St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-14
QUESTION OF LEASING THE MAR
KET HOUSE PROPERTY BE-
FORE THE ASSEMBLY.
NO POSITIVE ACTION TAKEN.
LUTON TO CALL FOR BIDS
FOR A SITE
SUITABLE FOR A NEW LIBRARY.
1t Is Defeated by a Tie Vote-PoIice
Salaries to Be Reduced as For
merly Suggested.

The three propositions relative to the
market house are still in statu quo.
The assembly considered them all last
night at it's adjourned meeting, but ar
rived at no determination, and accord
ingly laid the entire matter over until
the regular meeting next Thursday
night.
Decisive action, however was taken
in the matter of salaries of the po-
lice department. The Brady ordinance
from the board of aldermen which re-
duced the salaries of none but the Of
ficers, including the chief, the cap
tains, lieutenants, sergeants, chief of
detectives, detectives and mounted Of
ficers, without disturbing the salaries of
the patrolmen, was promptly turned
down. Upon motion of Mr. Parker the
ordinance was amended without debate
so as to make the reductions conform
to the scale submitted by Chief Clark
to the conference committee. Under
this schedule the patrolmen's salaries
are reduced from $500 a year to $40,
the sergeants. lieutenants and captains
receive 500 year less, and the chiefs
pay is cut from $4,000 to $4,000. The
total saving thereby effected amounts
to s12,2 200.
The market house propositions were
laid before the assembly by the COM
mittee on public buildings and mar
kets. The committee informed the as
sembly that it had duly considered the
matter and had granted hearings to
the parties making the proposals, but
being upable to arrive at a decision,
it was deemed best to refer the matter
back to the assembly without any
recommendations, other than this, that
the assembly resolve itself into a COM
mittee of the whole and also grant a
hearing to the interested parties This
course was pursued, Mr.. Van Slyke be-
ing requested to take the chair.
Mr.. Parker. one of the members of
the committee on public buildings, SUBJ
mitted at this time resolution par
taking of the nature of minority re-
port upon the subject in hand. 1t read
as follows
Resolved, That the city clerk be instructed
to advertise for bids to furnish this city with
suitable site and library building to be
erected thereon, the combined cost Of which
property, so-called, the value of which shall
be determined by commission of three per-,
sons, who shall be experts in the valuation
Of real estate, to be appointed by the judges
or the district court of Ramsey county.
Before the assembly considered the
foregoing resolution it granted a hear
ing to Pierce Butler on behalf of the
library proposition of the Butler-Ryan
company; to H. A. Campbell, the
O
Walter Holcomb, the attorney for
Nicholas Rauen, the sole bidder on
the proposition to lease the market
house for three years and make Ger
tain alterations to the value of $15,-
600. These gentlemen simply explained
in detail the nature Of their proposals,
with which the public is already ia
miliar.
Mr.. Parker then took the floor in
behalf of his resolution. He began
by pointing out his objections to the
three propositions submitted. The
public library scheme proposed by the
Butler-Ryan company did not meet
with the approval of the property
owners in the vicinity of the market
house. There was a decided difference
Of opinion as to the proper place for
the location Of the public library
Many of the property owners were
opposed to its erection on the site Of
fered at st. Peter and Seventh
streets. They insisted that it would
prove detrimental to the business dis
trict There was also a difference of
opinion as to the value Of the market
house property, the estimates ranging
from 100000 to $4,000 Mr.. Parker
contended in behalf Of his own resolu-
ton that it left the matter open to
all bidders. AS for the offer of
Schuneman & Evans to lease the prop
erty for a term Of twenty-five wears
and pay an annual rental of $4,000.
it ought not, in Mr.. Parkers opinion.
to be accepted. He was opposed in
the first place to tying up this proper
ty for any term Of years, and fur
thermore, If the city entered into such
lease, it would lose the taxes that
the property would yield if sold out
right. The taxes would amount to at
least $4,000 year, and, that being the
case, it would be far wiser to sell the
property than to lease it.
Mr.. Parker did not approve of Rauen's
proposition either. To grant him a
three years lease in consideration of
his making from $4,000 to $4,000 worth
OF alterations and improvements was
equivalent to renting the property for
about $4,000 a year. Mr.. Parker thought
that the corner at Wabasha and Sew
enth streets could be improved so as to
yield a yearly rental of $4,000. In con-
cluslon, MIR. Parker dwelt upon the
pressing need Of a public library build
ing and urged the adoption of his res
olution as measure that would ensure
desirable competition, as it would give
all parties good show
Mr.. Johnson said that he would vote
Tor any tangible, practicable PROPOSE
ton that would relieve the city from it's
present burden, but he did not approve
Of the offer Of Schuneman & Evans. as
If accepted, it would tie UP the prop
erty and deprive the city of the taxes
that it should yield. Mr.. Johnson
thought well, however, of the bid of N.
Rauen, as it contemplated only a three
year lease-and that only of the first
floor and basement of the market house
and such material Improvement of the
property as would greatly increase it's
value, and all without a dollar of ex-
pense to the city.
The committee Of the whole then
rose, and the assembly resumed it's ses-
sion, whereupon Mr.. Parker moved the
adoption Of his resolution. 1t was lost
by a tie vote, Messrs. Arosin, Johnson.
Reardon and Van Slyke voting in the
negative, and Messrs. Parker, Robb
Strouse and Copeland supporting the
resolution.
of Nicholas Rauen be accepted, but Mr..
StrouSe moved as an amendment that
the whole matter be laid over until the
next regular meeting, 1nasmuch. as he
desired further time to consider the