The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-30
Political AnnOunc emenls
WHAT MCCOY DIDN'T
The Things He Takes Credit for as
Alderman of the Ninth
Ward,
But the Showing Is Not So Credit
able Through Other Eyes
Than His.

In a. circular letter to the voters or the
ninth ward, Alderman Mccoy tells OF
"Some of the Things I Have Done,' lay
ing claim to being the author of nearly
all the good things the people Of the ward
have enjoyed during the past four years.
A review Of these claims and COM
parison of facts with claims is interesting.
Mr.. McCoy's committee assignments
shows his influence with the council In
enabling him to secure places where he
could be Of service to his constituents.
AS a member of the committee on UNI
derground wires. it may be that 1t was
his inhuence\ with the Northwestern
Telephone company that enabled him to
retain the connection of his phone with
the main station, while all other East
side subscribers we're transferred in May
last to the East Side station. The an
poyance and Inconvenience of this change
has not been felt by Mr.. Mccoy, as his
underground wire had central connec-
tons.
The cancellation committee, Of which
he Is a member, meets once each year
to burn cancelled bonds, election votes
cast at previous election, and any other
city papers that need cremation. This la
certainly a brain-tiring committee, and
one that is filed only by prominent men,
bers Of the council.
AS a. member Of the license commit
report as to those who have complied
with the requirements OF the law and are
entitled to licenses.
The committee on bonds of city officers
requires city officials to secure surety
bonds, and as the actual work is at
tended to by the bonding companies.
services on the committee requires only
a man able to affix his name to the find
ings Of the companies.
If Mr.. Mccoy were made a member Of
the committee on Bethany Home, the
measure Of his influence would be COM
plete.
1t is true that Mr.. Mccoy secured safety
| gates at the railroad crossings of the
Northern Pacific cutoff at Lincoln and
Crossings on Central and Twenty fifth
Fillmore streets, but the most important
avenues and Monroe street had already
been placed by Alderman Lloyds motion,
and the additional gates at the crossings
mentioned followed very easily.
| Alderman Mccoy strives to make much
of his action with regard to the stone
quarries. operated by Wunder &, Nc
Leod. off Central avenue. He admits that
he voted to allow the Northern Pacific
railroad to lay a crossing on Central ave-
nue., as the city attorney said it could
force such a crossing on its right Of way.
A right it already enjoyed and used for
several years does not need to be proved
But the facts are, the road does not cross
Central avenue on it's right Of, way, but
some distance north of it-this by virtue
Of the recommendation of Mr.. McCoy's
to the road and bridge committee. The
road also secured the right to quarry Polk
street by the recomm enda ton, and the
records also show that Mr.. Mccoy signed
the recommendation and voted to grant
Wunder & McLeod's petition. The bono
of $4,000 will not pay for regarding either
Polk, Taylor or Tyler streets singly after
the stone Is removed. It is very reason
able to suppose that the FORGETTING of the
city be trebled. Mr.. Mccoy caused the ar
rest of Wunder & Mcleod after the Wis
}consin Central railroad had nearly com
pleted the taking of sufficient ninth ware
soil to grade their works on Boom island
} and the balance Of the work went mer
rily on until they finished the job as fal
as they wished. 1t was a grand-stan(
play but deceived no one, as it's object O
throwing sand in peoples eyes was 81
/ easily seen.
Mr.. Mccoy asserts that there now exist
one and one-half miles of macadamize'
streets in the ninth ward, made of ston
} taken from sewer and water main excava
! lions. While much stone had been exca
= waited under previous administrations
the refuse stone had been largel
, used in filing low places and sWampy bot
] toms many streets that were Sreatl
improved thereby. The stone from tn
Twenty-second avenue sewer has bee
used to nacadamize partially about thre
y and one-half blocks, and a very fair 10
of work has been done by COMMISSIONS
. Finn. However, the work Of Commits
O sioner Smith in the use2 Of the materis
y used by him shows more than equally wei
s. The macadarn on Central avenue frol
,, | Twenty-ninth avenue to Columbia Height
i was placed there by the Columbia Height
e Improvement association at no cost
O the ward. This is the only extended piec
y of macadam to be found IN the ent1'
ward.
street signs have been placed on stree
corners all over the city by an ordt
| issued to the city engineer by vote
ts council, and the only part Mr.. Mccoy hs
y in this was that he voted for the resol'
d ton.
If Resarding bicycle paths, it is we
= known fact that they are laid out ar
a. worked by the city engineer, and IL
location or construction, except as ne me
n consult with the city engineer. The fur
paying for these paths largely com
from funds paid by cycle. owners +
license tags. To the engineer and Il
cycle path association the public Is II
debted for the paths.
Mr.. Mccoy seeks to gain glory by II
act that twenty -nitn dSSAluS 40 AAe>'
= M ssable. through his efforts, at a cost
$40 from ward funds. 1t can be east
demonstrated that the avenue is not pa
sable in wet weather to any one not t
| owner Of a boat or wings who will try
go over it from street to the city lirni
The pond that is partially filled by refu
q material dumped there since 1t has be-
~ used as a general dumping ground max
IS a. treacherous bottom that is In no W
y safe or even passable except by great cal
E In 1895 the City council received $500 as
L. donation to be used for the purpose of II
.e proving this, and the same was placed
=. =; the ward fund for that purpose, as sho'
~ by the controllers report, page 4S, for t
10 wear 1899. II even the balance OF II
q fund-S16O-had been used, the condltl
would have been improved.
-. TO complete Mr.. McCoy's record,
should be added that he introduced an {
~ dinance to raise the Northern Pac1
10 tracks from fourteen to sixteen feet in
~ first and ninth wards; that he vot
ia against the 500 roads paying $4,000
Nv vacations. ..'