
dent Schiffman, of the common council,
who was present, wanted it left alone,
but his entreatiesl did not prevail
In the consideration of the paving
propositions President Warner Assem-
blymen Craig and Whitcomb were solid
in the vote favoring the resembling or
ders additions finally being received in
the persons of Assemblymen Nelson and
Denny, but the latter official was much
at sea, and his vote was changed so fire.
quently as to keep the members guessing
as to where he stood.
Looking at it from the standpoint
of asphalt against brick, the former.
up-to-date, has decidedly the best of the
fight.