The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-11
MAY BUY ON AN OLD CONTRACT
AND NOT ADVERTISE FOR NEW
PROPOSALS THIS YEAR AT
ALL.
CUTTING DOWN OF EXPENSES
Any Further Cut, 1t Is Claimed
Would Damage the Departments
Efficiency.


noon the question of whether the
| board could beat the coal combine
was discussed at some length About
| a year ago the board contracted with
the l.. G. Lewis Coal company for 500
tons of coal, more or less, at Sc per
ton. The contract was to run one
/ year, and now that the time for ad-
vertising for bids for the winters
supply is close at hand the board
| wanted to know where they were
! at" It was suggested that the con-
tractor might furnish perhaps 200 tons
at the same price as called for in the
contract. If he would, the members
4 of the board thought it would be a
! good scheme to order in the next four
| days, as after that time the contract
would have expired. A telephone
message was sent to the office of the
company, but the reply was that T..
/ G. Lewis, president of the company,
was sick, and could not be reached.
The secretary was instructed to figure
up how many tons of coal had been
purchased during the past year on
the 500 tons contract, and report at
! the adjourned meeting of the board to
! be held this evening. In the mean
/ time an effort will be made to see Mr..
fLewis, and If possible endeavor to
secure coal at a less figure than the
combine now quotes.
The secretary reported the standing
| of the fire department fund up to and
! including the bills passed at the meet
ing as follows:
Receipts, including balance from
last year and credits up to Sept 10,
| $175, Is; disbursements to date $133,-
543.45; balance on hand, $42,39468. A
comparison with the expenditures for
the same time in 1895 showed that
| SIS, 1858 less had been spent this
year than during 1895. The balance
of $42, 394.6S plus 1900 which had been
placed to the credit of the fund in the
last few days from the state Presi-
dent Freeman SAID would be sufficient
! to pay the pay rolls for September,
! October and November, and leave
about $1,000 per month for incidental
expenses. This was very gratifying
to the board, but the strain to keep
evrything down to the lowest posi-
bic figure had been very annoying,
| and could not be carried out the COM
| ing year. The law, Mr.. Freeman said
| provided that the board submit to the
common council on or before Sept
Is an estimate of the expenditure for
the coming year. Chief Jackson had
| turned in a detailed estimate of the
amount which would be needed for
1897, and he suggested that special
! meeting of the board be held this
evening to consider the estimate and
make such changes as were deemed
necessary. The department., Mr.. Free
man said, had been run this year on a.
basis of about $176,000, but this was
only done by putting off all repairs
that were not absolutely necessary,
both on buildings and machinery. Sal
aries had also been cut down to the
lowest possible point, and all other
expenditures Of the department had
been kept within the lowest estimate
For 1897 Mr. Freeman thought the
board could not afford to be SO eco
nomical. as it would certainly result
in reducing in manner the efficiency
of the department The figure which
had been prepared for the estimate of
next year was not ready for the pub
! lie, but as now put down called for
something over 100000, or twenty odd
thousand more than was expended in
1885,
There was some talk about the an.
|
which is usually held about this time
| or the year. Some of the members Of
! the board thought the parade during
encampment week showed that the de-
partment was in the pink of condition
and that an inspection would not be
necessary 1t was decided, however.
to have an inspection so far as the en-
CINE houses and apparatus was con-
cerned on Saturday next. An invita-
ton was ordered extended to the
mayor and chairman of committee on
fire department from both the board of
aldermen and assembly. to participate
in the inspection. The board and in
vtted guests will leave fire headquar-
| tiers at $3.50 Saturday morning and 1t
is expected the inspection will take the
! better part of the day.
Chief Jackson submitted his report
| for August, which gave the following
figures: Total number of alarms %;
4 losses during month on buildings, g.
20S.73; on contents, s4403.11 total loss,
S,611.84; insurance on buildings, $43,-
SIS; on contents, 1,150; total insurance,
54,726; total valuation of property in
volved, STA, 900.
Contracts for furnishing the depart
ment with 1000 bushels Of No oats
and twenty-five tons of hay, were
awarded to jameson, Hevener & Co.,
at 17% cents per bushel. and w. P.
4 Devereux at $4.97 per ton.
The petition from residents of ST.
Anthony Park requesting that the force
at the engine house in that district be
/ increased to four paid men, was read
and discussed. Mr.. MiEsch seId that
4 when the board erected the house and
/ placed apparatus in 1t the residents
said they would find volunteers to act
as firemen. The board had put two
men In the engine house aud now the
residents were kicking for more men.
! He for one was not in favor of taking
any of the money away from the other
members of the department and pay
ing more men for the st. Anthony Park
station. Mr.. Freeman thought it would
only take about $50 for the next two
months to keep two men at the house
during the night time, and If the board
could see It's way clear to get this
amount of cash 1t would be a good
/ thing to do. In the estimate for 1897,
some provision would have to be made
for keeping at least two men at the
station. The secretary of the board
was directed to notify the gentlemen
who had forwarded the petition to con-
| suit their alderman and see IL some
provision could not be made by which
| the city could pay from the general
| fund for the services of two men to
! act as firemen at the station during
the night time.
Commissioner Clark reported that six