The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-11
RAIL WAY COMPAN
READY TO SETTLE
WATER SUITS
Street Car People Make a
Proposition to the City to
Remedy the Faults Which
Have Injured Water
Mains Will Pay Actual
Damages and Control the
Currents.

The st. Paul City Railway company
practically Acknowledges damages to
the St. Paul water system because of
escaping electrical currents from its
rails.
Through its attorneys, Mum s. Thy
gason, it has made an offer 20 the wa
ter hoard to conlpremise the $500, a0o
suit brought against it by that cor
pcration and 70 further relieve the city
from any mere VERY Regarding the flu
ture to the water mains.
The offer which was made yesterday
is in effect the thorough 'bouGing'' Of
the. present ground return system, the
testing CT the same to the entire sat-
isfaction of the board, the perfect in
sulation cf all mains usually subject TO
the electrical leakage, and the SAY
n1ent to the city Of damages where
such can be shown.
On the subject CT damages, however,
the company is evasive. Its offer which
was read at a special meeting of the
board being couched in the following
language:
While the ST Paul City Railway COM
pany contends that it is not responsible
for any damage claimed to have been
done to the water pipes under your
control, we recognize that This is a
complex and difficult question, invclv-
ing many doubtful ana legal questions.
and wa are anxjuos to 3e all in our
power to maintain harmonious and
agreeable relations with your board;
and with that end in view. are willing
to meet you mere than half way in An
endeavor to effect an adjustment CT
this question.
The city railway company stand
ready to make gos'3 FL damage, If any,
which it can be demonstrated has been
caused by any currents which may
have escaped from it's system and
reached the pipes of the water COM
pany, provided an adjustment OF this
matter is effected.
The proposition to settle was received
hy the board without comment and re-
ferre3 to q later 3ste when the al Wis
ability of rejecting CT accepting it will
be considered.
Suit Is New Pending.
The suit Of the water hoard against
the street. car cSmpanY for damage te
its water mains by reason Of electrs-
~ sta Is now pen6Ing in the district
court and will tie calle3 for trial the
latter part cf the month. In substance,
the rap@rs filed demand damages to
the amount CT $500,oGo and an injunc-
ton preventing the company from fur
Their interfering with ST. Paul's under
ground water system.
The offer of the street car company
TO settle is looked uron by the MEM
bers Of the board as a practical vic
ton Attorney Thomas McDerrnott, who
has bsen conducting the suit, a frank
recognition If the condition of affairs
clinching With the ala Of expert evil
6ence.
The return system which the ccmpa-
ny cffers to maintain is the same as
ncw use.s, the bending Of each section
Of rail with copper wire. but So So
curely that no current will escape. The
water beard claims that the only ada
quate system IF return is a 3SuhIe trcl-
ley or conduits carrying G return wire.
Assistant Cooperation Attorney Nc
Dermott insists that if s. settlement is
effected that 1t Include all expenses that
the board has been PUT to in pushing
its claim. AS te the payment of dam-
ages, $4,000 will PROBABLY cover all so
far found.
Throughout the entire controversy
the water board hes keen particularly
aggressive and its 9etision to bring the
matter to an issue is believed to BE re-
sponsible for the street car compsnY's
cffer. When first requested to remedy
matters the street car company polite
ly declined.