Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-05-03
Mr.. BBAUMONPS CLAIM.
A Full Statement of why He Calls on the
County for $4,000.

To the Honorable, the Board of County
Commissioners, Ramsey county, Mime
sofa.
GENTLEMEN: Accompanying this COM
munication I present for allowance by
your honorable board, and for payment by
the county in accordance with the proVls-
ions of law, the claims of the assistant
assessors of this county for compensation
for their services, for five 90 years next
Immediately preceding the 10th of March,
1883. These claims amounted, in the ag-
gregate, on that date, as per schedule
hereto annexed, to the sum of nine thou
sand four hundred and ffty-three (9.453)
dollars. AS the law clearly provides for
the payment of these assistant assessors
by the county, and as these officers have
not received compensation from the coun
ty for their services for the five (5) years
above mentioned, their claims are legal
and valid. These claims, for a valuable
consideration in each case, have been as
signed to me by the claimants, and the
assignments are accompanied with the
powers of attorney proper in the premises.
That these claims are legal l will
proceed to point out, and am confident
can make this fact so clear that
their legality will appear beyond
question, and in doing SO, will be as brief
49, is consistent with an Ineligible state
lent of the law on which they are based
Section one ~, chapter ninety (90), of
On act of the legislature of this state, ap
proved March 9th, 1875, entitled: San act
N relation to assessments for taxes in
the county of Ramsey" Especial laws of
1875, page 313), creates board of ap-
pointment for the purpose of appointing
an assessor for the county of Ramsey, said
assessor to be appointed on the 10th of
March, 1875, and on corresponding date
in every alternate year thereafter, and to
hold Office for the term of two years.
After prescribing the qualifications re-
quired in such officer, and providing for
the filling of vacancies in such Office, also
for the oath of Office and bond required of
the person so appointed, it reads thus
" Each assessor aforesaid appointed IN
der this act, shall receive as compensa-
ton for his services in making the
assessment of property, salary of
three thousand dollars per annum,
during the time he holds Office, payable
out of the county treasury of said county,
as the salary of other county officers" Sec
ton 2, same act, reads as follows: "Such
assessor shall have power to appoint one
or more assistant assessors under him.
* * * X Each assistant assessor
aforesaid shall act under the direction of
the principal assessor and may be assign
ed by such principal assessor such district
or portion of said county. Or such other
duties as such principal assessor may deem
expedient, and shall receive such compen-
sation as such principal assessor may
deem advisable; p7ovided that each town
ship shall be e,.si1. I 70 It's own assistant
assessor, who shall be appointed by the
principal assessor, subject to the approval
of the board of supervisors or a majority
thereof from each township; and provided
further, that the compensation of any such as
sistant assessor shall not exceed twelve hun
dred dollars in or for any one year, and tina t
the compensation in thewhole for assist
ant assessor shall not exceed, in or forany
one year, the sum of two thousand dollars.
otherwise sooner determined, shall
terminate at the tins of the
termination of the Office of the
pointed
Under this law, for three years ubse-
4uent to March 10th, 1875, the principal
assessor received from the county the COM
pensation paid to him for ''hiS Services" as
the law provided, namely, three thou
sand $4,000 dollars per annum, and the
assistant assessors received from the county,
not from the principal assessor, the COM
70
as the law provides, namely, two thousand
$4,000 dollars per annum. The princi pal
assessor did not draw, nor could he ever
have drawn from the county, any part of
the compensation which the law provides
shall be paid to assistant assessors. The
offices were then, and now remain distinct
This distinction is clearly recognized in
section above quoted, by the use of the
words, 'the office Of said assistant assessor
unless otherwise sooner determined, shall
terminate at the time of the termination of
the office Of such principal assessor by
whom he was appointed"
Section l, chapter PIG, of an act of
the Legislature of this state, ap-
proved March Sth, 1873, entitled san
act to regulate and establish
the salary and fees of certain officers in
AboA1loSJ NOuAAts3 HAlhACSOGds \opCS1d1 4dnS
of 1873, E-ge 1850 reads thus:
'Ehe salary and compensation of the re-
spective officers named in the act for the
city of st. Paul and for the county of
Ramsey in the state of Minnesota, for all
services now or hereafter by law prov ided
or required to be performed by them, or
any of them respectively, are hereby es
tabiished and fixed land shall be as in this
act specified, and no other or greater sal
airy or compensation of any kind shall
be allowed, or paid to, or received by any
of such officers as additional compensation,
or for deputies or assistants or clerk hire,
or for any cause or any account whatever,
or in any way or manner" In the same
section, after fixing the salaries of various
officers of the city of st. Paul and of the
county of Ramsey, the salary of the county
assessor is fixed thus: ''the salary and com
pensation of the assessor of said county
and city shall be four thousand dollars
$4,000 per annum, and no more; and no
other sum shall be paid as clerk hire or
otherwise for any duty or work performed
or done In the discharge of said o1fice.'
Let the question be asked, what Office is
meant by the words ''of such Officer" That
the answer must be, the Office of the prin-
clpal assessor, is so clear that it cannot be