St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-04-15
LONG YEARS OF SERVICE.
Something OF the Career OF CitS
COmpIroller Roche.

Comptroller Roche.
To-day is the twenty-first anniversary OF
COMPTROLLER John Roches' advent into the
office which he has so faithfully filled. On
April Is. 1865, as the newsboys were crying
the extra editions of papers announcing the
assassination of Lincoln, Mr.. Roche was
taking possession OF the comptrollership
from his predecessor. The office was
created eleven years prior thereto. Until
four months ago Mr.. Roche has filled the
position without assistance, although the
rapid growth of the city, together with the
increased work attached by the legls-
lature placing various boards unuer
the comptroller'S supervision, had long
before neceSstated additional force MI:
Roche carried his work TO his home ana
put in his evenings thereon, practice
which he still follows. In 1879 the Doafu
of education was placed under the comp
trollers direction and there are now twenty
five school buildings in the city with
force of $50 employees. The fire board also
comes under the same supervision. When
Mr.. Roche went into Office he was elected
by the council. that body then having the
mower. At that time each alderman had
nominee and William Dawson nominated
John Roche, who was elected-a matter
that Mr.. Roche knew nothing about
until informed of Mr.. Dawson's action by
that gentleman himself. After three cleo
tions by the council 10 the Office, it was
again placed in the hands of the people.
William Forbes of the old Indian trading
firm of Forbes Il kittSon, an old settler
and strong man, was nominated by the
Democracy. Mr.. Roche was solicited to
run on the Republican ticket but de-
clined A citizens ticket was formed, and
Mr.. Roche yielded to the requests to allow
the use of his name. The Republican bal
lots were printed with the comptrollership
blank. When the election was over it
was found that Roche was elected by sew
enty-seven more votes than Mr.. Forbes.
In 1869 Mr.. Roche was again on citizens
ticket and beat the Democratic nominee.
gentleman named Delano, druggist. In
1872 he defeated the Republican candidate,
whose name was Ordway, and last spring
the Republican candidate, j. j. McCardy,
was again defeated by Mr.. Roche after
fight which is still wildly recollected.
These four opponents cover the opposition
in a period of twenty-one years. 1t
is worthy of mention that throughout
his long service Mr.. Roche has never sought
. a nomination or entered in political war
fare. During the exciting period of last
springs election Mr.. Roche could be daily
found at his desk, attending to his daily
routine, as though there was no such thing
as an election on the taps. Mr.. Roche has
signed every one of the bonds representing
! the unexpired bonded Indebtedness of the
city. Last year $1,000 of the bonds issued
twenty years before, to redeem the old
script, were redeemed. When issued John
S. Prince was mayor of the city. Said the
mayor to Mr.. Roche at the time:
'John, where will you and be when these
bonds are presented for redemption?'
GAS we're both exemplary men dare say
wen be living,'' answered the comptroller,
''butI'n not be in this Office when they are"
But the latter part of the prediction has
not been verified, and Mr.. Roche remains
at the head of the Office into which he
stepped more than score of years ago.