St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-05-17
CITY HALL CHAT.

trying to finish up all uncompleted legisIa-
ton prior to their stepping down and out.
The most important OF everything that Is
still to be cared for is the public auditorium
puzzle. The chances now are that this i'm
portant matter will be left by the present
officials as an enigmatical legacy for their
successors TO work out This is not because
the present couneilmen feel like shirking
one title of the burden of responsibility
Quite the reverse. If the council was able
to do so without technical obstruction, the
members would not hesitate to proceed
straightway with the improvement. But
there is that court decision In the celebrated
Injunction case, II is not forthcoming, and
while the councilmen really feel that there
is little question concerning the legal right
of the city, under the charter provision con-
trolling the course of the body in such cases
the right to remodel the old market house
and put it in condition where ii will be OF
paramount benefit to the city. Stilfit is not
proper TO proceed with the work until the
court gives the decision now held in abey-
alice.
II
a The bids are now i'll the hands of the joint
committee on auditorium, but it can be
safely predicted that this committee will
positively take no action unless q favorable
decision is rendered by the court the present
week. and that is scarcely probable. There
is but one bid that can be entertained, for
the reason that the only other competitor
failed to meet the requirements OF the specl-
fcatiOns by filing good and sufficient bond
to insure faithful performance of the con-
dtions of the contract. This bid is so low
and below the estimate, however. that the
failure to engage further Or more general
competition, so often desirable, cuts really
no figure in this instance. 1t develops that
the appropriation is ample to complete
public auditorium, and that is satisfactory.
~
Another vexatiOus problem that may dis
turb the equanimity and good temper of the
new council will be the strengthening and
widening of East Seventh street, between
Rosabel and Broadway. In the first instance
the interested property owners were actually
obstreperous i'll their :mportunings to have
the improvement completed. There is an
ugly Jog in East Seventh street at this point,
and the people realized the benefits that must
ensue from Strengthening the thorOughfare.
But they seem to have had an idea that the
improvement would be made without cost 0
the property benefited and just as soon as
these people were assessed they began pro-
testing against the improvement. This mud
died things somewhat The city hal gone to
considerable expense in the premises, and
the officials really felt that the street should
be Strengthened. but further action. as init
mated, may be postponed until the new
councilmen are inaugurated.
=
The committee On streets from the board Of
aldermen, that has this matter in charge. was
to have had meeting TO consider it and to
listen 10 delegation or citizens, but the
foil of md q
regular meeting of the board of aldermen
under the present regime occurs this evening.
Therefore it would seem that no further
action can be taken, as it is pretty certain
that the full board will hesitate to act unless
this committee shall, have first made some
sort of ar2comme ndation. and the committee
can d nothing of this sort without further
elaboration.
Il
Notwithstanding the probabilities record
ed. there is talk or special meetings of the
council to complete the balance of the pend
iffg legislation Should this be done there is
still time TO care for the East Seventh street
matter Then there is a mass of minor things
thai some of the councilmen fancy that
should be passed upon before sweeping
changes are made in the administration of
the city's affairs They urge that the city
perienced officials, and it is barely possible
that strenuous effort will be made to wind
everything up before Inauguration day,
June {.
i
Mrs. Bridget T. Cummings was yesterday
chosen as matron to take charge of female
prisoners at the central police station. This
will prove one of the last official acts of the
present administration. A matron was de-
niandeG by the philanthropie ladies compos-
ing the different charitable and reformatory
organize tons of the city, and the course is
Endorsed by all good women of the city. Mrs.
Cummings is a very worthy subject for the
place. She comes from a good family and
has an excellent reputation. Mrs. Cummings
has six helpless little children to care fo1,
and she is deserving the sympathy Of every
citizen.
'fe, Il
The council committee ON license will meet
for the last time tais afternoon to transact
some little business that remains to be
cleaned up.
ii
The national convention of the locomotive
engineers is now in session in Atlanta Ca.
and Mayor Smith Yesterday sent telegram
to the ST. Paul delegate, E. NJ. Mortimer, re-
auesting him to extend very cordial invi
tation to that body TO hold its next session in
this city. The mayor believes the invitation
will be accepted, and sent a lengthy com
muncation to Mr. Mortimer. which will
doubtless be read at today's session of the
convention.
1t is positively asserted by the Republican
aldermen-elect that the little caucus held at
the Windsor house the other night came TO
naught. The only object of the conference
was to test the temper of the members con-
corning the more popular candidates for
president OF the assembly ana the board of
aldermen. The GLOBE has already spoken
at length upon the aspirants for these hon.
ors Both positions will certainly be filed
by Republicans Tine most important of the
two presidencies is. of course, that of the
board of aldermen for he is made acting
mayor in the event of the absence of the
mayor from the city. 1t is for this reason
that Fred Ingersoll is doing yoeman work
in his attempt to carry off the prize. 1t will
be recalled that he was at one time in the
late canvass a prominent Republican candI-
date for the nomination for mayor, and it is
thought by his friends aud hackers that he
would have had certainty had it not been
for the citizens movement that upset many
of the we'll laid plans of the party leaders.
This movement anticipated the Republican
convention and nominated Col. Wright.
This left the convention no possible alterna-
tive. 1t was literally forced to endorse Col.
Wright
Il
1t is bee ause the independents spoiled Mr.
IngersoIl's little boom that ne is long way
in the lead for the presidency, but be has OPP
POSITION and that is the reason the caucus
foiIad To nominate him nh That time How
ever, he is sanguine. aud he seems to have
the best of the struggle. Aid. Copeland, it
is said, has considerable following, and his
friends hope to land him in the chair yet. He
is the only Republican in the body that has
had any experience in the. council and he
bases his candidacy, and with considerable
ofEact this grnund He that il