St. Paul daily globe., 1888-06-01
YOU'RE ANOTHER"
A Pleasant Exchange of Alder
manic Courtesies "A Ninth
Ward Rumpus.

A Pleasant Exchange of Alder
manic Courtesies - A Ninth
Ward Rumpus.
There was lively aldermanie seance
in the council chamber yesterday at the
meeting of the committee on ways and
means, the aldermen of the ninth ward
and the city attorney called together to
consider the following petition which
had been vigorously circulated for sig
natures:
I'VE. the undersigned, citizens and
property owners of the Ninth ward,
protest and object to the city paying the
debt OF about $4,000 contracted last year
by the street commissioner and alder
men OF the ward for Improvements out
OF any of the said city funds, excepting
the Ninth ward fund of last year, or to
the city paying any Indebtedness now
or hereafter contracted by the COM
missioner or aldermen for any improve
ments whatever out of any of
the city funds except the Ninth ward
fund, on the ground that such indebted
ness and assessments are illegal and un
JUST
The petition was. of course, intended
as political blow at Aid. Kerr. Erwin
and Nogt, and eX-Ald. Comstock, who
wants to get back into the council,
headed the delegation of about dozen
residents of the ward who were present.
The situation was readily explained by
Aid. Kerr. Before the old First ward
was divided its aldermen caused streets
and sidewalks to be laid out in what is
now the Ninth ward, amounting to
$4,000. When the aldermen of the
Ninth nlna4AI II
that they had only $1,000 with which to
perform this work, and had an
old debt of $500 on hand and
their tools to buy. Only a por-
ton of the amount needed came
in from taxes, and council, by vote of
81 out of 30 votes, authorized the alder
men to borrow 1000 from the city,
pledglng its faith 10 pass d resolution
repaying the debt from the first avail
able funds of the Ninth ward. IN the
fall culvertS were needed. and snow
had to be cleared away in the winter so
the three aldermen gave their note for
$500, the council giving the same assur-
ance for its payment. The sidewalk
fund OF the old First ward was divided
in January, and the Ninth wards por-
ton was S1,S00. Eight hundred dollars
of this was transferred to the street
fund and the note of the aldermen was
taken up. AS the matter stands now
81, 800 has been borrowed:
The city attorney and the aldermen
composing the joint committee recog-
nlZed at once the predicament
the aldermen had been placed in, and
that while the borrowing Of money was
perhaps irregular. still it is resort to
which many wards have been pushed
more than once.
Aid. StOft remarked that the mistake
was made when the ward was divided,
and offered Il motion that the money be
paid out of the first funds of the Ninth
ward. Aid. E. NJ Johnson added that
hereafter the borrowing of money should
be discountenanced. Aid. Stoft ac-
cepted the amendment and the motion
prevailed
This didn't suit eX-Ald. Comstock and
he wanted to learn from the city attOr-
ney whether the borrowing of the
money was legal.
City Attorney Smith replied that legal
or not lie believed in the ward paying
its honest debts.
Aid. Kerr-When Comstock was aid
erman he borrowed more for his ward
than we have. Now he objects to others
doing what he used to do
ComSt0ck-We didn't borrow any the
last year.
Aid. Ervin-If we carried on work as
YOu did we wouldn't owe anything. The
city never laid any crosswalks then.
ComStock-One hundred and twenty
five street crossings were laid the last
year / was an alderman.
ErWin-No there weren't, and we
haven't spent all our money on Broad
way either nor hauled city dirt on pri-
Vate property.
There was lull in the storm that
lasted a few minutes, but Just as the
committee was about to adjourn Aid.
Erwin said, significantly: The next
time you send around to people who
can hardly speak the English language
and tell them we are trying to borrow
$1,000. you had better see whether YOU
are going to accomplish anything by it,"
Aid. COmSt0ck retOrted: at would
be hard to find many people III the ward
who cannot speak the English language
better than some of our representa-
tives."
mo, you're a pretty good talker,"
snapped out the doughty Erwin. You
proved that as a LOBBYIST in the legiSla-
ture. You'd better get us tax payers to
pay for some more property for you to
sell to the city for park"
That's lie, a stinking lie. and you
lie when you say it," yelled Comstock,
getting white in the face.
YOU'RE cur"
You re a contemplate puppy"
You're a political schemer." and
with this last shot, Aid. Erwin mingled
with the committeeman, who were Ieav-
ing their seats.