The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-02-08


public works.
Mr.. w. L. Mills asked the Joint
committee to report the necessity of in
creasing the taxes by the amount of the
salaries of the members. He had said
that he would serve free of charge, but
he was far from being anxious to do so.
Aid. Pitcher said that he thought he
had expleined that matter He gave
other reasons to show that it was proper
to give a salary.
Mr.. John N. Hall arose to ask how
long the city was to continue educating
new men in the Board, if business men
were to act free and resign after a few
months, because they could not spare
the time. He favored paid board, for
the reason that such board would at
tend to its duties.
Ex-Ald. Boegen thought that the board
would have nothing to do but draw the
salary, while the city engineer had all
the work. He thought the members of
the board should give bonds for impair
tial and good work.
Aid. johnson, a member of the Joint
committee, stated that the committee
was far from being agreed on this part
of their report. He favored principal
member with a good salary and two as
sistants.
Aid. Patterson conceded with the last
speaker in so far disappointing one COM
petent mana good engineer. During
his service in the council he did not see
where the salaries were to be saved as
he had seen no way of saving money.
Mr.. f. n. Merrill agreed with Mr..
Patterson that a good engineer was more
necessary and practical than q board.
He thought that 81, 100 year was con-
siderable for board, which could not
do more than the council committees.
He thought that the city engineer should
be paid salary commensurate with the
importance of his duties. If necessary,
good mechanics could be appointed in
spectors. St. Paul is now trying to get
rid of her board on account of political
scrambles and friction. On behalf of his
company he entered a protest against
saddling the cost of salaried board on
the city.
Aid. HImmelman moved that the part
of the committees report relating TO a
Board of Public Works be dropped.
Aid. Patterson seconded this motion.
In making the motion, Aid. Zimmerman
stated that he was the only one who
but could do nothing voting against five
lawyers.
Aid. Pitcher arose and stated that the
other members of the committee were
crawfshing. He earnestly protested
against dropping the Board, claiming
that there was at present no system in
the manner of carrying on the public
works of the city, and that money was
wasted.
Mr.. S. F. Barney arose in his wrath
and wanted to know whether he was adj
dressing the council or the citizens of
Mankato. He declared that he was not
amenabie to the rules of council meet
ing. He declared that he came to adj
dresss the people and not the council.
He entered an earnest and imprisoned
appeal in favor of Board and salaried
board. His only fear was that $500 a
year was not enough to secure good
men. He had served in the council and
knew that a great amount of squander-
ing of city money had always gone on.
He presented some figures to show that
the city would save over 81 ,000in salaries
by having Board. Whoever would
make the special assessments and take
the resultant kicking will sadly want a
5000 plaster. The committee had dis
cussed the advisabliity of having only
one man and had voted it down. What
boys, girls or old maids.
Mr.. F. N. Merrill thought that the
Board of Trade did not always voice the
sentiments of the city. If Aid. Pitcher
had known that several thousand dol
lars was being wasted it was his duty to
find out about it and stop it. He pro-
posed that there be board of control
with no pay, if the engineer and council
committee could not do the work. The
men who volunteered to serve on a
Board would attend to their own private
business before the public business. He
thought that if the councilmen could not
attend to business they should get out
and give way for others.
Mr.. Barney desired to say that neither
he nor his committee had made any re-
port to the Board of Trade and there
fore he did not know that they voiced
the sentiment of that Board.
Mr.. NJ. G. Willard stated that the
committee had no interest in the matter
further than for the best interest of
Mankato. The city had been too slow
and had not ''got there" enough. Good
men are needed and 5000 IL not enough.
He believed that change was necessary
once in awhile, especially change for
the better. He did not think that there
was any jobbery in the council, if they
opposed the scheme, as some might
think.
Aid. Patterson was only opposed to
the salary clause. That would bring the
Board into politics and at every election
unfit applicants would be at work with
their coats off. He favored paying by
the day.
Aid. Jorgenson conceded with this
view.
Aid. Zimmerman stated that he, too,
was opposed only to the salary clause.
He wanted one man paid 81 600 year,
believing that one good man was better
than three poor ones. He withdrew his
motion with the consent of the seconds.
Aid. Pitcher moved that the salary
clause be changed to s. a day.
Aid. Patterson favored limiting the
number of days, to cut off anyone who
might try to run his bill up. Mr.. ]. c..
Wise opposed placing limit.
Mr.. NJ. G. Willard thought that the
motion was of the worst kind as man
could run his pay up to 81 900 year.
Aid. Pitcher withdrew his motion and
moved that the salaries be fixed at $500
each and 500 extra for the city re-
corder.
Ex-Ald. Boegan moved to amend by
making the salary OF two at $bOO and
$500 for the chairman.
Mr.. Jacob Flachsenhar thought that
the only question was whether board
was needed. A few hundred dollars
more or less would make no difference.
He offered as a substitute that the sal
airy should be as the committee had
drawn it up.
The first vote was reached at 8 clock.
The substitute was carried by narrow
majority on vive voce vote.
The question of how the board should
be appointed was then taken up. The
committees report was to appoint by
the outgoing mayor, to be confirmed by
the council. This question was dis
cussed to a considerable extent, the
feeling generally being favorable to the
committees report.
Judge j. Z. Porter suggested that the
committees report Cd water assessments
be amended so that if person desires
he can pay into the city treasury, with
in certain number of days, the full
value of the work and pipe in front of
his residence, instead of being obliged
to pay an assessment of five cents a foot
every year.
Mr.. Barney thought that the fairest
way was to treat all alike.
Mr.. ]. G. Wise thought that there
should be some provision for sinking
fund, stating good reasons therefor. He
moved that such provision be put in