St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-11
CITY HALL GOSSIP.

| til theend of the year the work of the com
mon council viii be most yoIuminous. A
number of most important matters have been
| passed upon during the week by the city
fathers, chief of which was the authorizing
OF the tax levy for 1891. Comment has been
made In certain quarters that the tax levy
for the present year is just as high as it was
last year, and, despite legislation, the city is
expending just as much money as ever. If
the earpers and self-appointed censors would
only take the trouble 10 make a few inquiries
they would find out that. in the first place.
the city's taxes are lower this year
IMAM last, and, secondly, that a con-
siderable reduction has been made in
municipal expenditures. Last year the tax
levy was for city purposes, Ii mills; county,
mills and state mills, a total of 20 mills
This year the city's taxes are 1873 mills;
county. 81 mills, and state. SO mills, total
of 20 mills. 1t will thus be seen that the city
has reduced the taxation seven tenths of a
mill, but the state and county have increased
the taxes for the year a similar amount, max
ing the totals the same
TIT
| City Comptroller Ponthan, in speaking of
| the tax levy yesterday stated that the city
| having reduced its taxes to Is mills, a saw
| ing of $4,000 was thus made over last years
tax collection. In addition to this, the tax
levy estimate included a sum of 100000 for
| reducing the city's debt and the liability of
| the Old school board. you will see, there
! fore at glance" continued Mr.. Ponthan,
that our municipal expenditure is $500
less than last year; yet certain people
say we are expending just as much
money as ever. We will collect in taxes for
this year 81 $4,000. which will come into the
treasury in March, July and October next
year. Now would also desire to state that
there is no danger of any departments being
obliged to shut down for want of funds, as
has been limited at in certain papers, The
fact is the writers of the articles do not un-
derstand the situation at all. They feel
alarmed that because the funds OF some de-
partments are low, that business will have TO
be suspended Now, the fact is, that if the
tax estimate is made up properly, the funds
should be low toward the end of the year.
but, if any large balances should be on hand
it would show that the expenses of the de-
partments had been overestimated, and more
taxes collected than necessary. There is
enough money on hand to run all
departments until the end of the
year, and in December the conference
committee Will recommend 10 the council q
tax levy estimate for 1892 In February the
council VIII be called upon to approve the
estimate, and certificates of Indebtedness for
so per cent of the amount will be issued so
that the city will thus be running on what
may be termed a cash basis. The only fund
which is overdrawn is the general fund,
which has debt of $4,000 at present. II
will be gradually wiped out as the taxes come
in, and the only reason for the deficit in that
fund is that the legislature represented by
the Ramsey county delegation did not make
provision for issuing certificates ofindebted-
ness in order to meet the oyerdrawn ac
count They were urged to do ii time and
time again. but nothing ever came of it,"
+++
1t is to be hoped that a similar scene to the
one which took place at the special meet
ing of the assembly last Wednesday will
not occur again in the council chamber. De-
bate on important matters is desired at all
times, but when two members of dignlfed
body of lawmakers wrangle by the hour and
indulge in personalities, passing the lie to
and fro, the greatest harm is done, in that
the respect and dignity surrounding legis-
lative body is eliminated, and the public
simply look ON with supreme contempt. The
matter Wednesday evening was a most i'm
portant one, namely, the question of Insur-
ing the school buildings of the city. AT the
present time insurance is carried on $1,000,
900 at the rate of 2I2 per cent for five years,
and in some cases the rate is much higher.
One assemblyman claims that certain
insurance agents in the city will take the
risk at Sl.50 for the five years, but he
made a grave error in insisting that the mat
ter of insurance should be adjusted by
special committee. 1t sayored too much of
star chamber work, and no one could be sur
prised at the hot opposition manifested to
the resolution. Enraged at the defeat of his
resolution, the assemblyman fell right into
the arms of his opponents by moving that all
insurance policies on school buildings be
cancelled, which carried by full vote.
t !
1t is the general sentiment among prom
inent business men, excluding insurance
agents and their friends, that ST. Paul should
do the same thing in the m after of insuring
her schools as is done in all large cities carry
her own insurance. In the history
of St. Paul there has only been one
school house burned down, the old
Jefferson frame school house. The buildings
are scattered over the city and the danger OF
fire Is very slight There is no reason what
ever for the city to pay insurance companies
5000 year. for by creating its own 1nsur-
ance fund money would always be on hand
to pay for any losses sustained by fire, and in
addition large sums would be saved the city.
Even supposing that the S1.50 rate could be
secured, which is doubtful, the city would
pay out So, 900 per year i'll insurance. To as
sumo that one school house will burn down
IN every ten years is placing the per centage
very high. On an average the school houses
cost $4,000 each, and even if in every ten
years school house should be destroyed,
the city would have paid out $4,000 in poe
miums during that period. It's more FEAST
BILE to assume that the percentage of fires in
school houses would be once in twenty years.
With our splendid fire department it would
hardly be possible for school building to be
totally destroyed, and on the basis of S. 80
insurance rate five years on S100OOOO and
the destruction of a school honse once in
twenty years the city would have paid out
$4,000 in premiums. A very little reasoning
will show that the best thing for the city to
do is to carry its own insurance.
I
The assembly made mistake in throwing
out the resolution passed by the board of
aldermen relative to the Langford Park mat
ter. Contractor Sweeney having defaulted
in his contract. it was the duty of the CITY to
have the work finished, and in the event of
any money being expended over the amount
assessed for the work. to sue the contractors
boncsmen- The council duly ordered the
city engineer to finish the filling of Langford
Park, and as the balance of the assessment
fund has been exhausted. it is estimated that
$4,000 will be required to finish the work.
The aldermen voted the money on the con-
dition that the city attorney investigate the
financial status of the bondsmen and is able
to report that they are able to meet the bonds
If sued. The assembly in the twinkling of
an eye indefinitely postponed the matter.
The question naturally arises. why does the
city demand that bonds shall be furnished
by its contractors? Is it done as matter of
form? If not there should be no hesitation
to incur expense to finish the work of de-
faulting contractor and then recover from
the bondsmen.
ut
The situation in the Langford Park matter
now is that no money can be voted from the
general or any other fund to finish the work.
as the charter provides that on Oct 10 the