Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-07
The Neav Council.

Business was begun Immediately by swearing
in Messrs. Grace Rhodes, Griggs, Cornish,
Ringwald, Allen and OConnor.
Aid. Bell was made chairman pro TEN. The
roll was called, all the members present. and
Aid. sDowlan moved that a president of the
council be elected.
Aid. Grace nominated Aid. Rhodes.
Aid. Griggs moved that the president pro TEN.
of the council be directed to cast the entl vote
for Aid. Rhodes, which was accordingly done,
and Preside 1t Rhodes assumed the discharge of
his duties after returning cordial thanks for
the honor.
WAITING ON THE MAYOR.
Aldermen Dowlan and Bell were appointed to
wait upon the mayor, and learn from him if he
had any communication to address to the
council.
THE MAYORS MESSAGE.
Within a few moments the committee re-
following message
To the Honorable, the President and Common
Council of the City of Saint Paul:
The custom of making suggestions by the
mayor after each yearly municipal election to
the council is as old as the city itself. AS a
matter of fact messages of any kind sent or
read to legislative bodies amount to but
very little, as the law making powers generally
are governed by their own ideas of the wants of
their constituents. consequently my remarks
will be short. The past year has been the
most prosperous one that st. Paul has ever
enjoyed. Our wholesale merchants have not
only increased in numbers but our oldest and
largest houses have increased from twenty-five
to fifty per cent. above any previous year.
Our manufacturing business has increased
equally as much.
I am informed by railroad managers that
thirteen roads which meet here on a common
center have increased their tonnage fully 100 per
cent above any former year. The large increase
of money transactions at the banks show that
they also are enjoying the benefits of our rap
idly increasing population and prosperity.
The immense immigration from the East and
Europe to Minnesota is a sure indication that
our growth and prosperity are based on a
solid foundation and that we must prepare for
a still larger increase of business and popula-
ton in the near future.
The late disastrous fire warns us that we
should look well to the manner in which our
large business blocks should be con-
structed. l would advise the immediate pas
sage of an ordinance carefully prepared and
demanding that every building put up in our
business center should conform to the most
approved rules governing such buildings, for
the protection of life and property, and that
to enforce the ordinance.
Your late action in making the trade in fuel
free from any license or tax met my most
hearty approval. l would now recommend
that all ordinances calling for a special license
from dealers in fruits and vegetables be re-
pealed; in my judgment every dollar the city
derives from these sources costs the consumer
$40.
The license for retailing liquors, including
beer, is 500 per annum; for beer alone it is
only $35. Some of the parties who take out
beer license sell other liquors, to the great an
noyance of the police. thing that the ordi-
nance should be amended SO that brewers, only
in their breweries, should be allowed to take
out beer license. The sale of $500 per
cent. city bonds during the past
year at par, and our taxes in
st. Paul during the past two years
of thirteen mills Tor 1878 and fifteen mills on
1879, the 800 for State, county, school and mu-
nicipal purposes are the best indications Of our
financial condition. They show our taxes low
er than any city of our size in the United
States, while our credit is equal to any city in
the entire west. quote from my last mes
sage the following: There Is one matter of
Importance to which invite your especial at
tention, and that is the paving of streets and
laying of sidewalks. The mayor of Savannah,
in his last message to the city council, states
that he has purchased the so called Belgian
pavement blocks, four by eight inches on the