Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-04-20
cH4MBER OF COMNERoE,
Looking After the Fire Department-The
Venerable Railroad B snds.

Looking After the Fire Department-The
Venerable Railroad B snds.
At the meeting Of the chamber of commerce
yesterday morning the following communica-
ton was read:
Hon. II. H. Sibley, President of the Chamber
of Commerce. st. Paul:
DEAR SIR: At meeting of the Association
of Fire Insurance agents of this city, held on
the 18th inst, a resolution was adopted for the
appointment of a committee to confer with
such committees as may be delegated by the
city council and chamber of commerce. to con-
slider the subject of the present fire department.,
and water supply, whether the same are suf
ficient, in view of the growth and improve
ments of the city. The undersigned having
been appointed such committee, respectfully
call the attention of the members of the chaLi-
Der of commerce to the Importance of the sub
ect, and ask cooperation and the appointment
of corresponding committee. 1t is suggested
that much latitude and scope be given to the
committees in their Investigations, and that
the same shall embrace the efficiency of the
present organization of the fire department;
also whether it should be en-
Iarced TO meet the necessities of
properly owne;s, and give protection to
those portions of he city now practically out
side of or beyond the reach of the present or
ganization; also the suficiency of the water
supply and what measures can be adopted Sto
extend the same, and also whether suitable
building laws can be adopted a security
against or prevention of the destruction of
property in our city by fire. Very respect
fully, 81. l.. Moss,
s s. EATON.
J. s. PRINCE, Committee.
A motion to appoint a committee prevailed,
and Messrs. Murray, McClung and Bigelow
were selected by the president.
THE OLD RAILROAD BoFDs.
Mr.. MeClung brought up the question of the
old railroad bonds, which had been introduced
at the last meeting by Mr.. Lee. He said the
chamber went on record in 1879 in favor of
paying the bonds, He was tired of having the
matter brought up and hearing the people de-
nounced as scGundrels and repudiators. There
were certain equities in the matter. All were
not entitled to the same pay for the bonds
they held and the matter should be ad justed.
Unless we work through the political parties
we cannot hope to accomplish anything. He
accordingly offered the following resolutions:
ResolUed, That a committee of which Hon.
n. II. Sibley, president of the chamber, shall
be chairman, with power to appoint six others,
be and is hereby appointed whose duty it shall
be to prepare \ statement in brief of the his
tory of the loan of the States credit for the
construction of railroads, together With an ad-
dress In favor of inaugurating some plan for
the equitable settlement of the outstanding
bonds of the State, to be presented to the sew
eral State conventions which are to present is
sues to be voted upon by the people, and to
urge upon said conventions the duty of devils
ing some plan for the settlement of its .oat-
standing bonds upon fair and honorable basis,
RESOLVED, That copy of these resolutions be
presented to other boards of trade throughout
the State, requesting their cooperation in such
manner as they deem proper.
DR.. Day moved to indefinitely postpone and
argued that it was political question, for
eign to the purposes of the chamber, one
which it was useless to discuss and upon
which no action could be had which would not
bring the chamber into discredit, as did its
tion last year upon the brass kettle. The mo-
tion to postpone was not seconded.
MIR. Hall objected to the remark that the ac-
tion of the chamber as to the brass kettle
brought reproach upon it. His information
was TO the contrary, and he would ask DR.. Day
to show some proof of his assertion before ex-
pecting it to be credited.
Mr.. Banning, approving the most of Mr.. Nc
Clung's resolutions, thought that while in one
sense they were political, that they did not
present party question, and that they mainly
affected the revenues and honor of the State
matters proper for the chamber to consider. 1t
was proposed TO refer the subject to political
bodies, it was true, but because they
only could act upon it. He would like to see
the subject presented to the political conven-
tions. Iu the course of his remarks Mr.. Ban
ming defended the people of the State from the
imputation that they were thieves and scoun-
drels, because they do not acknowledge and
pay the bonds and referred to their vote to give
the internal improvement lands to hquidate
them. While he recognized that nice sense
of personal and State honor had influenced
some to labor earnestly for settlement of this
matter he would also acknowledge that others,
with just as keen a sense of honor, had felt it a
hardship to ask of the people that they pay the
bonds. But he would challenge the two par
ties to meet the issue and test the sincerity of
the leaders.
After further discussion, in which the venal
character of the New York Independent was
commented upon, the resolutions were adopt
ed. WhereupOn the chamber adjourned.