St. Paul daily globe., 1889-02-21
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING.
Overdraughts by the Wards-.The
Park Act Discussed.

After full hour and half of wait
ing for committees to finish their work,
the special council meeting to consider
legislative matters was called to order
at 80 yesterday afternoon.
On motion of Aid. Downs the report
of the committee on legislation was
heard under suspension of rules. By
permission of the president, commu-
nication from Mayor Babb, recommend
ing that his secretary's salary be re-
dnced to $500, was read and referred
to the committee on ways and means.
Comptroller CalderWood presented
communication, stating that the ward
funds of certain wards had been over
drawn, and that he could not deliver
warrants to certain persons justly en-
titled to them, and he wanted the alder
men from the various wards to either
reimburse the funds or provide some
way for meeting the warrants.
THE AMOUNT OF OVERDRAUGHT
in the various wards was as follows:
First ward street fund. S3I5 go
First ward sidewalk fund. ...... 2,6IS 81
Third ward street fund. ............ 303 SO
Third ward sidewalk fund. ...... 675 80
Fourth ward sidewalk fund.-. 292 80
Fifth ward sidewalk fund. ........ $3.50 45
Sixth ward street fund -. - 93 Sc
Tenth ward street fund. ...... s73 42
Several wards had also transferred
moneys from the sidewalk to the street
funds and that it must now be returned
to the former fund, as it was being re-
funded to the taxpayers. On motion
the matter was referred to the commit
tee OH ways and means and the alder
men of the ward.
H1nnu rna6
from himself, asking that some different
disposition be made of the matter of
his salary than that which was voted at
the last meeting. At that time it was
placed at $4,000 on condition that he
turned in all fees to the treas
urer. This he considered un-
certain and indefinite as the
action of the legislature OH the matter
of fees is not yet decided. Aid. Loye
offered resolution, which was passed,
annulling the former resolution fixing
the salary, and followed it with mo-
ton laying over the entire matter until
such time as the legislature should act
on the fees question.
THE PARK ACT
came in for spirited discussion and
there was something resembling
"scrap" over the method of treating it.
The Legislative committee recommend
ed that the act as heretofore amended
mended passed. Aid Gray thought the
act shonld be read and approved section
by section. After several amendments
and substitutes had been disposed of
the city attorney was called upon to eX-
plain all material changes from the old
act.
This having been finished. Aid.
Sterling objected to allowing bill to go
through authorizing the board to issue
additional bonds. This opened up the
way for general discussion and there
was good deal of talk regarding the
question as to whether the council had
anything to do With the park board act
or not.
A vote was finally taken on a motion
tion to recommend that the bill be
passed. A yea and nay vote was called
for and resulted in the carriage of the
motion by 10 to IL.
Aid. Warren, of the ways and means
committee, offered motion expressing
it as the sense of the council that
NO INCREASE IN THE ClTY'S DEBT
should be made except for necessary
public Improvements, the needs of the
public schools and increased protection
from fire. On motion of Aid. Potter the
motion was laid on the table.
The health and hospital act, which
has caused SO much comment, was rec
commended by the legislative committee
and the city attorney was ordered to
state the principal points in it. espec-
tally pointing out the "woodchucks,"
which were said TO be in it. City At
torney Russell read the important points
and, after few kicks from aldermen
who claimed to know nothing of the
health department, the bill was recon-
mended to be passed.
The ways and means committee re-
ported in favor of instructlng the city
attorney to change the words and fig
ures s250,000 to $3.50, 900 in the bill au-
thurizing
THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS
on account of the permanent improve
thought this was a peculiar kind of re-
trenchment, but President johnson,
who had called Aid. Sterling to the
chair, moved to amend by further in
creasing the amount to 100000 and
told of several reasons why more than
the amount mentioned iu the report
would be needed. He gave figures
made by the comptroller showing that
at the end of the present year there
would be only 100000 of the s350.0co
left, and that the tax levy would amount
to only sl90,00O. which would give
$290,000 for the year of 1890 After
great deal Of jawing about retrench-
ment and reform, the motion was car
ried.
The council then adjourned, after
referring a few petitions 10 the commit
tee on roads and bridges.