St. Paul daily globe., 1895-12-24
USE 4 PRUNING KNIFE
ON I'LL DEPARTMENTS

motion-namely, that the contract be
awarded to Fielding & Shepley. The
motion prevailed by vote of to 2,
Messrs. Parker and Reardon voting
in the negative.
President Copeland thereupon an
nounced that the contract was award
ed to Fielding & Shepley. The reso-
luton will be taken up by the board
of aldermen at its adjourned meeting
is far from an assured fact that the
board will concur with the action of
the assembly.
Mr.. Parker, the chairman of the re-
trenchment committee, then an
nounced that he desired to present
the report of that committee to the
assembly. The assembly nerved
themselves for the ordeal. Mr.. Par
ker stationed himself at the clerks
desk, deposited bulky pile of paper
in front of him, and began to read
at precisely two minutes before 8
o'clock
Mr.. Parker finished at 1:20 without
manifesting perceptible evidence of
fatigue, though some Of his colleagues
exhibited symptoms of ennui.
On motion of Mr.. Lewis the re-
port was received, and the city clerk
instructed to transmit a copy of the
report to the conference committee.
The assembly also adopted a resolu-
tion instructing the clerk to prepare
specifications for printing 500 copies
of the report.
Mr.. Johnson then arose and moved
the passage of the ordinance grant
ing the Fifth Ward Transfer COM
pany an extension of one year In
which to begin the construction of
the railroad under the franchise
granted to the company in 1892 and
1898. Several members of the civic
federation, the members of which
opposed the granting of the exten-
sion, were present, but all debate
was shut off.
In asking that the ordinance be
placed upon it's passage, Mr.. Johnson
moved the previous question as it
was understood that all discussion of
it was closed at the last meeting of
the assembly.
Mr.. Lewis, however, was granted
permission to speak owing to the I'M
derstanding had at the previous meet
ing. Ross Clarke, of the civic fedora
ton, demurred to the proposition of
Mr.. Johnson to shut off debate, where
upon Mr.. Johnson silenced the gen.
tleman with the curt remark:
We've heard all we want to from
the civic federation"
Mr.. Lewis then proceeded to state
his reasons for opposing the ordinance.
He said that he opposed granting an
extension a year ago, and he saw no
reason why he should change his s'opin-
ion,- as the situation had not changed.
A year ago the advocates of the ordi-
nance had promised that they would
never ask for another extension. Mr..
Lewis based his opposition first on the
ground that the council did not know
to whom 1T had granted the fran
chise. The city had given it away for
a valuable consideration, namely, the
building of a railroad, but the COM
pany had ever since persistently re-
fused to give the city the promised
consideration. They wouldn't even bind
themselves to build two miles of road
bed, let alone laying any tracks. 1t
was true that these gentlemen had ex-
pended a good deal of money trying to
shift thes enterprise, but it was also
true that the city was entitled to the
enhanced value of the property for
carrying the enterprise from year to
year.
The roll call followed Mr.. Lewis
voted mo" and stood alone. the other
eight members voting in the affirma-
tive.
In explaining his vote, Mr.. Parker
said that when the matter came up last
year he had been in the council but
two or three months and was not fully
conversant with the situation when he
declared that he would not again vote
for an extension. But now he under
stood the status of affairs and did
not need any instruction from the civ
1c federation. In conclusion, Mr.. Par
ker said that he believed the Fifth
ward transfer company was entitled
to the extension. The city could not
possibly lose anything by granting it,
and he was in favor of lending a help
ing hand to those who had labored
hard and honestly to establish
worthy enterprise.
Mr.. Strouse also stated his reasons
for voting for the extension. The
right of way lay under water and in
its present condition was of no value
to the city. Mr.. Strouse cited in
stances In which the city of st. Paul
had given large bonuses to various
railroads that now enter the city.
Messrs. Van Slyke and Copeland gave
similar reasons for their action, the
former expressing his surprise that
the civic federation or any organiza-
ton of citizens should oppose such an
enterprise.
President Copeland then declared
the ordinance passed, and the assem-
bly, adjourned at 11:40 p. m. Follow
ing is the report in full:
To the Common Council, City of st. Paul
Complying with your resolution, ap-
proved Oct. %, 1895, for a non-partisan
examination into the cost Of administer
ing the several departments of the city
government, the four business and civic
bodies therein mentioned, DESIGNATED the
citizens named below, to respectively rep
resent them in the inquiry:
Civic observation-disclosures w. Lusk.
Commercial Club-Henry A. Castle.
Chamber of Commerce-Gen. John B.
Sanborn.
Jobbers' Union-W. P. Clough,
To represent the common council
Messrs. Parker and Lewis from the as
sembly, and Mr.. Markham, from the
board of aldermen, were designated.
Thus constituted, the committee met in
the mayors parlor, in the City hall. on
Oct. Is, and organized by the choice of
Mr.. Parker, as chairman, and Mr.. Healy
of the city clerks office, as secretary.
The committee forthwith began its
work. Sessions were held each secular day,
excepting two or three Saturdays, until
DEG. 4. Representatives of every board
and department, save that of the city
library, were called before the commit
tee, and examined at length The in
quiry covered the city's debt, it's assets,
revenues and disbursements The du-
ties, hours of work, and rate Of pay,
Of every officer, clerk, and empioye of
the city, including teachers in the pub
lie schools, and mechanics and laborers
in each department, were carefully as
certained. Full statistical information
touching the operations of each depart
ment was submitted and studied.
Since the close of its public sessions
the committee has spent much time in