The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-07
VOTES TO
VACATE STREETS
Passes Northern Pacific's Or
dinance by a Unanimous
Vote.

~
tain lower town streets to the Northern
Pacific Railway company, approved
the contract drawn up between the
company and the city whereby the
company agrees to construct two new
freight houses, a large steel Viaduct
and make other improvements in re-
turn for the vacation of additional
streets, and ordered published the pc
tition for, the vacation Of the addition
al, streets desired by the company.
= While there has heretofore been con-
siderable opposition in the assembly
to the vacation of these lower town
streets to the Northern Pacific. there
was not dissenting vote when the
matter came UP last night.
Van Slyke has all
along championed the cause of the
lower town residents who objected to
the vacation of Kittson street, but even
Z. Mr.. Van Slyke considered the latest
proposition of the company. in which
sitesproposes a viaduct as a means of
providing safe transportation over
Kittson street, a fair one, and he voted
in favor of the vacation, after having
some matters explained to him salts
factorily.
How long will it be before this pro-
posed yiaduct is completed?" inquired
Mr.. Van Slyke.
1--we expect to have it finished with
In eighteen MONTHS replied Attorney
u. T. Chamberlain, who was.-at the
meeting in the interests of the North
seEn Pacific.
Kittson street be closed to
traffic during the construction of the
viaduct?"
( "The company will guarantee to
keep The street open until the viaduct
is ready for use," said Mr.. Chamber
lain.
What assurances have we that the
company will expend $4,000 in the
construction of this sviaduct?" inquired
Assemblyman Arnold. For all the
protection we have in this contract a
cheap viaduct may be built"
The company agrees to construct
the viaduct of iron or steel, and along
the lines of other viaducts in the city,
explained Mr.. Chamberlain. "It ought
to be protection enough when we agree
to permit the city engineer to draw
the plans and specifications. We figure
on the structure costing $4,000 or
more, but if we could build it for $40.-
900 don't see where there could be
any objection"
With these assurances from the
company the assembly passed the or
sdinance vacating the streets first ask
ed for. and approved the second ordi-
nance, asking for the vacation of addi-
I1OHdl- streets by OTueTilS tH6 OIu-
nance published as required by law.
This action, together with the APP
prevail of the contract between the
company and the city. means that the
city will not stand in the way of the
Northern Pacific in it's improvement of
its lower town property, and within
the next two years it is expected the
company will have expended almost
100000 on these improvements.
Attorney Chamberlain, who has rep
resented the company in it's dealings
with the council. was well pleased at
the action taken by the assembly last
evening.
1.-The passage of the ordinance and
approval of our contract by the unani-
nous vote of the assembly Is crafty
ing to the company in more ways than
one" said Mr. Chamberlain. TT goes
to show that the assembly is convinced
that our latest proposition is more than
fair to the city and to the property
owners in lower town. The company
has all along been willing to meet the
city and the property owners more
than half way, and now that we are
assured of getting what we want the
company will mae preparations to be-
gin work as soon as possible.
I'VE will enter into a contract to
have the viaduct completed within
eighteen months but if possible we
will have it finished long before that
time The company is as anxious to
complete its proposed improvements
as the people are to have them COM
pleted''
q Mr. Chamberlain assured the, assem-
bly, that the yiaduct would be thirty
feet wide, exclusive. of sidewalks,
which will be provided for on each side