The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-07-14
URGE OBJECTIONS
TO THE CLOSING OF
KITTSON STREET
Residents of Lower Town Pro.
test Before Assembly Conn
mittee on Streets,to Vacation
of This Thorouehfare.

Unless the council vacates Kittson
street for us we will not spend one cent
for Improvements in lowerstown," de-
clared L. T. Chamberlin, attorney for
the Northern Pacific, in addressing the
members of the assembly committee on
streets yesterday afternoon
without that portion = of Kittson
street between Fourth and Fifth
streets the Northern Pacific could do
nothing, and the council might as well
refuse to vacate a single street to US
as to eliminate this section of Kittson
street. The Northern Pacific is pre-
pairing to expend thousands Of dol
lars on it's improvements in this part
of the city, but nothing will be done
unless we are permitted the exclusive
use of this street. All of our improve
ments will be called off, as it would be
foolish for us to attempt to carry out
our plans unless Kittson street is va
Gated"
The question of the vacation of a
number of streets in lower town, de-
sired by the Northern Pacific for the
erection of a large warehouse, more
tracks and other improvements, came
before the assembly some time ago,
and was referred to the committee on
streets, there being strong objection
on the part of the residents of lower
town to the vacation of Kittson street.
A number of these DIRECTORS were
present at the committee meeting yes
terday, Ben Knauft, former alderman,
acting as spokesman.
H.IIe Nacs4ion an Oufraoe
Mr.. Knauft declared the vacation Of
Kittson street would be an outrage, as
it would close a thoroughfare which,
within a few years, would be worth
thousands of dollars to the city. He
declared the Northern Pacific could go
ahead and make it's improvements
without monopolizing Kittson street
and that if the road was inclined to~be
fair it would do so.
Petitions opposing the vacation were
also presented to the committee. one
being from number OF property own
ers in the vicinity, and another from
the local Teamowners' Union No. 100.
The teamsters. declared it would work
a hardship upon them to close the
street to traffic, as it would compel
them to haul by the way of Broadway,
making the trip at least three quarters
of a mile longer than if the street were
left open.
In their efforts to persuade the COM
mittee to see the matter in the proper
light" Mr.. Knauft and Attorney
Chamberlin became personal, the at
torney finally. requesting Mr. Knauft to
address his remarks to the chairman
and not to him.
The members of the committee were
about evenly divided on the. question
of reporting favorably upon the ap-
plication Of the railway company, but
finally voted to lay the matter over
until the next: meeting, three weeks
hence.
Some members of the committee OPP
posed to vaeating Kittson street are
of the opinion that if the council
should accede to the request of the
company it should demand at least
$4,000 for the privilege.
| In presenting it's argument to the
committee the Northern Pacific, in it's
petition, says:
Reasons for Desiring Vacation.
"The vacation of Kittson street. the
company claims, is absolutely necessary
| for it's proposed Improvement. The
difference between the grade of Fourth
street and Fifth street is about nine
teen feet, and it is impossible to so
arrange the tracks crossing Kittson
street as to leave that street open for
| team travel. 1t is necessary that the
grade of the team and delivery tracks
along the northerly side of the blocks
in question should not descend towards
Kittson street and towards the main
tracks, as otherwise freight cars are
in constant danger of drifting east
ward onto the main track and causing
| wrecks to trains travelling on those
tracks. 1t sometimes happens that
brakes are thoughtlessly left loose on
these cars by employees handling them,
and such omissions are unavoidable by
any stringency on the part of the COM
| pany, and a loose car on a descending
| grade, running onto the main track. is
! the frequent cause of collisions. It is
| also necessary to have the team tracks
nearly on the grade of Fifth street, and
| the freight house on the grade of
Fourth street. and to accomplish this
the tracks on the northrly side of the
! tier of blocks in question must cross
Kittson street at "a much higher grade
than those on the southerly side, next
to the freight house, and this difference
in grade makes the use of Kittson
street by teams a practical impossible
itV''