St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-07-04
NO AUToORACY.
Commissioners Boardman and Nor
rtson Exchange Compliments.

Commissioners Boardman and Nor
rtson Exchange Compliments.
A Reward of $500 offered For Tree
Vandals.
The board of park commissioners failed
of quorum yesterday to pass upon money
matters, but a sufficient number were in
attendance to transact the common every
day routine business of the board The
characteristics of the session were first and
foremost sprightly tilt between Commissio-
ners Morrison and Boardman, and refusing
to permit steamboat to sport i'll the placid
waters of Lake Harriet. The committee
on designation of grounds has perhaps the
most important functionary duties now to
be performed in the department.. Messrs.
Oswald, Morrison and Boardman comprise
the personnel of that committee, and after
many months service the impression has
become deep seated with Commissioner
Boardman that he has been Sighted, if not
absolutely ignored, in the transaction of
business relegated to the committee by the
board, and yesterday he took occasion to
express his unqualified disapproval of the
methods of, the committee. Commissioner
Morrison, in his sedate style, sub
mitted a verbal report respecting the pro-
jected purchase of the little tri-corn cred
tract of land on the corner Of Grant street
and Fifth avenue south; for park purposes,
and he was adverse to the scheme He
favored, ON the hand. the proposition for
the purchase by the citizens in that vicinity,
in Which event he had no objections to the
boards making any desirable improve
ments. At this Commissioner Boardman
arose, and. assuming dramatic style, in
CURED of the president who had composed
the committee on designation of grounds.
The secretary impaired the information.
Mr.. Boardman looked satisfied and pro-
ceeded to state that in his innocent
opinion, if the committee is really
responsible for its actions, no one MEM
Der should assume the work assigned to the
whole committee. He was a member, and
yet as surprising as it may seem, he had
never been apprised of meeting, and had
consequently never had voice in the trans
action of any business which had been re-
ferred to the committee. Mr.. Boardman
thought such proceedings quite peculiar,
and intimated that although everything
might be all right there is a bare possibility
of a wnodchuck existing somewhere in the
bailiwick. Therefore he moved that the
whole matter be referred back to the COM
mittee for a more compre heEsiye investi-
CATION. The board appeared surprised. and
Mr.. Morrison lost no time in attempt
ing to square himself. He said
| that he had no information
as to who composed the committee and had
therefore consulted no one, and had never
called the committee together. Commits
sioner Boardman'S motion prevailed.
The next order OF business was to read
the report of awards on account Of damages
growing out of the Lake Calhoun boule-
ward. Col. McCrary received Sc, 600, Will
lam Cleveland 50. 500, Vandevoort and
Woodburn 800, Kate Doves $3.50, and
sixteen other owners 81 each. The matter
was laid ON the table till the next meeting
and committee on designation of grounds
and the attorney were instructed to 1nvesti-
gate the ownership of the strip of land de-
sired to be taken around the shores of the
lake. it having been charged that
reservations in the early deeds of
this property had kept it for the use of
lot owners and that the ostensible owners
really had no such property as they claimed
therein. Commissioner Sutherland sub
mitted IAN ordinance for the government
of the park" embodying the well-known
code of rules and fixing the fine for their
violation at not to exceed 500 and impris-
onment at not to exceed ninety days.
Adopted. Commissioner Bassette reported
most fragrant piece of vandalism. He
said that some one had wontonly cut down
seven trees on the Hennepin avenue boule-
ward, and moved that the president be au-
thorized to offer a reward of $500 for the
detection and conviction of the guilty
party. The motion prevailing, the president
gave utterance to the opinion that the board
should lose no time in securing park
police force to avert a recurrence of depre-
d$tions. He said the mayor had excited
himself in that he had detailed extra Of
ficers to look out for the parks and boule-
wards, and owing to the inetficiency of the
city police force in point of numbers, some
officers had been required to do double
duty.
II am reliably informed he continued
'that PARTIES boldly opened up tent at Lake
Harriet last Sunday and did big business in
vending beer and whiskey, the result being
demoralizing. I called the mayors attention
to the circumstance and he was very indig
nant and has detailed extra policemen to pre-
vent such Il disgrace next Sunday in the
vicinity of our parks and park ways"
The sentiment in favor of a park police
system seemed quite popular, but no ac-
ton was taken. The president was in
SITucIeu 10 duN0TtlSe 1OI plOpOSdlS lOr 1uT-
nishing $50 maleable iron benches for use
In the various parks, and to make contract
with the lowest bidder. The matter of the
Thornton & Sutherland deed to property
acquired on the banks of Lake Calhoun was
reported by Judge Fish, the attorney of
the board. 1t gave the grantees privilege
to maintain private boats on the lake, to
build boat houses and bath houses, to use lake
water for domestic and farm purposes, and
to cut ice for private use only. Objection
was raised to the erection of boat OF bath
houses, and the matter was referred back
for further information, the explanation
being made that a precedent had been
established in the case of Maj. Reeve.
Bids were opened for supplying pipe for
sprinkling the Hennepin avenue boulevard,
but they were referred to the committee on
improvements, with instructions to report
at the next meeting. Judge Fish was
granted leave of absence for one month.
Commissioner Wilson offered resolution
prohibiting steamboats, from the waters of
Lake Harriet, and after its adoption the
board adjourned until next Tuesday after
noon.
RUINED BY DRINK.