St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-01-23
TAXING MERCHANTS,
A Bill Introduced to License
All Dealers Except Actual
Residents.
A STATE FIRE MARSHAL
To Be Created by a Bill In
PRODUCED by Senator
Barr.
A STATE FIRE MARSHAL
100000 TO THE UNIVERSITY.
The Deficiency Bill for That
Amount Recommended
to Pass.


such as sell So called bankrupt or fire
stocks, and also to protect people from
irresponsible peddlers and vendors of
wares. as we'll as patent.right sharks.
1t is Intended to place travelling vendors
of wares under the control of the secre-
tary Of state and city or village authors
ties. The bill was introduced by Sem
ator Stebbins, and was referred to the
Judiciary committee. 1t Is known as
Senate File No. 81, and provides for
licensing hawkers, peddlers, patent
right dealers, transient merchants.
dealers and traders. 1t is not designed
to affect resident merchants who do
business in city or village
where they reside, but would re-
quire commercial travellers to be
licensed. One effect of the law would
be to require travellers from outside
points to be licensed by the secretary of
state. This seems to be covered by a
clause in the section which requires ''all
persons who travel about to sell by
sample or for immediate delivery at the
time or in the future, shall be licensed
as peddler." The bill exempts manu>
facturers, mechanics, nurserymen or
farmer from its provisions in sci ling
their products by himself or employe.
A patent right dealer may sell any Of
his products by wholesale or retail. The
bill also exempts those who sell fish,
train boys, selling on trains to travellers.
CrippIes Are Exempt
The blind, deaf or dumb and crippleS
who are incapacitatcd for hard manual
labor, are also exempt when they sell
goods or wares or merchandise on foot
or by wagon. Sellers of farm nachin-
cry are also left free. The intention OF
the bill is to license all transient mer-
chants, Or who offer to sell goods i'll a
city or village and who are not perma-
nent merchants OF traders in the city or
village. 1t is not designed to apply the
measure to such as shall remain i'll one
place six months or more and pay taxes.
1t is designed to have the license is
sued by the secretary of state. Persons
travelling on foot shall pay an annual
license of $50. If a single horse is used
the fee shall be $50. If two horses are
used the fee is to be $50 Transient
merchants. vendors or dealers, Sl5' to
the state and not more than So per day
to the city or village where he may sell
goods, the exact amount to be regulated
by ordinance Patent right dealers.
who are not the patentees, snail be
licensed by the secretary OF state. Before
securing his license, patent right
dealer shall make a statement to the
secretary of state Of his Interests in the
territory of the state. Ii he snail offer
for sale or have all interest Ill more than
half of the state the fee shall be S20; for
a half or less part of the state the fee
shall be $40.
The Penalty
for the first otfense, in addition to the
penalty prescribed by ordinance of a
city or village, shall be not less than So
nor more than $780, The district attOra
new who proSecuteS such offender Is to
receive Is per cent Of the fine received.
The prosecuting witness IS to receive
sum not exceeding 10 per cent of the
fine. No costs shall be allowed the de-
PENDANT in prosecution under this bill.
The bill also provides that the governor
may appoint treasury agent to look
shall have authority to seize goods or
vehicles used by the peddlers in viola
ton of the bill.
State Fire Marshal.
Senate File No. Is. introduced by Sen
'ator Barr and referred to the committee
on insurance, is designed TO create the
office of state fire marshal and defines
his duties. The marshal is to be ap-
H., mil itn
sent of the senate, for term Of five
years. The appointment Of a deputy
fire marshal by the governor is also au-
thorized. Both may De removed for
cause by the governor, with the consent
of the senate The bill provides that
the state fire marshal i'll the cities OF
st. Paul and Minneapolis, and the
board of fire commissioners i'll every
other city or town where there is a
board OF fire commissioners, ana
in other places the mayor and
board Of aldermen. or trustees
of an incorporated village, shall
inves tigate the cause, origin and Cir
cumstances of every fire occurring in
city or town i'll which property has been
destroyed OF damaged, and make spe-
cial investig as to whether the fire
was caused through careleSsneSS OF de-
sign. The investigation shall be made
within three days after fire, and may
be supervised by the fire marshal if he
deems it eXpedlent or necessary. He
shall have power to examine persons
under oath. If it appears that there is
evidence TO justify, the fire marshal
may charge persons with the
Crime of Arson
and prosecute them. The fire marshal
shall be entitled to expenses for Clerks
and for the performances OF duties In ad.
dltion to salary of $1,000 per annum.
ANY owner Of building who does
not permit Of,ean examination after a
fire by the proper officer Will be subject
to a fine of not less than $40 nor more
than $50. ANY city or village officer
who neglects his duty concerning an IN,
yestigatiOn as to fire shall be punished
by fine of not less than SO Dor more
than $500. The state fire marsErl shall
have an office in st. Paul and shall not
engage in any other business. be and
his deputy shall be in the city or st.
Paul, ready for business as prescribed
by the bill. Provision is made for an
nual reports.
Bills Passed.
Chief Clerk Bowling, of the house,
reported the passage by the house of
s. f. 90. which repeats section OF
chapter 222 OF the extra session OF 1881,
which provided for salary OF $500 to
the superintendent of the poor farm in
Blue Earth county.
Also the passage Of the concurrent
resolution relative to inquiry into the
suffering by forest fires i'll Pine and ad-
Joining counties.
Also Fl. F. IS, which legalizes the is
suing OF bonds issued by cities in Ger
tain cases.
Suspension OF RuIes.
H.F. No. IS, providing for issuing of
bonds by cities, was passed under sus-
pension of the rules, upon motion of
Senator Wing. After Secondlng the
motion to place the bill upon its final
passage, Senator Greer said it was de-
signed TO legalize the issuing of bonds
issued by the city of Red Wing-to aid in
building a bridge across the river at
that city. The measure amends The
omnibus law embraced in chapter 204
of the General Laws of 1898. and which
did not include the city OF Red Wing.
because there was not completion OF