St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-06
IN A BAD HOLE.
The Park Commissioners Have No
Money for improvements.

Ihe Park commissioners ave NO
Money for improvements.
The board of park commissioners,
which is a part of the retrenchment and
reform government of Minneapolis,
made an important discovery at its
meeting yesterday. The park board,
like the other departments which prom
ised retrenchment and reform before
election, has spent money lavishly, and
it now finds that another bond sale is
absolutely necessary to pay for the land
it has already purchased, and that
there is not a dollar in its treasury
to be used for Improvements during
still has $4,000 in bonds which
can be sold. and after that it must de-
pend upon the amount raised by taxa
ton for the maintenance of the elabor-
ate and costly park system. The board
now demands and receives tax of
half mill upon the assessments. The law
limits the park tax to mill, and at yes
terday's meeting it was freely stated
that the time was not far distant when
the full amount of the tax allowed by
law would be demanded and levied.
The discovery that the board was
financially embarrassed was brought
about by the report of the committee Oh
finance, which had been instructed to
make a report of the amount available
during the present year for improve
ments. The committee reported the
estimated balance on hand as S20,394.27.
Last year it cost for maintenance s25,-
392.75, leaving deficit, without at
$1,000. Then the purchase money
for Powderhorn park, amount
ing to S59,6S9.25. the Minnehaha
boulevard costing 1895 and Saratoga
park 1926 has to be paid by May l. The
total amount to be paid on the 1st day OF
next NORTH is S4S, 309.25. In the mean
time the board receives from the settle
ment of taxes 1874 1880, leaving de-
felt of 13,794.75. The board still has
in its possession $4,000 worth of bonds,
and after these are sold no more bonds
can be issued. After long debate, it
was resolved by vote of 7 yeas to 3
nays to order the sale-of a sufficient
number of ponds to make up the deficit.
In view of the fact that there are no
funds available for improvements, the
board will hold a meeting Oh Tuesday
next to consider what improvements
the way in which the amount necessary
to pay for the work may be raised.
A communication signed by r. B.
Langdon, Fred Pillsbury and others,
asking that the west arm of the
Lake of the Isles boulevard be
set aside for speeding horses, was
referred to special committee
consisting Of Commissioners Loring.
Boardmam. Ridgway and Supt. Berry.
Applications for appointment as park
policemen were received from j. r.
Gallow, w. W. Pond, j. o. Orange,
Henry S. West, j. Holensberg and
Frank E. Duey, and were referred to
the committee on police, as was a Sug-
gestion from Supt. Berry that the park
policemen be required to wear dis
tinctive uniform. The pay roll for the
month of March, amounting to 1894.
and sundry bills for s9.47, were ordered
paid. The committee on forestry
recommended that the petitions of the
Second and Eighth wards and of the
Portland Avenue improvement com
pany be allowed shade trees, provided
the property owners were to pay for the
same. The matter of planting trees in
Rollins park in the Second ward, as
well as expanding $4,000 in improve
ments there, was referred to the COM
mittee on Improvements. In the mat
ter of widening Hennepin avenue, the
board resolved to Vacate as much land
at Central park as was necessary. The
proposition of S. P. Cox to pay 81, 800 for
the exclusive Photographic and refresh
ment privileges at Minnehaha park was
accepted, and the contract will be con-
sidered at the meeting on Tuesday.