Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-08-11
THE CITY COUNCIL.


The adjourned meeting of the city council
was held last evening with President Walsh
in the chair.
After roll call the city clerk read tine fol.
lowing communication from the mayor rela-
| tive to
OFFICIAL PRINTING.
To the Honorable City Council of the City of
Minneapolis:
GENTLEMBN-Ir returned to your honorable
body some time ago the notification of the
city clerk that You had made the Tribune
the official paper OF Minneapo-
lis and had instructed the
proper officers to execute the contract; and l
also called YOUR attention to the alledged fact
that the Tribune had deceived your committee
as to It's circulation, at the same time asking
that you give the matter an investigation. l
see by your proceedings that my communicl-
ton was referred to the committee on PROT
ing | trust the question raised has received
the attention asked for at your hands.
Since your last meeting contract. signed
by the Tribune printing company, has been
handed me, but have declined TO sign it for
two important reasons, VIZ:
First-because | consider the matter as still
in the hands of the city council.
Secopd-BecaHse the contract, notwith-
standing it has been approved by the city
attorney, Is not III accOrQduce Win LHe DiQ OF
the Tribune upon which the contract was
awarded. The Tribune in its bid offered to
print the council proceedings and all advertis-
ing In BREWER type. This was accepted by
your honorable body aud thereupon you de-
ciared the Tribune the official pap-r and
authorized the proper officers to execute the
contract. | never saw nor was I consulted
about the proposed contract until it was
handed TO me, signed by the Tribune. / find
CUNNINGLY INTERVIEWER
into the proviso of this instrument clause
about printing in noupariel and miDion type
at twenty and hall and thirty cents per inch
This is not what the council authorized the
proper officers TO make contract for. I
might as well substitute wooden beams for
iron girders in some contract which the coun.
Gil might ask to he executed.
1t Is in just suca Loosely aud cunnneiy
drawn contracts as the one in question that
the
"rHIEvING CLAUSES"
are most numerous. In dealing
with those whose honesty has been
question for judicial investigation
and who have amassed fortunes by handling
other peoples money, when the owners be-
came proportionately poorer as the handlers
became richer, think too many safeguards
cannot be thrown around the ciiy's treasury
The contract under consideration should
provide against display heads, leading, bas.
'ard type and printing 10 supplements; and
shonld provide for printing the council pro-
ceedings the day following the date the copy
is furnished, aud not at the convenience OF the
publishers. Very respectfully, your ohedient
servant, A. A. AMEs, Mayor,
SPIRITED DEBATE
The matter induced spirited discussion.
Aid. Glenn thought the question out OF order
until some report on the previous communl-
cation OF the mayor upon the subject, and
which was still before the committee on print.
ing, had been made.
Aid. Pillsbury moved to refer to the city at
torney for his opinion, he to report at once.
Ala. Glenn moved to amend, referring the
whole to the committee on printing. The
amendment was lost
AID. Watt then called for the
reading of the contract. The city attorney
read the contract, prefacing the reading with
the statement that it was at his advice that
the original terms of the contract had been
changed, and that he alone was liable to GEN.
sure.
The city attorney then explained the circum.
stances of the drawing of the contract.
THE HITCH.
The hitch hinged upon the fact that in the
bid of the Tribune no type other than brewer
was mentioned, and the contract mentions
three sizes OF type at three different rates,
when there was biit one rate mentioned In the
bid.
Aid. Glenn, at the conclusion of the reading,
stated that he did not wonder at the mayors
declining to sign the contract. The fact was
sef-evident that the city attorney and the
Tribune had doctored up the contract to suit
the interests of the Tribune. he cared not a
cent which paper is made the official paper.
He should want to award it to
DEMOCRATIC PAPER,
had be the choice, but in the want
OF Democratic paper he had no choice
He only wished to have the contract drawn IN
the interests OF the city, and so as TO exclude
all possible steals
Aid. Watt arose to correct the cityEattolney
in his statement that he had given the com.
mittee certain Instructions, bat as member
OF that committee he knew that the committee
had received no such advice.
AN ADMISSION.
Aid. Grethen did not propose to inquire into
the business of the two papers. He asserted
that the representatives OF the Journal had
admitted to him that the bid of the Tribune
was the lowest, aud it was from that fact he
favored awarding the contract to that paper.
After further discussion the motion was re-
fsrred to the city attorney for further explsna-
ton.
TIE MAJOR
upon being requested, stat~d that il the coun-
Gil refers any matter to him for his signature,
that signature should be withheld unless the
matter in question was drawn In the letter and
spirit OF the city council.
The city attorney theR,made a report from
manuscripts
PREVIOUSLY PREPARED
in anticipation of the discussion and the refer.
ence which had occurred. He gave Il as
his opinion tina. whether the con
tract was signed by the mayor
or not the Tribune was sim
the official paper, and could collect accor ling
to the unsigned contract.
WILLING To SIGN.
The mayor then explained that he was per-
fectly willing to sign any contract ordered by
The city council.
Aid. Grethen moved that the contract as
read be accepted and that the proper officers
be instructed to execute the same
Aid. Glenn arose to his feet on point of
order. The city attorney had decided that the
Tribune was already the city paper II that were
true, then the passage OF the motion before
the council was out of order
Upon vote being taken the motion OF Aid.
Grethen was passed.
EQUALIZATION.
Upon the motion of Aid. Pillsbury the re-
port of the city board of equalization was
read.
After reading Aid. Andrews offered a reso-
luton confirming the report OF the board and
the resolution was adopted by the council.
MISCELLANEOUS