The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-05-10
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS UNDER FIRE.

Ing his duties.
In reply to questions 1t was stated that the
increase of salary would be S2On and that the
board OF public works would increase the city
engineers labors.
stood that the board was to abolish the office
OF street commissioner ard perform his duties
instead OF appointing several superintendent
with large salaries.
Aid Henlein stated that he was new mem,
Der and wanted TO know the duties of the
board. He thought that as the city was paying
the members Sc per day it was paying more
for the fiddler than for he was worth. He
thought that IL was very costly body.
The mayor explained the duties OF the board
saying that he had never understood that the
beard was to pers; nally oversee the work.
Aid Hillesheim said that If that was the case
the matter had been falsely represented to the
council. both by Mr.. Barney and Mr.. Pitcher
and others, when the charter amendment
The Mayor thought that the discussion wa:
unnecessary.
Aid. Jorgensen thought so also, as the coun.
Gil had been caught In trap and must now dc
Aid. Hillesheim said that unless he was
greatly mistaken he had a right to ask for In
formation.
The references to the board caused great
me riment among the councilmen and espec
tally among the audience who evidently sym.
pathiZed with Aid. Hillesheim.
The city engineers salary, as fixed by the
board of public works, was adopted by the
council.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
A communication was received from the fire
department presenting the resolutions adopted
at a recent special meeting of the department
and asking that the council place the salary OF
the chief at slOi year and of the two assis
tants at $50 year each, and condemning the
action of the council in reducing the salary OF
the chief to $50 per year from SI5, the amount
hitherto paid, and heartily condemning the
orIgina or of the motion.
In reply to a question il was stated that the
chief had hitherto received an extra s75 year
as fire warden, which he could not receive
now. Aid. Hillesheim stated that the commit
tee on salaries did not know this when the sal.
aries were fixed
Mayor Pfau stated that he thought the whole
matter was q misunderstanding and he for
one did not know anything about the matter
when the salary was reduced.
In reply to question. the mayor stated
the salaries were fixed in April and could not
be changed, according to the charter. In order
10 get around this IL was stated that extra pay
can be given for services rendered.
Milton Hanna, of the committee of the fire
department, stated that the department did
not think that II had been fairly treated and
that the resolutions were the sentiments Of
the entire department.
The matter was referred to the committee
on fire department 10 devise some arrange
ment settling the matter.
MISCELLANEOUS.
A petition was received asking that K. V.
Walters be appointed engineer Of the water
works and pumping STATEN, signed by great
recommendations.
An application for the same position was
received from VIM. Morse, accompanied by
recommendations. This and the above petit
tion were referred TO the water committee, IL
look around and see who is the most available.
and TO report al the next meeting,
4 communication was received from the
CITY engineer estimating that the entire city
can be resurveyed and the corner stones re-
laid, at a cost of $500. He appeared and stated
that il is almost impossible to get along with.
ont nkRnN nod b.
hired for So a day, He would put his own
time I'm under his salary. He said that at pres
ent not half a dozen corner stones exist in the
city. The matter was referred to the commit
tee on streets, after favorable discussion.
The report of the chief of police for April
showed 9 arrests and Is lodges. His annual
report was also received and read, as follow:
respectively submit my report as chief of
RE sss. Tor the fiscal year ending April '0'0
Number of arrests: May 1888, 7; June,9; July,
%; August; u; September. 9; October, 2; Nov
ruary, IL; March, 5; April, IL. Total arrests
JOHN ", FOWLER.
Chief of Police.
The improvement of Perry st. was referred
TO the board of public works.
A petition for sewer up Hickory st. and
Fifth ct. to the Normal school was referred TO
the board of public works. This sewer will be
built at the cost OF the property owners, If
permitted.
The monthly report Of the city treasurer
was received, showing the following totals:
On hand April lst...........,........ s7,706.65
Receipts .... .......... ... .......... 5,l3S. 10
On hand May LIST. Observation-Disclosures. 1,OoI.67
Aid. Schroeder stated that he had borrowed
5000 for the city.
The city engineer stated that Contractor
Brandt has fulfilled his contract i'm regard to
the last city well. He estimated that the well
flows in the neRhborhood of 10000 gallons a
day. An estimate of $500 was allowed to Mr..
Brandt, which will enable him to secure heav-
Ter machinery to continue the drilling.
Aid. Jorgensen stated that light was need
ed at the corner of Van BruDt and Willard
streets,
STANDING COMMITTEES.
Mayor Pfau announced his standing COM
mittees for the ensuing year, as follows:
Claims and Accounts-Alds. Lamm, johnson
and Pond.
Ways and Means Aids. Schroeder, Hilles-
helm and Harrington.
Streets, Alleys and Gradcs-Alds. Hillesheim,
johnson, Lamm and Pond.
Health.Alds. Harrington, Hillesheim, john
son and Schroeder
Markets-Alds. Jorgensen, Henlein and
Lamm.
Taxes-Alds. Henlein, Pond and harrington.
Printing-Alds. Henlein, johnson and Lamm.
Licenses-Alds. johnson, Lamm and Scroe-
der.
Hospitals-Alds. Harrington. Schroeder and
Henlein.
Buildings and City Property-AIds Hilles-
helm, Jorgensen and Harrington.
Water Works-Alds. Jorgensen, Lamm, Har-
rington and Henlein.
Gas-Alds. Schroeder. HenleIn, johnson and
Pond.
sewer-Alds. Lamm. Hillesheim, johnson
and Harrington.
0rdlnance-Alds. Johnson, Schroeder and
Parks-Alds. Pond, Jorgensen, Schroeder
and Henlein.
The committee on hospitals succeeds the
committee on prisons, a resolution to that ef-
feet being passed,
petition was received asking that Sixth
street be graded eighty feet wide from Hick-
orY street to the old Catholic cemetery, Re-
ferred TO the board of public works.
STREET sPRINKLING.
The committee on street sprinkling recon-
that the following streets be sprink-
led: Front from Vine to Man shall, Second
and up State to MSrrhaIl Broad from rom ROCK Re to
Liberty, and all the side streets, except on the
east side of Broad and State streets. The
board Of public works was directed to adver-
Use for bids, the report of the committee hay
ng been adopted, to report at the next meet
ng.
Aid. Jorgensen wanted the Milwaukee road
o remove It's warehouse from Main street
The mayor stated that the company had
to remove the warehouse this spring,
ind the matter was dropped.
A number OF bills were allowed.
Quite discussion followed, the gist OF which
was that the bills be examined by the commit |
zee on claims and accounts hereafter, before |
the council.
Aid. Pond offered n resolution that all bills |
hall hereafter be presented by 4:J0 p. M, of |
he day of the regular council meetings, and |
'hould be investigated by the committee on
claims and accounts. Carried. |
In regard to the Second and Walnut street
the mayor stated that 1t looked |
N II there was some justice in some of the |
claims. At his request the matter was de- |
erred until the next meeting to give more
lime to look the matter over.
Mr. Signs appeared before the council and /
tated that he thought thar there had been too