St. Paul daily globe., 1892-06-28

arms which have been purchased by the city.
No one would seriously question the leSality
Of such appointment. or could seriously
maintain that il is prohibited by the legal
provision on which the comptroller relies in
this matter. 1t Is apparent to me that the
comptroller has teen mlsled by reason OF the
fact that this matron Is the first woman VINO
has been appointed q member of the police
department. There is, however, no legal
provision prescribing any qualification as TO
sex for the members of he police force. IL
is competent and proper under the law, ana
in many eases may be necessary, to appoint
women as members OF the detective force or
the city. aud ii is u fact that. under laws sim
liar to our charter, they have been appointed
in other cities
lam informed that this appointee is a
widow, and has six children dependent upon
her for their support
lam of opinion that an objection based on
this ground to the legality of this appoint
ment would receive as much and as little
consideration in Il court OF law as the oDJec-
ton which the comptroller makes.
In conclusion, | desre to frankly inform
your honorable committee and the assembly
that there are special reasons for the lengtn
and minuteness of this report.
1t has hitherto been the practice In the ad-
minstration OF the affairs of the city for city
officials to consult the law department. on
questions of law before resorting 10 the
common council. The procedure has always
relieved the common council from unneces-
and efficiency of public service.
During nv tenure of office [ have Mt all
times cheerfully, speedily and courteously
furnished heads of departments written
opinions on all matters which they may have
submitted tome. 1t is my opinion that there
is no reason ut this time to change this man-
ner of procedure. In the present instance,
had the comptroller seen fit to request the
services of this department, he would have
promptly been referred to all matters OF
record ana of law herein set out,
The Widow Must Sue.
Mr.. Johnson said resolution had
been passed by the board of aldermen
disseminating the publication of notices
in the Die VolkSZeitung.
Mr.. Lightner thought the committee
had nothing to do in the matter. 1t was
simply question between the COMP
troller an the proprietors of the paper.
The work had been done under resolu-
tior OF the council. and if the comp
trOller refused to pay the bills suit
could be brought against the city to re-
cover.
That part of the communication stat
ing the various boards had authority TO
draw OH the city without their accounts
being passed by the council was next
considered. Mr.. Lightner said the law
gave the boards mentioned the right to
so do, and the only thing that could be
done in the matter was to call the atten-
tion of the legislature next winter to the
fact.
Mr.. MeCardy informed the committee
just before cOnvening that he would be
pleased to see them in his Office. When
that part of his communication refer
ring to the coupons in his office not
having been properly classified or filed
was reached, some of the members
wanted to adjourn to the cOmptroller's
quarters. This, however, was not done,
Mr.. Reardon appointing himself a COM
mittee of one to bring the comptroller
tef0re the committee. The action
taken by the committee previous to his
appearance was explained to Mr.. Nc
Cardy and seemed to suit him, although
he admitted having motions" of his
own regarding each section of the COM
munication. There were two bushels of
coupons. he said, that ought to be pasted
In the bond register started by Mr..
POnthan. This he thought should not
be done at his expense.
Mr.. johnson thought the majority of
the comptroller'S communication was
simply written to call the attention of
the public to the matters mentioned.
He wanted the committee to authorize
bhO NOHptiOllSl W oPPUiho ~ NACt ~ oo -
salary of $50 per month, to be paid from
the general fund, to sort and paste the
coupons in the book for that purpose.
McCardy Again.
Mr.. McCardy said itwas impossible to
tell within $50, ,009 of how many coupons
had been paid, and until they had been
placed in the bond register it would also
be impossible to say whether any of the
onnnnnc had haan hnnliootad HQ didn't
think there had been any duplication,
but this ought to be known definitely.
The returned bonds which had been
paid were in the same condition, A girl
clerk at $40 per month, he thought,
could do the work in five or six months.
Mr.. johnson thought the salary ought
to be $50 per month.
Mr.. Naumann, who was formerly
employed in the office, said boy could
do the pasting in the book referred to
and it ought not to take more than sixty
days.
Mr.. McCardy had a notion about the
matrOn at the police station which
wasn't changed by the opinion of the
city attorney.
Mr.. Lightner thought this was case
like the Volkszeitung printing. If the
comptroller would not pay her wages
let her bring suit.
Regarding the real property owned
by the city, Mr.. McCardy said there was
no ledger account of the same in his
office and some of the property might
become lost.
Mr.. ReardOn wanted to know who
paid taxes on the property.
Mr.. McCardy said no one. There was
some school property in the Sixth ward
which ought to be sold now, and i'll his
office there was no record of it.
The missing pages III the journal
which Mr.. McCardy had reported was
explained to the satisfaction of the COM
mittee by Mr.. Naumann. When he first
went to work in the Office his attent ion
had been called to the missing pages.
Mr.. FranZen, his predecessor, explained
that when the Bell charter went into
effect the book was taken to enter
orders in. The first page having been
written in 1t was cut out, and the entire
quire being loosened 1t was thrown
away.
Mi. Llghtner asked if the concluding
entry in the closing of the former jour-
nal and the opening of the new one
were not consecutive. He was Informed
such was the fact, and this apparently
satisfied the committee.
The last clause of the comptroller'S
communication, referring to the curtail-
ment of all unnecessary expenses in the
several departments, was considered in
executive session. MI. Lightner, after
reading this section. asked ali but men,
bers of the committee to withdraw while
the "lIghtning was being prepared"
The committee will report to the
assembly tonight.
a NCTT