St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-11
WILL STILL BE PRESIDENT.
Barrett Makes an Explanation to
the Board of Public Works.
AT the Request of the Board He With
draws the Resignation.

The board of public works at the meet
ing last night sent to the council favor
able report OH the building of approaches
to the Third street bridge. The estimated
cost of the approaches is S45, 600, of which
sum S14. 600 was appropriated by the legis-
lature. MeSsrs. Barrett and Becker voted
i'll the negative and accompanying the re-
port sent to the council was the report of
Gen. Becker and an opinion of the city
attorney regarding the building of both
bridge and approaches by the railroad COM
pany. After transacting other routine
business President Barrett announced that
he had a statement to make to the board
and he might as well make it now as any
other time.
WHY HE RESIGNED.
He thought il was due to the board, the en-
gineering department, the clerk of the board
and himself, since the act had been so mag
nif1ed that he should state the reason why
he sent in his resignation. The act had long
been contemplated, and he had frequently
told the individual members of the board that
the duties Of the position had become bur-
densome and irksome. He had been contem-
plating reslgning as president OF the board
for some months. and the evening before he
sent his resignation in he had spoken to
Judge Hoyt about it. His relations with the
members and clerk had always been
pleasant, and he had always been
treated courteously and kindly. Some
parties had seen fit to say that
trouble existed at some time, and in fact all
the time, between him. the engineering de-
partment and the clerk of the board. This
he wished to contradict. There had never
been the slightest friction between him and
the engineer or any of the assistants. As to
his relations with Capt. German, they had
always been pleasant and he always regarded
the captain as his friend. On the morning of
August he had a few words with Capt.
German, but that was the end of it. He was
possibly litGle warm at the time and the
captain might have been in the same mood.
That evening, however, he attended a board
meeting and met the captain and he did
not n0uce or was he aware of
any bitterness between them. His
resignation had been attributed to this fact,
but neither directly nor indirectly did it have
anything to do with it. He had never tried
to interfere with the duties of the engineer
or clerk of the board. knowing they were
abundanty able to fulfill their duties to the
satisfaction of themselves and the board.
He noticed in one of the papers that he was to
make charges against somebody and every
body. He would say that this statement as
the result of very vivid imagination on the
part of someone and there was not word of
truth in it,as he had OR knew nothing to make
charges about. He sent in his resignation
because he considered 1t to his interest as an
individual to do Sc. His intention was, after
it had been accepted,and his successor elected,
to send in his resignation as member of the
board. He had stated the matter just as it
was in Justice to all concerned.
HE WILL REMAIN.
Mr.. Quinby said the reasons stated by the
president were satisfactory, and asked him
on behalf of the board to withdraw his res
ignation. Gen. Becker thought the senti-
ment Of the board was the same. Turning
to Capt. CONAN, Mr.. Barrett asked if he
had stated correctly in saying there was no
trouble between them, and the clerk re-
piled that it was correct as far as he knew.
Continuing, Mr.. Barrett said he knew of no
reason why the matter had been so reported
and magnified, and since he saw how the
thing had been dilated upon he should con-
slider the matter of withdrawing his resig-
nation. There had not been and was not
any strained relations, aud there were no
feelings between the clerk and engineer
which caused his resignation. He accused
Pioneer Press reporter of not treating him
fairly in that paper. The reporter said he
had no personal feeling in the matter, and
made the publication on what he considered
good authority. The board by unanimous
vote requested the president to withdraw
his resignation and he did as requested,
thanking the board for the expression OF
feeling.