St. Paul daily globe., 1893-01-18
FRANKLIN'S FOLLY.
The Sixth Ward Alderman
Would Abolish the Park
Commission,
And Wants Council to Join
Him in the Great Enter
prise.
The Lower House ConcurS in
the Seeger Gasoline Con-
tract.
Considerable Routine Worked
np D@0oYIoy,
Considerable Routine Worked
Off at the Regular
Meeting.

The board of aldermen held short
meeting last night which narrowly es-
capped being entirely routine. There
were. however, several matters outside
of the usual griSt OF resolutions, re-
ports, etc.. which are worthy of more
than passing mention, chief of which
was, perhaps, the letting of the contract
for city lighting to Robert Seeger.
Upon the report of the committee on
gas, lighting, etc., the matter which was
becoming veritable bugbear was dis
posed of and the contract let to Mr..
Seeger at S1.23 per light per month for
period of five years. There remains
now but the usual red tape when the
contract will be drawn up IN due form
and signed.
Another action of scarcely less I'M
pOrtanee was the passage of an ordi-
nance giving the city fire department
absolute right Of way when going to
fires, and providing for system of
switches or cut-outS whereby electric
currents may be cut off Oh short notice
misdemeanor to interfere with or him
der any member or piece of apparatus
of the department when on the way to
fire, and provides that the chief of the
fire department shall notify all firms or
persons having wires, except telephone
and telegraph wires, for the purpose of
conducting electricity, to shut off same
in the event of fire. This, of course,
refers to electric light wires and the
overhead street railway wires. and to
facilitate this the ordinance requires
that in the territory bounded by Broad
way, Seventh street. st. Peter and Mis-
SSSippi streets switches shall be placed
in position Oh every block. and that
keys shall be furnished the fire depart
ment officials. This ordinance is cal
culated to obviate the difficulty and
danger with which the firemen now
have to contend in fighting the dread
element. and its provisions go into effect
Immediately.
Wants to Abolish Them.
AID Franklin, of the Sixth ward, Gre
ated a slight ripple by introducing a
resolution providing that the Ramsey
county representative i'll the legislature
be requested to prepare and secure the
passage OF a bill to repeal IAN act to
consolidate and amend all acts relating
to parks and parkWayS in st. Paul, and
the organization, powers and duties of
the board Of park commissioners"
Mr. Franklin made a strong plea in
support of his resolution which, he
stated, was introduced at the request of
a large number of his constituents.
"The park legislation of this city for
the past few years has developed
vii Of hO iii In,
after law has been declared unconstItu-
tienal by the courts. The present act
vests the board of park commissioners
with power that is net given any other
board in the city, for the commissioners
have absolute power to purchase sites
and control vast sums Of money. Parks
are almost always located in the out
skirts of the city, and the burden of the
assessments falls upon the poorer
classes, who go thither to invest their
small earnings in securing homes.
These people are not even given voice
in the selection of sites, and maintain
this Is all wrong. The usefulness of
the park board has long since died out.
and it is time that some effort were made
to secure some honest and practical
park legislation that would insure the
people much needed protection"
After brief discussion, the resolu-
tlon was, upon motion Of Aid. DOrniden,
referred to the committee on legislation.
The Sixth ward alderman also offered
a resolution looking 10 some plan where
by the residents of the flats in West st.
Paul might be supplied with supply Of
water free. This was referred to the
committee on streets.
Routine Matters.
The ordinance touching on the intro
duction of the T rails was, upon the
recommendation of the committee, in
definitely postponed.
The much-discussed Sandeen claim,
based on the grading of Lawson street
and amounting to IS, ,427.98, was referred
to the city COMPTROLLER to De audited
The ordinance providing for the
licensing, regulation, and control of in
telligence, railroad ticket and other Of
fees was amended by the addition of.
certain provisions covering the sale OF
liquor, ETC., and sent back to the as
Sembly.
The sum of $500 was ordered paid
out Of the assessment fund to the estate
of William f, Davidson from damages
resulting from opening an alley through
the property.
The aldermen concurred in the report
of the assembly license committee re-
tusing to grant new license to Il. w.
Cooper, and laid over the consideration
of the case of the proprietors of the
Pride of the West saloon.
The committee appointed to consider
the Third street electric line advised
the postponement of action, and the
report was adopted by the aldermen.
The st. Paul Electric company was
granted permission to string wires Oh
the streets of ST. Paul.
Permission to use Market hall was
granted to several societies making ap-
plcation.
BY resolution orders were drawn for
the following: Police pensions for De-
cember, John Clark, $S3.33; Mary Nc
Carrick, S33.33; Henry Gavin. $3.50.
An order was drawn for Thomas Kenaley
for S241. &c, covering his pension from
Aug. Z to Jan. l, and Mrs. Ella F. Ger
Der S76.66 for services as matrOn at the
central police station. The salary of
Secretary LaurenZ, of the office of the
chief of police, was fixed at $1,000 an
nually.
The city treasurer was authorized to
employ two additional clerks from this
time.
St. Marie Port,
Recommended by all physicians for
WholeSomeneSS. California Wine House.