The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-28
COPELAND WILL LINGER AS COM
MISSIONER AS LONG AS HE
CAN.
ON HIS ATTORNEYS ADVICE.
DELAY WILL PAUSE SOME INcoN-
VENIENcE TO THE CITY ENGIN-
EER'S DEPARTMENT.
NO DIFFERENCE OTHERWIsE.
Trouble Expected over the Third
Street and Summit Avenue As
sessment.

Walter Chaplin will appear before the
supreme court Monday and ask for a
rehearing in the board Of public works
case. The question involves so much
OF Importance, not alone to st. Paul,
that think ought to take advantage
OF the chance to call attention to some
points that may possibly have been
overlooked" said Mr.. Chaplin.
Inc decision is so far-reaching as to
render invalid many important meas
ures. 1t would render impossible any
future act Of legislation to make a
charter law that would be optional
with any city of a certain class. This
Is a most important decision, not alone
on account of its bearing in this case.
but in the directions to which I have
referred
MI. Cnapln takes all the credit for
having drawn the unconstitutional
measure and says that Mr.. Chamber
IAN mad nothing to do with it. Mr..
Chamberlain says the same thing
AS result Of Mr.. Chapin's pronosed
move, John Copeland will not give I'M
MS ONCE of commissioner of public
WORKS until he is quite certain that the
supreme court will not take another
view OF the case. He was all ready to
give IL up and even had a very affable
conversation with Capt. German about
the matter yesterday. The captain
went over to the office of the commits
sioher early in the day and they buried
the hatchet, tentatively. Can't. Cor
man Sald that he was ready to move
IN ana Mr. Copeland said that he was
Wiling to get out; he thought that he
would have his affairs closed up by
MONDAY a.,
session or the Office Dec. L. That was
satisfactory enough and Capt. German
went away satisfied
Shortly after he left w. l.. Chanfn.
the commissioners attorney. turned m
and advised MIR. Copeland to hold the
Tort. He said that he intended to make
motion for rehearing in the case
and thought that he could show the
supreme court some points that had
been overlooked So Mr. ConeIanG
changed his mind by advice of counsel
and he will hold on until the court
makes another decision. He could he
gotten out by the writ Of custer that
ISSUED with the decision, but it will
rot be invoked in all probability for
the stay Of ten days that goes with the
Judgment will give ample time for MIR.
Chapln to make his motion and have
II passed upon. There is little hone II
is thought, that he will accomplish
anything for Mr.. Copeland, but he pro-
poses to take advantage of the laws
delays.
The only difficulty that the delay in
the restoration of the board will create
Will be in the passing of the paw roll Of
the engineers department.. The roll
mas to be passed by the department
OF public works and Mr.. Copeland will
hardly pass them after being declared
out of office. And they will not he
sent to the board, of course. So the
employees of the department will have
70 wait a few days for their pay. Moth
ing has tranSpired to indicate that
there will be contest about the val
ldlty OF the assessments for paving or
oered by the commissioner. but it ia
quite certain that something of the
kind will transpire presently. The
board Of public works made an assess
ment for the paving of Third street
and Summit avenue; the commissioner
likewise made an assessment and there
is a considerable discrepancy in the
figures. The board invited Mr.. Cope
lana to cooperate with them in the
matter to the end, that there could be
no question as to legality. He would
not recognize them and now it is DOS
slble that TIE assessment will be pro-
tested by the parties to one of the as
Sessments, AS to how much has been
paid out by the city on contracts made
by the commissioner, Comptroller Nc
Cardy, when asked yesterday after
noon, said that he did not know any
thing about it and did not think it
worth while looking up.