St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-20

| from the day when due up TO Inc uay ol re-
demption upon the full amount for whch
the property was sold. allowing the prop
erty owner interest upon the partial pay
mentS.
The time of redemption should be changed
from three years from the day OF sale
(which is complete forfeiture as the law
now stands to any time after the expiration
of five years from the day of sale at the
option of the owner of the certificate of
sale, after he, the owner of the certificate,
has given the City Treasurer notice in
writing that it is his intention to make
demand upon the owner Of the property for
the amount due upon the certificate of sale.
The owner of the certificate should also be
required to give a notice of ninety days
1.-THE last days publication being the first
day of the ninety days notice. by two days
successive publications in each OF the daily
newspapers describing the property, num-
Der of the certificate of sale, amount OF sale.
nature of improvement, date OF sale and
supposed owner of the property A copy
of the publications with at1idavits by the
printer attached, should be filed in the of
flee of the City Comptroller by the owner OF
the certificate of sale. The final redemp-
ton should expire not before the end of
one year from the expiration of the ninety
days after the second days publication of
the notice. The City Comptroller to give
the regular redemption notice at least
thirty days previous to the final redemp-
ton.
The Board of Public Works makes all
assessments and unfiinchingly confirms its
own acts. The result of the confirmation
of an assessment by the Board, without
just consideration, often has brought
great distress to the property owner,
particularly in the change of street
grades and the taking of land for
the opening OF streets and alleys,
etc. l have considered the matter most
carefully, and have at times thought that
all assessments made by the Board of Pub
lie Works should be confirmed by the Com
mon Council. as the parties assessed would
| be better satisfied. But | have concluded
! that it is necessary evil' for the Board
to confirm only the assessments for the
/ grading of streets Except those streets for
which property outside of the line of i'm
prOvement is aSSeSsed), alleys, construction
of sewers and sidewalks as the growth of
/ the city and public interests demand prompt
action. Furthermore, assessments for
change of street grades opening of streets
and alleys, and for the grading of streets
for which property outside OF the line OF
the street graded is assessed. should be
confirmed by the Common Council, with the
power to make such changes as the Com
mon Council may deem proper.
There should be a system adopted in Or
dering public Improvements, and as it has
been suggested by President Barrett, of the
| Board of Public Works: to let all the con-
tracts in the fall of the preceding year for
work to be done the succeeding year, recon-
mend that the law be so amended that each
Alderman shall report to the Common COun-
| Gil the Improvements he considers necessary
! to be made in his aldermanlc district,
the Common Council to fix the day of
meeting in which such reports shall be re-
ceived.
After the Common Council has deter
mined the improvements necessary to be
made. then the City Clerk should publish
list of the improvements in the daily news
papers by three days publication, fixing
the day of meeting of the Council to hear
objections against making the improve
mentS.
No Improvements outside Of those men
toned in the list should be mad" during the
succeeding year, unless petitioned for by
majority of the citizens owning property
along the line of the improvements.
[ am of the opinion that all action for the
contracts anticipated to be let this year, for
work to be done next year, should be with
drawn, as it is the duty of the Board of
Public Works, after awarding contract,
to Immediately proceed, as soon as practic-
able, to make the assessment which would
be due and delinquent long before the con-
tractor could commence work in the spring,
which the property owners asking for the
improvement evidently don't understand,
or possibly they do. and are willing to pay
for the Improvements long in advance Of
the commencement of the work.
| consider that the above suggestions
contain all the virtues of the Ontario
plan" without its dangers, and feel con-
tdent that in case they are fully carried out
and also applied to the general tax law, the
people will obtain the desired relief.
Very respectfully. your obedient servant,
JOHN w. ROCHE, City Comptroller.
Nov. 16, 1886.
Committee on Streets and Legislation,
and copy to be sent to each Alderman.
| Of City Engineer-Robert Street Bridge
To the Common Council of the City of st.
Paul:
GENTLEMEN: send herewith the final
estimate for the Robert street bridge. The
Struct' - completed and ready for travel,
wUn - AteptiOn of few sidewalk planks.
v~hcn Tie contractor has been unable to OBJ
tain. l. therefore, withheld 81. 900 from
the contract price until this is finished.
The bridge is considerably behind the
contract time, but as the western approach
has not been completed, the public has not
been incOnvenienced. and the saving to the
city on interest has been more than the cost
of engineering and inspection, and l there
fore made no reduction on this account.
| would like to make some practical tests
of the stability of the bridge, particularly
in regard to the heavy wheel-loadS and
moving loads, and would suggest that the
matter be referred to the Committee on
Streets to make any necessary arrange
ments Yours respectfully.
l.. w. RUNDLETT,
City Engineer.
Estimate referred to Committee on
Claims and report OF the Engineer adopted.
Yeas y.
! Of Market Master
Report for months of July. August Oc-
tober and November 1856. with City Treas
urers certificate attached for 1865.
Public Accounts.
REPORT OF BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.
Grand Avenue Change of Grade
TO the Common Council of the City of St.
Paul:
The Board of Public Works have had
under consideration the resolution or order
of the Common Council. approved Nov. o,
1886. relative 10 change of grade on
Grand avenue, from Milton street to Lex
ington avenue. and. having investigated
the proposed improvement, respectfully re-
port that said Improvement is necessary and
proper. as shown by the red line on the ac-
companying profile; that the estimated eX-
pense thereof is $50; that real estate to be
assessed therefor can be found benefited 20
the extent OF the damages costs and expenses
necessary to be incurred thereby; that said
innrnNpmnnt l. NOT asked Inr hN q nptitinn