The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-07-17
ASSEMBLY REVOkES
kELLY'SP[RMIT TO
QUARRY IN STREET.
III ~
Protesting Delegation Claims
the Contractor Is Making a
Neat Profit From His Privilege
of Grading Hudson Avenue.

Under pressure from a large delega-
ton of East end property owners. and
in the face of. evidence that some of
the members were inclined to critic1se,
as pointing to jobbery. the assembly
last night revoked the permit granted
P. H. Ke..s some weeks ago for the
grading of Hudson avenue. from Hoff-
man avenue to Commercial street.
In addition to this, the city engineer
was instructed to stop without delay
any further operations by Mr.. Kelly on
the street. Kelly is a contractor and
also enjoys revenue as street COM
missioner Of the Second ward.
Kelly, the cause Of all the trouble,
was present and practically admitted
that while grading the street he was
at the same time enjoying respectful
revenue from the sale of the stone he
was taking out. and that some of the
city teams had been used to carry
away the refuse.
'.Mr. Kelly asked Assemblyman
Arnold, who persisted in conducting a
cross examination. would you be will
ing to stop work until committee in
vestigated this matter and reported to
us the feasibility and necessity of this
improvement pos
mo" was Mr.. kelly's emphatic re-
ply. Il have a nIlinber of stone con-
tracts to fill"
rs it true persisted Mr.. Arnold,
that you have been using city teams
on this work?
Used City Teams.
mo. Yes" cautiously rtolied Mr..
Kelly. THE city got the benefit of
it when I did. l used some of the
dirt from the street in other portions
of the city, and city teams were used
Ivlh .atJ i've. 4
ing material" -
This reply seemed to settle the whole
controversy, and without further dis
cussion the motion to revoke the per-
init was put and it prevailed, every
member of the assembly voting for it.
Later the resolution calling upon the
city engineer to see that the work was
stopped at once was introduced, and it
prevailed as unanimously
Robert Seeger who lives a block away
from the alleged grading headed the dele
cation that came to protest and he in
formed the members that if no action
was taken the courts would be asked for
an Injunction! He asserted that under
me guise OF a permit to grade the street
without any, expense to the city, a quarry
that would net Kelly, the contractor, $10-
goo or more. was being operated. Be
cause of the topography of the locality
he commended that no grade could be es-
tablisf1ed. Not a property owner, outside
ofsKelly,4 he declared, had ever been con-
suited when the permit was asked for,
and only when pressed by the residents
I had Kelly even pretended to ask the city
engineer for Instructions
No inspection Made
City Engineer Rundlett last night was
asked If he had ever Inspected the al
! legged grading and he answered that he
had not. He presented profile issued
since the controversy came up and adj
mitted4 that, even if graded the street
would not be practicable for teams or pc
destrians No bond to his knowledge, had
ever been furnished by Kelly, nor had he.
| been asked to furnish the lines and sur,
| Yeys that are generally customary in such
matters. Kelly, he admitted, acting on
| the permit granted by the council had
simply located his men and proceeded to
take out the stone.
During the afternoon the committee on
streets of the board of aldermen wres-
tied with the situation, but, the protesting
delegation got little satisfaction. The
members informed he delegation that they
had visited the locality and if diligence
was used by Mr.. Kelly they believed that
no one would be Inconvenience! At the
| suggestion of Aid. Dobner, the matter was
laid over until the next regular meeting,
when a definite answer is promised
| AT this meeting Mr.. Kelly took issue
| with several of the delegation and con-
| Predictions were numerous.
| One member of the delegation asked Mr.
Kelley why heo not use one of the
other streets asJ an entrance to his prop
| erty, and his reply was that it was none
| of his business. Assemblyman Van
! Slyke also added his voice to the protests
and informed tie members that it was
shame that one of the lookouts of the
| city was being destroyed
| Kelly contends that he is grading the
| street for theepna'pose of furnishing an
entrance to his property. He contends that
he is cutting 1T down to grade and ex
| poets to get his money back through the
stone that is being taken out He says
| that he has filled his agreement with the
city so far I'M every respect and expects
| to carry it out to the letter