St. Paul daily globe., 1896-01-24

This would amount to 7-lO mills per j, COO
gallons. In this department, practically all
construction and mechanical work is done
and all materials, fuel and supplies are
bought by contract, let on competitive bids
The board exhibited data showing that the
prices to 1t for metal pipe, bought during the
past twelve years have averaged lower than
those to the Minneapolis water works or the
st. Paul gas works. The mode inviting bids
lnsures competition from all parts of the coun-
try and bottom figures. Most fuel pur-
chases of the board for the pumping sta
tons The regular duty of the machinery
there permits close checks upon weights and
quality.
partment is nearer the market of 1892 than
that of 1895. In its pay rolls the board has
not kept pace with the general fall in prices
in the community and country at large In
all other particulars the department seems
thoughtfully and well conducted.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
1. transfer Of the work of collecting bills
from the water board to the city treasurer
would save quite an item of expense, by per-
mltting reductions in the Office force. II
would also be in the line Of the policy of con-
centrating the handling of all public moneys
In the city treasurers Office. No exception to
this mode of doing business should be suf-
cred. 1t will tend to minimize expense and
increase safety.
2. The act of 1895. regulating salaries of
city officers, has specified the following in the
water department:
President ....................S1, 81, 600
Secretary ............ .........,...... 500
Considering the important duties of the sec
retary, who acts as general manager of works
costing 900, 600, and having a yearly revenue
of nearly 5000 600. your committee would be
inclined to think s., 900 per year fairer salary
for him than the one specified in the act. The
legislature has, however thought differently;
and your committee has not felt like recon-
mending the increase beyond the figures of the
act of any salaries fixed therein. The sal
aries of the residue of the general staff where
above $50 per month, could well admit of 10
should go down to the market for similar
work.
The savings suggested can be reckoned at
$1,000 per year more.
w. P. Clough.
james E. Markham.
James P. Healy, Secretary.
MAJORITY REPORT
The following Is the majority report signed
by the other five members of the cOmmittee
The undersigned concur in all the statement
Of facts in the foregoing report, and in all
the recommendations thereof. except in regard
to the frontage tax. While conceding that
there is inequality and injustice done to those
who have for ten years paid the same in the
immediate repeal and abolition Of this tax, we
are still of the opinion that sound public poll
cy requires its repeal and that the public in
terests would be more promoted thereby than
by its longer retention. The following are
some of the reasons for these views:
fHSI-lJ is d lax upon real estate WlInln LNc
city limits without any reference to the value
and practically without reference to benefits
to the property taxed although it must rest
upon the theory of benefits if it stands upon
any principle at all. The benefits, however
must be arbitrarily assumed, and the tax
stand as forced loan and lien by the city
government against the real estate of the
property-hOlder.
Second-Under it's operation, the private
property of one property holder may be taken
and appropriated to the benefit of another
property holder without any compensation to
the party paying 1t. party using no water
and deriving no benefits from the mains may
be compelled to pay a hundred dollars year.
while the party using the water living beyond
his land is required to pay the insignificant
sum of from $40 to 500 per year.
Third-Its existence leads to an unreasona-
BILE extension of the water mains, and to the
taxation of property that can in no way be
benefited by 1t for many years to come.
Fourth-1n the outset it was authorized upon
the simple ground of necessity, while the wa
ter works were in process of construction, and
but a small amount realized from the use OF
the water, on account of the small number Of
citizens that had then adopted it's use. The
necessity for this tax no longer exists.
Fifth-The previous experience Of the city In