St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-27
CITY HALL GOSSIP.

The dispute between the asse mbly and the
board of school inspectors concerning the
reduction by the latter body of the salaries of
school janitors has been settled for q time by
the passage by the assembly of the July pay
rolls, which first caused the breach in the
friendly relations between the two bodies.
Apropos ofithe dispute, good story was told
by President Albert Scheffer, of the school
board, when he made his first official appear
ance as a member of the conference commit
tee, two weeks ago. Mr.. Scheffer. through a
misunderstanding, arrived at the council
chamber just after the meeting was adj
journed. He was greeted most cordially by
all the members, especially by President
Murray, of the assembly, who has expressed
himself as strongly opposed to the action of
the board 1t cutting down salaries. After a
few minutes conversation Mr.. Murray
turned to Mr.. Scheffer and said What do
you intend to do about this question of the
reduction of salaries?' Mr. Scheffer smiled
and said he would like to relate Germ an
fable which might throw some light on the
subject. He detailed a story how two men
on mules met face to face on a narrow
mountain road which overhung deep
crevice. Both men claimed the right of way,
and neither would go back in order to allow
the other to pass. If they cana to tussle
both would be injured, while to. remain face
to face for any considerable length of time
was ont of the question.
''Now how do you think they settled the
DISPUTE without either party considering he
was defeated?' queried Mr.. Scheffer.
Perhaps they left the mules to fight it
out answered Mr.. Murray
mo; they acted like sensible men, was
the reply of the president of the school
board, for they agreed to turn back and
eaph nv N nfhpr rOad To
90
The assembly and the school board have
acted like the men in the fable, without loss
of dignity or question Of defeat. The assem-
bly, has passed the pay roll for July on con-
dItion the board raises the salaries of the
Janitors, which they have promised to do
The house of lords, however. tackled on a
proviso which might, with good taste, have
been left out. 1t stated most forcbly that,
should the board not Keep it's word and raise
the salaries. that the assembly would retaliate
and exercise its legal power by cutting down
the salary of every teacher and employee of
the school board in proportion to the reduc
ton made in the salaries of the janitors
The pIoviso was ill-timed and unpleasant,
for the school board is composed of gentle
men whose integrity and honor are known TO
every citizen, and there can be no question
but that the school board will keep its prom
Use and raise the janitors salaries. The
whole dispute was an unfortunate one, for
when two bodies of the municipal govern
ment get into Wrangle and indulge in severe
criticisms and recrimIualions of one another
the result can only be that more harm than
good is done. Let it be wished that the
assembly and school board have for ever
buried the Ratchet and smoked the pipe Of
peace.
Just what use the conference committee is
is matter which Hon. W. P. Murray is con-
siderably exercised over. At the last meeting
OF the committee the president of the assem-
bly,, in submitting his report, stated that the
only use he could see for the committee was
to meet once month, present long reports
which would be filed away and next year
sold for waste paper. While a full knowl-
edge of what is going on in municipal affairs
is OF great interest to every citizen, the mere
hling OF the reports by the heads of depart
ments does not give the desired knowledge
The committee has decided not to have the
reports published officially and the reporters
who attend the meetings can but scan the
reports and furnish the public with syuop-
sis. According to the charter under which
the committee was created the members are
supposed"to consult and advise together rel
alive to the care. supervision and econom-
leal management of all affairs, duties and
expenses of each department of the city,"
The law is one more likely to be honored in
the breach than in the observance, for each
department has a certain amount of money
allowed for running the same, and as the
figures have been cut down to the last notch
it is hardly possible for the committee to get
together and cut down the expenses sill
further.
AT last definite step has been taken on the
garbage question. Bids are to be called for
for the collection of the garbage, which is to
be delivered to the contractor for destruction
Henry Fleishman at the plant on the upper
levee. The public is. perhaps. not so very
much concerned whether the garbage is de-
stroyed under the Merz process, or sold to
farmers for manure, but what is asked for
and demanded by every citizen is that the
garbage shall be properly collected If this
is done the council will see that the con-
tractor for the destruction performs his duty,
or as the picturesque Chinaman says in the
play, "Allee samee you no fxee workee, me
alice samee playee you no monee."
An important step will be taken by the
city comptroller and treasurer next week. In
accordance with the provisions of the char
ter they will open separate and distinct ac-
counts for each of the several divisions of
taxes shown in the tax estimate which was
prepared some weeks ago. These accounts.
together with those now upon the books,
must show no debit for all must on the 10th OF
october show balance of some amount,
even If IL is only five cents. These accounts
will at all times show the amount of money
to the credit of each fund and the amount
Maid from Snph No
transferred from one fund to another as was
in vogue under the old charter The $3.50. 900
received from the sale Of certificates OF in
debtedness issued last week in anticipation
of the tax levy will be divided up among the
various funds as required
The assembly took wise step last Tuesday
when 1t decided not to grant the petition of
three residents of Ross street that the city
begin suit against the Omaha road for main
tanning their round houses on the street. The
history of the case has been fully published
IN the GLOBE, and more absurd petition
was never made 10 a city government One
member of the assembly used the term
''olackmaif' in his speech upon the matter,
and he was certainly justified in the express
sion. The railroad had offered to buy the
lots of the three petitioners at the full mar
ket value according to the estimate made by
the most competent real estate dealer in ST.
Paul, but the offer was refused. and the
demand still made that the city pegin
suit against the road. AS an act of courtesy
the assembly listened to an attorney for the
petitioners for over an hour, but the affair
should not have been allowed to occupy
even five minutes of valuable time.
90
The council during the week had another
russell with the Lake Como boulevard i'm
provement question, but there seems little
possibility of the work being carried out or
even commenced for some time yet. The
legislature of 1888 authorized the city to issue
bonds for $4,000 for the improvement of
Lake Como and the building of a boulevard
around the lake, only on condition that the
city should have clear title to any la nd
which II might aenuira unnn the shore a