Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-21
THE CITY CHARTER.

-AAAA VI l. O1lfAlO IlSs
proposed Amendments-The City Engineer
to be Elected by the Council Limiting
the Board of Observation-Disclosures
Changes.
The council committee on legislation met in
adjourned session last evening, Mayor Dawson
presiding. Present, Aids. Rhodes, Mccarthy,
Grace, Allen, Belote, Sanborn and City At
torney Murray. The latter was requested to
read in their regular order the subjects dis
cussed at the last meeting. The first point
taken up was the election of the city engineer
by the council, instead of having that official
appointed by the board of public works.
The chair stated, in answer to question,
that the city engineer had not treated the coun-
Gil with proper degree of Difference. He had
repeatedly ignored their instructions, and
too much a creature of the board of public
works. MIR. Sewall was competent and
thoroughly efficient engineer, but he persisted
IN refusing to carry out the desires of the coun-
oil.
Aid. Grace said that Mr.. Sewall was a COM
petent engineer, and it was his intention to de-
lend him against the Vaccinations of cabal
Or ring. The latter remark made several alder
men put in disclaimers, the inuendo being op.
posed with considerable warmth of feeling.
Aid. Allen said that the council had to take
the responsibility for great deal of the work
have the right to make the appointment.
There had been we'll grounded complaints of
his doing work aside from his official duties,
greatly to the neglect of the interests of the
city.
Aid. Rhodes said that he had no objection to
Mr.. Sewall an engineer, but that he strenu-
ously objected to being treated fool. His
conduct towards the council had been uniform
lily discourteous. He had frequently delayed
work out of a spirit of pig-headedness. In
fha 6 To- 4Io l,l
been retarded for three days simply because he
refused to furnish the necessary stakes.
Aid. Rhodes stated that there was a bill being
prepared for the election of city engineer by
the people, and that if the council didn't take
the matter in hand, the people would.
Aid. Sanborn moved that the city engineer
be appointed by the board of public works and
confirmed by the council.
Mr.. Murray suggested amendment that
he be elected by majority vote of the council
and board of public works.
The chair stated that the matter had been
settled at the last meeting it being decided to
recommend that the city engineer be appointed
by the council.
The relation of the county to the city treas
ury was then taken up, and after some agita-
ton it was agreed that the county should pay
over all money due the city at the beginning
of each and every month.
The next question considered was remodeling
the police department so to constitute the
mayor the chief of the department, with the
power to appoint or remove when cause or oc-
casion required. The mayor said that he
was not candidate for reelection he would,
perhaps, be pardoned for expressing his mind
freely. In his opinion the mayor, under the
present order of things, was not vested with
sufficient power. An officer should be allowed
to remain On the force as long he performed
his duty, but there was a growing disposition
to ignore higher authority, simply because
they were impressed with the idea that care
lessness or neglect of duty could not be
reached.
After further discussion it was decided to
recommend in the bill that police commit
tee should be appointed, to consist of one al
derman from each ward, acting in conjunction
with the mayor, the vote of four aldermen and
the mayor to be equivalent to the votes of all
the aldermen together.
Mr. Murray then read an elaborate bill hav-
in view the reconstruction of the borrowing ia
cilities of the board of education.
Aid. Rhodes said that the school board was
too extravaganza. owing mainly to the almost
unlimited power they had to borrow.
Aid. Grace said their power to borrow should
be restricted. Aid. Rhodes stated that they
should have no power to borrow beyond what
was necessary to pay two months salaries or
buy fuel.
The bill was amended 80 as to limit the bor-
rowing power of the board of education to
$4,000, that being the greatest amount allowed
the board at any time, the intervals to be
fixed as to make it impossible for the board
to have any great amount Of money at one
time
The tramp nuisance was then taken up, and
various plans were proposed scare-crows to
brighten them away.
The chair stated that the tramps cost the
city from 800 to $500 per month. Aid. Rhodes
said that they were rapidly swapping the city,
Aid. Allen spoke in favor OF having a tempo
rary workshop. Aid. Mccarthy thought they
should be made to work on the new levee. Aid.
Rhodes thought that they should be put to
saving wood in the old court hous;, ward. The
chair said that all three of the methods should be
tried. The law should be comprehensive enough
to have them work wherever the city required.
Aid. Grace made eloquent appeal in be-
half of the female tramps. It was decided
that the bill should be comprehensive enough
to dispose of the tramps, during their term of
imprisonment, as the council thought proper.
The propriety of amending the apportion-
ment of assessments on property was then con-
sidered. It was decided that when property
had been damaged by the city, the owners
should be reimbursed out of the general sink
ing fund, and that when property had been
benefited by Improvements. the owner should
be assessed accordingly.
The extension of the street railway track was
briefly adverted to, after which the committee
disguised the social evil question. Mr.. Murray
said that the present manner of treating the
fallen women of this city was an outrage on
humanity. Instead of being dragged up to the
municipal court every month, they should be
licensed. Aid. Mccarthy said that a woman of
the town was compelled to pay more taxes in
proportion, than man who cultivated large
farm.
MIR. hurry stated under the present system
the city was fast becoming widespread and
promiscuous brothel.
The chair stated that he was in favor of con-
solidatlng- the city and county governments.
Several aldermen remarked that at present the
scheme would not be Dracticahle
At this stage of the proceedings the presence
of an isolated and very much ignored reporter
was taken cognizance of, and with signifi-
canoe of aspect that was decidedly queer in its
expression, motion to adjourn was put and
carried.
The above is, of course, mere outline of
the changes that are to be embodied in the bill
The Grand Jury.
The grand jury didn't assemble yesterday I'M
til 23O o'clock P. NJ. During the forenoon the
fpi sbo11,