St. Paul daily globe., 1895-11-08

of three minutes, and was at once
questioned concerning the duties of
the garbage committee, and the ma
ture of the garbage contract. Asked
who passed upon the bills of the
contractor, Mr.. Johnson said that
| the health department did. The COM
mittee made no examination of the
contractors report. Mr.. Johnson re-
membered that DR.. Stone had said
that he did not believe all the work
had been done.
At this point Mr.. Johnson asked the
committee what the scope of its in
quiry was.
ITO ask questions" remarked Capt.
Castle.
Il refuse to answer any more queS-
tions," retorted Mr.. Johnson
Col Clough thereupon explained the
general object of the inquiry, which
was to gain general information of the
manner in which the city transacts
it's business. This seemed to satisfy
Mr.. Johnson, and he then talked freely
upon the subject. He explained that
the garbage committee did not pass
upon the bills of the garbage con-
tractor He also admitted that the
present contract was faulty in that it
did not provide for a forfeiture of the
contract in case Of failure of the
contractor to perform his work. The
duty of the garbage committee con-
sisted in looking after the details of the
work
Questioned as to DR.. Stones state
ment that the garbage committee had
advised him to approve the bills
whether he believed them or not, Mr..
johnson said that he believed that
the committee had advised DR.. Stone
that he was justified in not going be-
hind the contractors affidavit that the
work had been performed.
Mr.. Johnson went ON to say that the
present system of disposing of the
garbage was wrong. Asked what
change he would recommend, Mr..
Johnson said that the city should be
divided into districts, and the garbage
hauled to some one definite locality.
Every district or two districts should
have an inspector.
Comptroller McCardy, who was pres
ent, informed the committee that he
acted upon the approval of the COM
mittee on claims of the board of alder
men. The claims, after being audited
by the comptroller, go back to the
board of aldermen for action. If
passed by that body, the claims then
go to the assembly committee on ways
and means, and upon the approval of
that committee, the claims are, then
submitted to the assembly for final
passage.
After this routine had been explained,
Judge Lusk said that it did not show
that any single official was respon-
sible for allowing a claim. The paper
might be stamped all over, but the
responsibility could not be fixed.
j. S. Robertson, representing the
Third Street Improvement association,
appeared for the purpose of explaining
to the committee the arrangements
whereby hucksters' teams are allowed
to stand on the west side of st. Peter
street, while a private market enter
prise collects the fees. Mr.. Robertson
said that the Central Market company
located on ST. Peter, at Third and
Fourth streets, had built sheds on the
west side of West Third street and
widened the sidewalks for the purpose
Of accommodating hucksters' teams.
In order to permit of this, the company
declaring the west side of West Third
street, from Wabasha street to Seven
corners, a public market The object
was to bring the hucksters to st. Paul,
most of whom werei going to Minneap-
oils for lack of a place in this city TO
stand their teams. The market com
pany, it was true, collected fees
amounting to 10 cents a Gay from each
huckster, but the members of the COM
mittee were not dividing this money
between themselves. They were sim
ply reimbuTsing the company for the
cost Of the sheds and the widening Of
the sidewalks. AS soon as that is ac-
complished, the company would devote
the fees to the formation of a sinking
fund which would be used to repave
West Third street, when the present
pavement becomes worn out by the
hucksters' teams that now occupy the
street. Mr.. Robertson said that the
company paid the owners of private
property in front of which the teams
stand a compensation for the privilege
in all cases where they demanded it.
The committee adjourned at this
point, but it will inquire further into
the matter at tcday's session, which
will begin at the usual hour, 3:15 D. m.
The board OF control and the library
board are scheduled for examination
today.