St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-05-21
AN ARMY OF sCRUBBERs.
1t Requires a Score of Men and
Women to Keep the Court House


Clean.
The joint county and city court house
commission met at their room i'll the
new building yesterday afternoon and
transacted various business connected
with the court house. Outside the door
and i'll the corridors was a motley con-
gregatiOn of officeseekers. chiefly would
be janitors. There were fifty or sixty
of these men and women standing
around discussing their chances of APP
pointment to one of the coveted posi-
tons. Within the door the members
of the commission sat around table,
atwhich Mayor Smith officially presided.
The principal business before the meet
ing was of nature which required the
concerted thought and assiduous BRAIN
work of such a learned body. Three
physically powerful woman had made
application for the positions of wielders
OF the scrubbing brush at $50 per scrub
of one months duration. Besides these
three applicants, there was residue
Of maidenhood, whose applications were
not, nor could they be considered. The
three were hired at S35 per month.
These, with the four janitors hired
some time ago, made up staff of seven
to take care of the building. This
done, and dreaming not what the future
would bring forth. the election of
assistant engineer, which was then
proceeded with, resulted in the choice
of John Dore at salary of 5000 per
year. The chief engineer receives
81 200, and shortly after Mr.. Dore's ap-
pointment the chief engineer addressed
hn itxya Of !, i,.
ing another ssistant, making three en-
gineerS and two fremen. To this the
members were inclined to object, and
doubted the DISABILITY Of hiring men
at the cOunty'S expense unless it were
absolutely necessary. The engineer
showed the great amount Of work en-
cumbering his department., and said
that it was impossible to dispose of it
without another man. The commission
failed to take action, however,
and the motter fell beside the
other work and will lie
there until the next meeting.
John Schields was elected to take charge
of one OF the elevators. and his efficient
services during the past few weeks were
commended. Upon motion of Aid.
Leithauser the rules aud regulations for
the control and care of the United States
treasury department were adopted as a
whole, subject to such notifications as
would be found necessary upon their
enforcement. City Engineer Rundiett
and was accordingly assigned few
rooms in the attic. This apartment
will be used for blue printing.
The poundmaster has a lookout
the bovine which comes under
his telescope. A resolution was
adopted authorizing the secretary to adj
vertiSe for bids for furnishing hard and
soft coal for consumption in the build
Ing. The proposal will be open to June
l. Up to this time nothing unusual had
caused any great stir, but when the Gus
todian arose from his chair and Informed
the meeting that sixteen janitors, in
stead of four, were necessary to keep
the building clean, the commissioners
all had different way of expressing
their establishment. 1T can't be pos
sible," said the mayor, THAT it takes a
whole army of men to care for this
court house; for if it does
Aid. Cullen believed it was mistake
and all the commissioners lending a
word had the custodian express himself
several times. sixteen janitors! Why,
in Buffalo the court house cost 81, 7OO.-
600, and am sure it does not require
sixteen men to keep it clean," said the
mayor. The custodian argued that the
four men who have been at work during
the past two weeks. have not been able
to do fifth of the work properly. not
withstanding they have been engaged
from a. m. to 9 p. IN. He wanted
three men on each of the four floors,
and one extra, and the three
women to scrub. Aid. Sanborn
thought it was simply awful If the
building could not be taken care of for
less than $4,000 per year, the amount
it will cost the county at this rate say
| nothing Of necessary provision not yet
made. Where is the money coming
| from? is an all-absorbing question with
the auditor, who well knows that no
permanent or definite provision has
been made for this extra and burden
| some taxation. If it costs the county