St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-23
Park Commissioners Almost
Discuss the Rules Under
Queensberpy Rules.
Some Grew So Warm They
Threatened to Tender
Their designations.
County Treasurer Peterson
Seems the Victim of a DaS-
tardly Conspiracy.
Col. King on Blaine--Mope
Preparations for Straw
Bonds.

At its meeting of yesterday afternoon the
park board devoted itself almost entirely TO
the consideration of the report of its special
committee on rules, and while in the main
the proceedings were tiresome and very
prosy, the commissioners warmed up toward
the end some of them even to few r heat
and one probable result or the meeting is the
resignation OF Commissioner NorthrOp.
After the disposition of several matters OF
small importance, Chairman Lawrence, of
the committee on rules, was called upon for
his report. Printed copies of the report had
been handed to each member and the rules
were then taken up by sections.
There was no discussion worth mentioning
until section 10, which provides for time
keeper, was taken up.
Commissioner Boardman thought there
was no need of a timekeeper, as the superin-
tendent could file with the secretary the time
books kept by his foremen and this would
act as a sufficient check. After q short dis
cussicn. this and several other sections bear
ing upon the question OF a timekeeper were
laid over, to be considered later in the ses-
sion. but before they could be reached it be-
came necessary TO adjourn on account OF the
lateness of the hour
Commissioner Folwell endeaVOred to Sc
cure an increase of the fund at the disposal
of the improvement committee from 500 to
$500, but failed.
The fun began in earnest when section sc
was taken mp. This section reads as follows:
Sec. 80. No commissioner. or officer of the
board, shall be pecuniarly interested in any
work or labor done by the board; nor shall
he enter into any contract with the board.
excepting only the sale of necessary ma
terials in the ordinary course of business, at
the lowest rates.
No commissioner shall cause to be en-
ployed or employ for this board any relative
OF commissioner, but Ill case il Is deemed
advisable TO employ any relative of a com
missioner shall remarked
authorized by the board.
Commissioner Northrop took exception to
the wording of the rule on the ground that,
as il read an outside dealer might come in
after the commissioner had sold goods 10
the board and claim that he could have fur
nished them much lower, thus conveying
the impression that The commissioner was
not dealing fairly with the board He want
ed an amendment TO strike out or change the
words Lowest rates
Commissioner Folwell started the bali roll
ing by The declaration that every commits
sOner owed it to himself not 10 have any
business dealings with the board.
Commissioner Ryan then interposed an OBJ
lection 10 the portion of the rule prohibiting
members for securing positions under the
board for their relatives He asserted that
Commissioner Allen had made $3.50 per month
out or the board since he had been a member,
and now that he was about TO retire he
wanted TO prevent the other members
from doing the same thing. This ellie
II.
Commissioner BOardman then brought the
discussion back TO the first clause of the rule.
with the statement that 10 person should be
debarred from doing business with the board
because he was park commissioner.
lie went OH to say that he could now see
that in the rules there lnrked a scheme to get
even with some one, and that he did not pro-
pose TO be a party TO it,
If you adopt that rule, said he, you will
force MIR. Northrop TO resign. Tor he cannot
afford to defraud his partners, as this rule
would compel him to do
i am sorry TO have stirred up such a
storm" said Commissioner Northrop. Il
simply wanted to arrange matters SO there
would be no afterclap. ! feel good deal as
member feels that he cannot in justice do
business with the board because he is a mem
Der he can resign"
Commissioner Tolwell said that he did not
think any member should expect to make
money out OF his connection with the board
A vote was taken on the amendment to
strike out the Objectionable words. Lowest
rates, and II was carried. Commissioner
NorIhrop stated then that as the board had
arranged matters so that goods could be
purchased from its OWE members he should
resign at an early date in order to do away
with all feeling in the matter Commission
er Stoft also stated that If it had been de-
cided that he could not pursue his business
he should also resign.
A notion 10 eliminate the entire section
was lost ana the board adjourned. The
other rules Will come up at the next meeting
and there will be another fight.