St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-05-07
GIVE THEM THE EARTH.
City Officials Fighting for Choice
of Offices in the New Building.

The court house commission does not
like the manner in which the board of
education gives voice to its sentiments
in regard to the failure on the part of
the commission to provide quarters for
the educationists. The commissioners
admit that there has been howl from
mayor to ianitor, as reported in yester
days GLOBE. and that the superintend-
ent of schools and school inspectors, ETC.,
are doing their share of it. When the
court house was designed by the COM
mission the board of education was
anxious to remain in the high school
building. and Mai. PostlethWaite him
self, who now heads the little army of
kickerS, was the first to express himself
to the effect that the board of education
did not desire rooms in the court house.
1t seems, however. that the vivid pictures
which have been painted by those about
to enjoy the court house, of their pala-
tial quarters and elaborate furnishings,
have attracted the covetOus wise men to
the plan of forcing an allotment at this
late day. On they come, like boulders
down mountain side.and preface their
demands with the question of whether
the commission knew there was such a
thing as a board of education" The
commission declares, and means to say,
that it does know of such body. The
long and short of it all is that the board
of education gave it out to the commits
sion that it would rather stay in the
high school building, and now that the
court house is finished, it's members
have changed their minds and want Of
fees with the distinguished men of
the ommunity. There was nothing
else for the commission to do
but to find the best rooms available and
offer them. If these do not suit the ed
ucationistS, there will be nothing left
for them to do but to remain where
they first said they would. Along with
the above abuse heaped upon the ever
patient and suffering commission comes
another dispute. Some months ago the
building inspector was allotted several
acres of beautifully finished Office room
directly to the left of the Wabasha
street entrance. His Office extends
from the court house door to the north
end of the building, and contains three
large Georgia pine pastures, generally
known as public and private Offices.
He employs two very industrious clerks,
who cannot be expected to do with less
room than an office apiece. Then there
is the private sanctum of the Inspector,
Across the hall Abstract Clerk Murnane
has his Office, which is designed-in
magination-tO accommodate twenty
two full grown clerks, but which
room for ten, provided they use gas
from morning till night. Down in the
basement the board of health has It's
embalming quarters. where the dark
ness is so thick it can be cut into strips.
Yesterday Health Commissioner HOyt
and Assistant Commissioner Hendrick-
son, who have for a long time looked
upon the light and roomy private Office
of the building inspector with longing
eyes, undertook to pre-empt the office,
and accordingly had their furniture
hauled to the door of the inspectors
room. Commissioner HendrickSon is
son of the court house commissioner,
and within the last few days has sue
ceeded, it is said, in having the private
Office of the building inspector assigned
to the board of health. The building
inspector is also determined to stand
pat on his claim, and has also had desks
and chairs taken to the new Office. DR..
Day, to prevent a combat, turned the
key in the door of the inspectors Office,
and, extracting it from the lock, tucked
it in his jeans. $50, neither of the
belligerents will enter the promised
land" On hearing this the inspector
got two special police to watch his fur
niture. and the health commissioner
sent his man down to watch and protect
his property. The three sit glazing at
each other, and the least interference
may entangle the watchmen in dog
eat-dOg match.
While these two officers are swapping
venom, third official is likely to sneak
in and gobble the carpeted spot. The
abstract clerk, the gentleman referred
to, needs this Office more than any
other known city or county official.
With as many clerks as the register of
deeds employs, the abstract clerk has
only about half the space. Moreover,
he does much finer work; that is, he
has more indexing and tabulation to do,
requiring the most skillful and accurate
penmen and the best light. The
''wumpus" will hang in uncertainty
now until the building is turned over
to the custodians. and the building in
spector and health officers can sit on
the front steps and let the wind blow
through their hirsute.