St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-15
The Langford Park Sink-Hole
Again Figures in the
Council.
Assemblymen Last Evening
Treated to a Dissertation
of Sweeney's Claim.
A Competent Mechanic Re-
quired to Look After Pub
lie Schools,
And a Mass Of Municipal Mat
tiers of Interest to Tax
payers.

matter which is somewhat or cneSt-
nut" said President Murray to the
assembly last evening, as he pounded
his desk heavily with gavel and
handed number Of documents to City
Clerk Preudergast.
''Langford park sink hole" said Tom
Prendergast. as he unfOlded the papers
and cast his eyes over the contents.
Like the old man of the woods, who
chung to the neck of Slnbad the
sailor, the Langford park mat
ter fastens itself upon the
common council. Contractor Timothy
Sweeney was again on hand with his
attorney. John Willis, and for over an
hour the affair occupied the attention OF
the assembly. The papers handed in
by President Murray and read by the
city clerk were the majority and
minority reports of the special COM
mittee to whom was referred the 'sink
hole' affair.". The report of the majority
was signed by Mayor Smith, City At
tOrney Lawler, City Comptroller Pom
than. AsSemblymen BanholZer, Elm
quist and Alderman Bot. The report
stated that after careful investigation
the signers had come to the con-
cusIOn that it was not just and equit-
able to order the board of public works
to carry out the work on the Langford
park fill. That owing to unforeseen cir
cumstances, caused by the sinking OF
the earth, it was advisable to mod
ify the contract with Mr.. Sweeney,
and that he be allowed 17$l cents per
cubic yard required to complete the
work over and above 109,S75 cubic
yards, the amount estimated by
the city engineer when the con-
tract was awarded as being nee
essary to fill up the sink hole.
The committee furtheriadvised that the
expense of the extra work be paid out
of a reasseSsment of the property bene-
flied, said reasSessment not TO exceed
5000. No money to be paid to the
contractor until the work is finished.
The minority report. signed by, Alder
men DObner, Copeland and the city
engineer opposed any relief whatever
to the contractor, and recommended
that the work be finished by the board
of public works without further delay.
Aid. DQbner, who is leading the anti
Sweeneytes, by permission of the pres
ident, addressed the assembly. He
made a most
Vehement Attack
upon Contractor Sweeney, whom he
stated had shirked his work and had not
done any part of the work he claimed
to have finished. The alderman made
a most brilliant speech, and brought
out the history of certain work on Pa
elfe street performed by the contractor
for the city, upon which he had lost
money and had bankrupted himself
His creditors were pressing him, and
he now sought relief from the city for
the Langford park matter SO that he
misht pay his Pacific street creditors
who were pushing him.
Mr.. Sweeney was evidently uncOm-
Portable during the speech of Aid. Dob
ner, for he left his seat a number of
times and wandered around the council
chamber.
EX-GOv. Marshall protested as resi-
dent of the vicinity OF Langford park
against paying any further assessment
upon the property benefited IN order to
compensate Contractor Sweeney.
Attorney Willis. Jon behalf of Mr..
Sweeney, made a long speech, and
quoted from Shylock in asking whether
it was fair for certain persons to say
that his client should be made to carry
out the work because lit was nominated
in the bond"
A long discussion followed, and, as a
number of the Assemblymen asked for
official information as to what work had
been done OH the sink hole, and the
amount necessary to finish it, a resOlu-
ton of AsSemblyman Van Slyke pre-
vailed, that the
Reports re Referred
to the committee on streets, and the
city engineer be instructed to report
upon the work done. and the work re-
quired to finish the contract.
Chairman Oppenheim, of the commit
tee on schools, reported that upon the
resolution referred to, the committee
authorizing the appointment of a COM
petent mechanic to look after the re-
pairs of the schools, that the board of
school inspectors have the power to APP
point the persons necessary to perform
the work. and that the resolution be re-
ferred to the board of school inspectors.
The resolution and report were so re-
ferred.
Much laughter was caused on the
reading of resolution from Assembly
man Banholzer that an order be drawn
on the city treasury for S95 in favor of
DeDriS KIllen. This meant the repay
Pat Killen, the SluggeT. The reSOlu-
ton went to the committee Oh ways
and means.
An invitation to attend the laying of
the corner stone OF the Minneapolis
court house was read and accepted.
The TurnYerein Germanla sent let
ter to the council. drawing attention to
the law passed by the last legislature
authorizing the council to appropriate
$4,000 to build and maintain public
swimming baths. The letter was re-
ferred to the committee Oh public build
ings. A preliminary order for the
grading of Third street, from Earl street
to the city limits was referred to the
board of public works 10 report upon.
The agreement between the city and
The Great Northern
road for the construction of bridge on
Lexington avenue was approved and
ordered to be executed, as was con-
tract between the city and Frank Me-
Cam for the grading of the approach to
the Hamline avenue bridge.
Petitions from residents on Green
brier avenue, between York and Mary
land streets, and Sims and Maryland
avenue were presented, asking that
street sprinkling on those streets be dis
continued The city attorney reported
that this could be legally ordered by the
council. and the petitions, with the at
torney's letter, were sent to the commit
tee on streets.
The resolution passed by the board of
aldermen, authorizing the issue of $780,
600 bonds for city hospital buildings re-
ceigIng the assent of the assembly. The
report made by the board of public
works to the board of aldermen recon-
mending that the electric lights in parks
be discontinued during the winter
months. was referred to the
committee on gas, to confer
with the special committee APP
pointed from the board of aldermen.
An ordinance to pay Noah Sinks SIPS
for the use of sidewalk privileges
around the market house. passed by the
aldermen, was concurred in, as also an
order to pay the National Building and
Loan society 500 for damages to block
ID West ST Paul OrODer caused by