The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-12
ANOKA SOLONS
HAVE A SCHEME
WOULD GIVE COLUMBIA HEIGHTS
. OVER TO MINNEAPOLIS.
Say That the Settlement Is Far Re-
moved from County Seat and Cannot
Be Properly Policed-Some of the
Reasons Why the Move Cannot Be
Made.

annexation of doumbis Heshtgg the te
Minneapolis and Heanepin county.
They represent that it is really a sub
urb of Minneapolis, and ought to be
nnder the same municipal government.
The village is incorporated, and has
the right to license saloons. Gambling
and prize fighting are often permitted,
and owing to it's distance from Anoka
the county authorities cannot give
proper supervision. The hold-up case,
now causing great expense to the coun-
ty, is the immediate cause of the agi-
tation. The Anoka Free Press says:
The village Of Columbia Heights is
within the jurisdiction of Anoka county
all right enough when it comes to foot
ing the bills for gamblers raids. murder
trials and other evils incident to it's prox-
unity to big and wicked city. But when
1t comes to exercising contribution the
village is law unto itself, being duly
incorporated for that purpose. 49,.
If the county were in power instead of
the village, it Is doubtful if liquor
licenses would be granted in that burg,
since the sale Of liquor has tendency to
draw an undesirable element from the ad-
joining city to it's confines, with which
element the law-ahiding citizens and vii
lage officers are either unwilling or unable
to cope.
The village Of Columbia Heights Is to
all intents and purposes part and parcel
Of Minneapolis. 1t is as much subject to
invasion by the lawless element which in
| tests every big city as is any portion Of
the city itself. 1t should therefore be po-
Iced and differed similarly to any other
| outlying section of the main city.
This, however, is impossible so long as
the place, tho virtually a part Of Mime
apolis, is technically a self-governing viii
lage in another county, because the finan-
| nj o1o
quate to maintain the legal machinery
required to cope with the criminal ele-
ment which scintillates from the center Of
a big city to the outskirts.
In the light of existing conditions Col
umbia Heights ought to be under the
jurisdiction of the city Of which it forms
a part in all but the technical sense. The
result would unQuestionably be better all
around.
u An Anoka man in Minneapolis today,
said: Minneapolis ought by all
means to have Columbia Heights, and
) then the city authorities could keep it
under control. Having the power to
roadhouse headquarters, and obnoxious
to law-abiding people. 1t is certainly
a great nuisance and expense to Anoka
county as it now stands.
1.-THE whole town of Fridley should
be part Of Hennepin county. It be,
longs TO minneapolis geographically
and commercially. We never see the
Fridley people except when they come
} up to pay their taxes. Anoka county
would be glad to trade Fridley for the
towns Of Dayton and Champlin, just
, across the river from Anoka, and using
: the town as a trading point.''
City Attorney Healy does not believe
, there is any legal method Of annexing
Columbia Heights or any other terri.
tory to the city of Minneapolis: There
is state law providing for the add.
ton Of territory. to municipalities, but
Minneapolis being under a special
charter, it would not apply. The con,
!, stltution does not now permit any spe.
cial legislation, 50 the charter cannot
, be amended. In section SO, article j
Of the constitution says:
"Thee legislature shall pass no local
or special law regulating the affairs Of
or incorporating, erecting or changing
: the lines of any county, city, VILLAGE
township, ward or school district,'' etc