Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-18
City REORGANIZATION.
MEETING OF THE R41SEY COUNT
LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION,
A Bill Agreed Upon to Change the Plan of
City Government SOmewhat-A Three
Hundred Thousand Dollar Court House
The Fire Commission to be Abolished
Other Changes to be Inaugurated.

Other Changes to be Inaugurated.
The Ramsey county legislative delega-
ton, with number of aldermen, City At
torney Murray and citizens, held meeting
last evening to consider proposed legisla-
ton in behalf of the city and county. Col.
Griggs presided and W. R. Mer-
riam acted as secretary. Clerk
of the Court Bell, Abstract Clerk
Olivier and Auditor McCardy appeared be-
fore the meeting and explained the needs
Of their Offices, the first named with refer
ence to the preservation of the records,
and the two latter the inadequacy of their
salaries, and their suggestions
were taken under advisement. Mr..
Liehnau and other representatives
of the Sixth ward were present
to urge division of the ward, making the
dividing line substantially the same as the
present voting precincts. In view of this
proposition a claim of another alderman,
on the creating of a new ward out of its
territory, was urged, the claim being that
1Io LOpLCoCAGdIAOAl III LIIO SIGJ SOFCIAn1O1IC
was smaller than that of any
other portion os the city as compared to
the extent of territory, wealth and popula-
ton. These recommendations were also
taken under advisement without any ex-
preston of opinion by either the delega-
ton or representatives of the city govern
ment.
The proposition of issuing bonds for the
construction of a city hall and
county court house was, after some little
discussion, reported fayorably. The
amount of bonds to be asked for this pur-
pose is to be 100000. All the details of
the bill were not completed, but its gen
eraI features were united upon, and City
Attorney Murray will prepare the docu-
ments in accordance.
The next subjects consid-
cred were the reorganization
of the fire and police departments g.
For the first named the draft of two bills
were read by Mr.. Merriam. One bill simply
made some amendments to the present
law in the direction of securing greater
efficiency, by authorizing the payment of
higher salaries to the chief, assistant
chief and superintendent of the
fire alarm telegraph, and in
measures to secure better discipline, but
making no changes in the present board.
The other provided for substituting for
the present board, Charles w. Williams,
John E. Turner and F. R. Delano, and pro-
vided salary for the chief, not to exceed
$4,000 per year, and 81, 500 each for the
assistant chief and superintendent of the
fire alarm, but otherwise preserved most
of the features of the present law.
The bill for recognizing the police de-
partment provided for merging the man
agement of the fire and police departments
by a board of fire commissioners, and
naming the present board of fire commits
sioners as members of the new board, the
two additional being left blank in the
bill. The manner of appoint
ment to fill vacancies was
left as in the law governing the board of
fire commissioners. This board was to
have full control of tho two departments
with power to make all appointments, re-
move for cause, fix salaries within the pre-
scribed imits-in short be power unto
themselves in all matters, except in the
one thing of extraordinary expenses, such
eho AOH oPRdIdbuo OICs
The bills read, City Attorney Murray en-
tered his decided protest to the system of
boards, which was being so generally in
corporated into our city and county gov
eminent. The duties exercised by them
belonged to the city council, the members
of which were responsible to the people
for their acts. And the experience
of the city had shown that in
the hands of the council the matters sub
mitted to these bodies were more econom-
ically and judiciously managed by the
council than by the boards. One great
trouble was that the business of the boards
was principally transacted in secret, so
that the people were really in ignorance
of what was being done, while in
the council every act was given
the greatest publicity to, so that
any tax payer interested could easily as
certain just exactly what was being done.
He would, if he had his own way, 90 back
to the old plan of having all appointments
by the mayor and confirmed by the coun-
ell, with the feature of the present law
making the terms of Office during good
behavior. For candidates for police
appointment he would require
that the applicant should not
be more than thirty years of age, able to
read, write and speak the English Ian
guage, resident of the city for two years
and of good health and physique, the
standard for admission to the army, estab
lished by examinations, to govern in this
latter particular. Alderman Allen and
DoWlan spoke in support of
Mr.. Murray's views, and with
out dissent he was directed
to prepare bill in accordance for the del
egation to consider.
Without taking up any of the other
many bills before them the meeting ad-
iourned.