St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-08
ONE ON Il. lrhAusEIi.
The Board of Public Works Tells
Strange Tales of Him.

strange Tales of Him.
The board of public works fired a
bomb into the council. The assault was
lnadvlsed. however, as the aldermen
were SO elated over their fineSse as
''smo0th' electors that the missile fell
almost noiselessly, very few of the
aldermen hearing it read. They
had inadvertently resolved them
selves into a committee of
the whole on congratulations. Aid.
Leithauser, of the Second ward, was the
OBJECT of attack. rhe board accuses
MN OF rather questionable practice, in
tmating that the alderman is trying to
carry water on both shoulders in the
affairs of public Improvement in his
ward. Should the alderman see fit to
answer their communication, it is limited
that hot shot will follow from the board.
The communication from the board is
given below III full, and is Self-explana-
tory.
The board of public works respect
fully returns herewith the resolution of
Aid. Lelthauser, approved Dec. Is, 1889,
relative TO modification of certain
street openings in his district, and begs
leave to submit the following report:
Under final orders of the common
council, approved Jan. II, 1889, the
board proceeded without unnecessary
aeiay TO make assessments for the open
ing or Conway, Minnehaha and Francis
streets, from Book street, if produced
south, to the east city limits. These
assessments came up and were cOmplet-
cd on the 18th day of July, 1889, and the
continuation notices ordered, and said
notices were given at quite an expense
10 the city. On the 26th day or August,
n Lea, 4
the board by Aid. Leithauser, asking
that the above named streets be not
opened. A copy of the letter was trans
mitted to the common council Aug. ~,
1889, asking for further Instructions in
the matters referred to, and came be-
fore the council at their meeting held
Sept. 3, 1889, and was referred to the al
derman of the district.
The board adjourned the matter of
the confirmation of these assessments
from time to time, awaiting instruc-
tlons from the common council. until
Oct z. 1889, at which time the said as
SeSsmentS were confirmed. the board
thinking the council desired tn give no
further instructions, and said assess
mentS were turned over to the city
treasurer for collection, and he has
given ION Nov. 9, 1889 the final notice
that the money was in the treasury to
pay damages. On Dec. 26. 1889, being
after the city treasurer had secured
Judgment and nearly closed up the mat
ter, the board received the resolution OF
Aid. Leithauser referred to.
The board of public works has no
special interest in the opening of the
above street. nor do they want the COM
mon council, nor any one, to think that
they are pushing these openings. They
reported to the council that the open
lngs were proper and necessary, and are
still OF the same opinion. The board
thinks that it is not showing them due
courtesy, and that 1T is unbusinesslike
Tor an alderman to interfere personally
with their proceedings. and it appears
to them as though he was trying to re-
lleve himself OF any blame aud put it
all upon the board. If the alderman
wishes to stop an improvement he should
do so officially, and then if there
is any blame attached, let it fall where
it belongs, and not upon body that is
trying to carry out its official duty.
If the council still desire to abandon
the opening of said streets, the board
has no objections, whatever, to the
proper steps being taken To do so.
he board would respectfully beg
leave to further report that it now has
All order of the common council,
offered Jan. II, 1889, to open
Suburban avenue from Mound
street to the east city limits,
and has gone to great deal of trouble
and expense to carry out said order by
making an assessment for said opening:
that said assessment came up for con-
firmation on the 9th day of January,
1890, and at that time Aid. Leithauser
again interfered with the proceedings
of board by sending in another personal
letter, asking that this Improvement be
not made. copy of which is hereto
attached.
If Aid. Leithauser can be persuaded to
sign letters of this kind, he may as well
understand, from now on, that the board
OF pubic works cannot be Influenced in
its official duties by such personal let
tiers; and that if he wishes to stop any
improvement he must do so officially,
anu not by personal letters. If it be
the DIES re of the common council that
the board annul the proceedings in the
matter OF opening suburban avenues.
then the board would respectfully ask
for further instructions in said matter.
The Second ward alderman offered no
explanation before the council, simply
sitting through the reading and blush
ing bright rosy red. The cOmmunica-
tion was hustled off to the committee
OH streets, and nary an unnecessary
word was said.