St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-17

ing terms:
Furnish the necessary apparatus and
steam plant, erected on ground con
veniently located, and operate thu
same for the sum of $4,000 per year,
payable in monthly installments. A
the expiration of five years the entire
plant, including real estate and ma
chinery. to be turned over to the city
for 81. The lamps are to be located by
the city engineer, suspended at street
intersections and fully equipped with
WindlaSSes for raising and lowering
lamps. The apparatus to be furnished
is that now used in many of the large
cities. including Chicago, as furnished
by the Western.
Accompanying the proposition of the
company was a long argument from
the mayor, in which ne alluded to the
enormous saving to taxpayers. The
contract with the gas company, accord
ing to the mayors figures, called for
s, loo street lamps of 24-candle power
each, making "a, 400 candle power, and
Sc arc lights of 1000 candle power each,
making $4,000 candle power, or a total
of LAC, 400 candle power.
The cost TO the city, S105,000 per an
NUN. The proposition made by the
electric company, the mayor states, as
compared with the gas company's
figures, shows an annual saving of
$50, 900 TO the city, the electric company
agreeing to furnish 100000 candle power
lights for 5000. In addition, the mayor
states, by the proposals the city receives
a plant valued at not less than 100000,
which would Show an aggregate saving
in five years of Sl50,000, which, added
to the value OF the plant, would reach a
total OF quarter of a million dollars.
The mayor called attention to the objec-
ton to tue validity of the present
gas company contract-that it COW
ers a period greater than one year
and suggests that the difficulty with
making a five years contract with the
electric company might be overcome by
making the purchase of the plant out
right for gross sum, paying monthly
$3.50, the last payment to be made at
the expiration Of five years. In closing,
the mayor says the great Importance of
the subject urges the careful considera-
ton of the council. II the enormous
saving, the mayor explains, could be
made, the already overburdened tax
payers would not hold him and the
council blameless should a duty so
plain and imperative not be performed.
The proposition and letter from the
mayor were referred to the committee
ell gas without discussion.
City Attorney Cham berlain was asked
il the contract with the gas company,
which has still two years to run, could
be declared invalid Oil the decision made
in the Seeger case. He did not care to
express an opinion, but, pressed for one,
said off-hand he was inclined TO think
the courts would hold the same way as
in the gasoline contract that no con-
tract for a period longer than one year
was valid. He had been informed that
there was some difference between the
gas company's contract and that made
by the council with Seeger, in that the
gas company claimed certain rights I'M
der the original charter granted to them
by the territorial legislature years ago.
The claim, however, he had not inveSti-
gated, and could not give any opinion
upon it.
ASKED TO EXPLAIN.
The ordinance passed by the assembly
giving the gas company the right TO
erect poles and string wires on streets
in the city for electric lighting was re-
ferred to the committee on gas.
The resolution allowing the mayor
$500 as a contingent fund, which came
back from the assembly with an amend
ment that the mayor make a report of
how the same was expended, occaSioned
some debate. Aid. Markham, who had
been in conversation with President
Wolterstorff, thought it was hardly
necessary to adopt Such an amendment:
The amount to be appropriated was
small. and the Inference was to reflect
on the mayor. He moved the amend
ment be not conquered in, and. on the
roll call, the motion to not concur was
defeated. On the original motion to
concur, AID. Montgomery explained his
vote by saying that at a previous meet
ing the board had passed a resolution to
the effect that no contingent fund would
be granted any officer unless a
report were submitted showing the
expenditure of the previous fund.
He did not intend to reflect
on the mayor, but, if his memory served
right. there had been large number of
$500 and $500 contingent funds allowed
the mayor. He thought il was no more
than right that the council should be
Informed how much had been appro-
priated to the mayors Office as cOntin-
gent funds. The motion to allow the
amount asked for by the mayor was
defeated, Aid. Conley, Cullen, Jensen,
Markham and Hickman voting for IT,,
and Aid. 'Dorniden, Quehl, Copeland,
and Zimmerman against it.
The resolution directing the mayor to
dispense with the services of j. G.
Reichardt as weigher of coal was on
motion of Aid. Coniey sent to the COM
mittee OH streets. The resolution pay.
lug the same official for fifteen days III
December was passed.
Aid. zimmerman, DOrniden and Jen-
sen were appointed special committee
to Investigate as to the necessity of hav-
ing person appointed to take charge
of the smallpox hospital.
The contract for furnishing 1000 feet
of sewer pipe was awarded to II. p.
Rugg at 612 cents per foot.
Attorney Benn Davis made a talk
against the ordinance passed recently
fixing the peddlers' ordinance for push
carts at $50 and those with horse and
wagons 500; but it had 10 perceptible
effect.
Aid. Cullen, who stated that he ex-
pected to visit California for several
weeks, was granted leave of absence.
In Olden Times
People overlooked the Importance of
permanently beneficial effects, and
were satisfied with transient action; but
now that it is generally known that
Syrup of Figs will permanently cure
habitual constipation, well-informed
people will not buy other laxatives,
which act for time, but finally injure
the system.