The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-03
|COMPE FAILS
TO STIR CITIZENS
Constituents of CouneiImen
: Have Not Yet Discovered
Extent of Victory

The increase in the amount of the
taxes to be received by the city from
| the st. Paul City railway company by
reason Of the compromise is yet to be
determined.
| The action of the council at the un-
expected special meeting Wednesday
evening was completed yesterday by
the approval Of the compromise resolu-
ton by Mayor Smith.
A comparison OF the compromise
| originally offered the city by the street
railway company with the one accept
| ed, shows that the trolley company
| yielded but one point, the tunneling of
| Selby avenue hill. 1t also agreed to a
| gross earnings tax which would be de-
termined by the difference between the
general tax and 6 per cent of the gross
earnings. This, as indicated by COM
| putting the gross earnings tax on the
basis of the 1904 general tax and gross
earnings of the company, would show
that the city conceded practically per
cent to the company. securing but per
cent in place of per cent.
The tunneling OF Selby avenue hill is
| not an assured fact by the terms Of the
compromise. 1t will only have to be
constructed after the civil engineer OF
the company and the city engineer
I shall agree that IL is a feasible propo-
| sition from an engineering standpoint.
If they cannot agree then a third en-
gineer is TO be called in who will have
the deciding vote.
Company Comedies Few Points
The company since the first has re-
fused to comply with the demands of
the city in the following particulars:
MacadamiZe Marshall avenue from
Cleveland TO the bridge.
Grant one fare to university students
! In st. Paul.
Sprinkle streets on which the COM
pany has tracks.
Pay the 5 per cent gross earnings
tax.
These are all substantial considera-
lions which the city is compelled to
forego as result of the compromise.
The benefits to be derived by the
city from the adoption Of the COM
promise resolution contain but a few
concessions that the company was not
eager TO grant from the time the con-
troversy started.
Almost All in Original Offer
The company originally offered to
agree to the following propositions:
Construct a third interurban line.
Extend the Lafayette line TO Phalen
park.
EAteUO the ROn0O line.
Extend the Concord street line.
Construct a line on Randolph street.
Change the route Of the Hamline ave-
nue. line.
Pay a definite amount toward the
widening of Sibley street.
Construct shops at Smelling and Uni
versity avenues.
Construct a cross town line.
Grant single fare TO Minneapolis
| from Smelling avenue.
The only additional concession secur-
ed by the city in the compromise which
| was accepted was that the street rail-
way company would relinquish its
claim to build lines on any new streets
without first securing the consent OF
| the common council.
Another concession granted the COM
pany, the full import Of which does not
show on the face, is the right at any
| time to occupy st. Peter street. This
practically means that the company
has been given an exclusive franchise
for an intercity street car system, as
| st. Peter street is the only available
| street route not already occupied by
| the company that remains for entrance
| from Minneapolis The company. Is not
required by this clause to construct a
| line within any given period on St.
Peter street, but 1t has a never ending
privilege to use the street at any time
| 1t sees fit.
Good Settlement Quick
| In support of their action in accept
| ing the compromise resolutions several
members of the city council said yes
| terday that they considered the city
| got as good a settlement as Ii could
| without resorting to long legal fight
that would practically tie up the pro-
posed improvements and extensions for
! fvVn rhraa also fQa red
| that If Judge Lochren's decision was
| not reversed the company might abuse
the privilege which his decision gives
| Ii of rowing license to build lines
l-wheresoeyer it's wishes within the city
1 limits4
Several of the members of the coun-
! ell were frank to admit that a public
discussion of the terms of the compro-
mise, which would have followed a
delay in the adoption of the resolution,
would have in all probability ultimate
~ defeated il. BY this they meant that
the partisans of the several demands
made originally by the city, but which
were not Incorporated in the resolu-
! ton, would exhibit such activity in in
| sisting upon such concessions by the
company that the matter would be re-
opened and the compromise as far
away as ever.
There Is, however, an underlying
| feeling of dissatisfaction on the part
| of certain councilmen which they can
not conceal. The matter was rushed
| through the different bodies of the
| council without giving the members a
chance to digest the possibilities of
| certain sections of the compromise res
| olution, and a consequent feeling OF
1 uneasiness prevails in certain quar-
| tiers.
The resolution will be in full force
| and effect as soon as the St. Paul City
| railway company files. a written ac-
| ceptance with the city clerk. This
must be done within ten days of the
publication of the proceedings.
| South ST. Paul interested
South St. Paul is taking a considerable
! interest in the compromise measure
adopted by the city council Wednesday
night and. the street railway company.
Now that the city is assured of street
car service, the property owners on the
| hill express dissatisfaction that the pro-
| posed terminus Is at Cochran street, and
that 1t does not continue up the hill The
| ordinance under which the proposed
franchise is to be granted provides that
for every increase in 500 inhabitants on