Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-06-01
FORr SMELLING BRIDGE.

weekly Meeting of the Commission-The
County Attorneys Bill for Services Rem
observation-disclosures Matters
A regular meeting of the bridge commits
sion was held yesterday forenoon, all the
members being in attendance. A lengthy
communication was read from Fl. A. Hor-
ton d Co., the bridge contractors, giving a
number of reasons for the delay in the fin
ishlng of the bridge, upon the strength of
which it was agreed that the commission
should not exact the per diem penalty. Mr..
Lindeke was opposed to the manner in which
the matter dragged, and thought that the
questions of penalty and damage should be
settled at once. Mayor Dawson also spoke
in favor of complete settlement.
Mr.Cochran read the following communica-
ton from Attorney General Start, to whom
had been referred the question of the right
of the commission to pay the county attor-
ney for extra services:
ST. PAUL, May 25th, 1SS0.-Thomas Cochran,
Jr., Esq, secretary Fort Smelling bridge COM
missioners, Dear Sir-Your question is: "Are
the Fort Smelling bridge commissioners to be
considered as State or county officers?" They
are not State officers-that is officers whose du-
ties concern the State at large. or the general
public. Neither are they. strictly speaking
county officers. The question is not from
doubt or difficulty, but from an examination Of
the special laws creating the commission, and
from consideration of the object
OF its creation [ should classify the
commissioners quasi county officers,
that Is officers whose functions relate exclu-
slvely to meetings in which the county is di-
rectly interested. Or, in other words, they are
an Official agency for bulldog q bridge for
Ramsey county with funds provided Gin part
at least) by the county from a sale of its bonds.
and when completed the bridge is to be sur-
rendered to the commissioners of the County
and be considered in charge of said county for
repair and protection. As such quasi con ntv
officers the commissioners would be justified in
asking the advice and assistance of the county
attorney with reference to their official actions.
CHAs. II. START, Attorney General.
County Attorney Egan being present ex-
planned his relations, officially, with the
commission. In stating his views, he ad-
verted to the undue publicity given the sub
ject, and expressed susprise that the opinion
of the attorney general should have been
asked IS TO the legality of his hills. He
mentioned the fact that the commission had
paid the accounts of the engineer, a paid
city official, without hesitation. The bills
had been cheerfully and justly paid, not
withstanding which some critical mind
might have asked the attorney general for
his opinion.
The commissioners had also paid them
selves the sum of $3 per day for services,
fairly and justly, yet some person might
have asked the attorney generals opinion as
to the right of the commissioners to conp9n-
safe themselves for incidental services, fairly
and Justly rendered. Mr.. Egan referred to
the various duties which he had been called
upon to perform for the commissioners and
gave IA recount of his manifold services.
Reference to the statute was made, and Mr..
Egan expressed regret that there should
have arisen a doubt, and OF the unfortunate
position he had been made to assume in the
matter.
The original letter to the attorney general
was referred to and Mr.. Linde Ike explained the
intention of the commission and they merely
desired to place themselves right in the mat
ter, and did not anticipate that the question
would iplace. Mr.. Egan in an unfavorable
light.
The chair stated that there had never been
any doubt as to the amount of the bill, but
that the question rested entirely upon its le-
gality. IS to the commissioners salary of
So per day, the chair stated that the statute
allowed the amount.
The doubt as to the legality of the bill
arose from the fact that Mr. Rogers had rem
dered services to the commission and had
not submitted bill therefor. Final consid-
Grafton of the bill was referred to the chair,
the secretary and Mr.. Lindeke to report at
the next meeting.
The communication of Messrs. Horton &
Co., concerning their bill of $177 for extras,
and 1887 for interest, was then considered,
and it was decided that the chair should con-
fer with the contractors concerning settle
ment of the bill.
Several small bills were allowed, after
which the meeting adjourned.
Ahighly esteemed lady of Lancaster. N. Y,
Mrs. Catherine Zimmerman, informs us that
she had occasion to use the st. Jacobs Oil in
savara1 casaa of rheumatiam ewallino of the