St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-20
CITY HALL GOSSIP.

The question of the collection and the de-
struction of the garbage OF the city still forms
the most interesting topic of discussion in
municipal circles. The matter has now
dragged on for nearly year, and like the
famous lawsuit of Jarndyce against Jarn-
dyce immortalized by Charles Dickens,
threatens to be bone of contention for as
long as the chancery suit. That the matter
should be settled without further delay is the
opinion OF every citizen in ST. Paul, for the
general health of the public suffers and is en-
dangered so long as the collection of garbage
is not made in proper manner. That the
garbage has not been and is not at present
being collected in proper manner is beyond
question. DR.. Hoyt, the health officer has
sent communications to the council COM
planning of the manner in which the garbage
is collected. Complaints are pouring into the
health office asking for the garbage to be re-
moved. The Azotine company itself has ad-
mitted its negligence. yet beyond heated dis
cussions in the council nothing definite is
done, and the Azotine company continues
to draw each month from the pockets of the
taxpayers S9i6 for collecting the garbage and
ST. 250 for disposing of it.
j
Apart from the legal complications which
have arisen from the time of the burning of
the plant of the AZotine company in the
Fifth ward the matter of the payments to
the company have formed the basis of fierce
debates in the assembly. Charges were made
that the health officer DR.. Hoyt had certi-
fed to the bills of the company, while at the
same time he made statements that the work
was not being done. Dr. Hoyt was inter
viewed by GLOBE reporter during the
past week and his statements published
During the present year he has certified to
l@,,t lie for +la
and did SO because he believed the company
had during those months doue the work, but
as to the rest of the bills he has refused to
certify them, and has not certified to any of
the bills for the destruction OF the garbage.
An examination of the vouchers in the Office
of the city comptroller confirm the state
ments OF DR.. Hoyt, and that official certainly
is not to be held responsible for the payment
of the accounts. The officials who are really
responsible are the chairmen of the commit
tees on ways and means of the asse mbly
and aldermen. At the present time no
contract exists between the city and
the Azotine company for collecting the garb-
age, the contract having expired last April.
In the face of the general knowledge that the
garbage has not been collected, despite the
report of the health officer. the accounts
of the Azotine company have been passed
IL
presented that the work has been properly
done, simply statement accompanying the
account that the enclosed is true bill
against the city Of ST. Paul.
IL
The assembly next Tuesday evening will
again take up the matter, and if the commit
tee on streets which meets tomorrow, rec
ommends that bids be asked for for collect
ing the garbage. and the assembly decides to
advertise for bids it will then be d simple
matter TO dispose Of the legal complications
which surround the contract of the Azotine
company for destroying the garbage. City
Attorney LAWYER a month ago filed long
legal opinion that the company had every
right to rebuild its plant on the levee,
which, however, it declines to do
Justice should be done to every
one, and the Azotine company should
be treated in the same manner as any other
contractor who does work for the city, Ii it
declines to carry out its contract, the same
should be declared null and void The set
Element of this long-delayed affair is very
simple, if the council will only decide to do
its duty in the tier. The first step will be
to advertise for bids for collecting the garb-
age, the same to be delivered to the Azotine
company for destruction at the site of it's
plant on the upper levee The refusal of the
company to receive it and destroy it at the
works on the upper levee according to its
contract, will, as the city attorney says, be a
breach of its undertaking, and the council
can declare the contract null and void.
i
City officials are very proud of the fact that,
during the past six weeks, bonds of the city
or st. Paul, amounting to S1.550, 900, have
been purchased by Eastern capitalists The
st. Paul Title Insurance and Trust company
have carried the negotiations through, and
the standing of the local company and the
credit of st. Paul must be thought most
highly of in the East when bonds can be
sold for so large a sum at a time when money
is very tight on the market.
j
Live and learn is motto which the coun-
ell has evidently studied most carefully as re-
CARDS the granting of valuable franchises for
nothing. If the question of granting street
railway franchise should come up to-day in
the council it would be safe to say that 1t
would only be granted on the condition of
the payment into the city treasury of large
sum per annum. Conservative esti-
mates place the value of Mr.. Low
rvs franchise at S1,OO0,0OO a year,
yet not single cent is turned in the treasury.
The council has learned a lesson and pro-
pose to make the granting of franchises a
benefit to the city in the future. A local COM
pany has during the past month asked for
permission to build and maintain conduits
for running all telephone, telegraph and
electric light wires underground. The day
is not tar distant when every house will be
lit by electricity, have telephone, and prob
ably be furnished with power and heat by
the same medium. In the same manner as