The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-13
JUST LIKE 4 CHARM
OF CoUNCnAEN
FOR DIVIDING SCHOOL APPOR-
TI0NMENT ADMIRABLE.
ORDERED TO BE SPLIT UP.
WITH THAT OVER, THE BOARD OF
ALDER MEN PASSED THE
BUDGET.
RAISED THE BUILDING INSPECTOR.
No Chance for Amy Money Being
Set Aside for Free Text
Books This Year.

Meetings of the board Of aldermen
and assembly were scheduled for last
evening to pass on the tax estimate
budget The aldermen took the first
chance at the estimate, and, as they
spent three hours in considering it, the
assembly refused to sit all night, and
after being called to order adjourned
until this afternoon at o'clock.
President Markham allowed Vice Pres
ident Allard to occupy the chair, and
the greater part of the aldermanic ses-
sion was spent in arguing as to the
needs of the different wards for In
creased school sittings. Aid. Donahow-
er, Lindahl and Kenny made frequent
efforts to have some of the $35, 900 given
the school board to secure additional
sfttings used for free text books, but
the trio did not receive any support in
this direction. Assistant City Attorney
Philips watched the fight for free text
books for couple of hours and then
informed the aldermen that the only
chance there was to secure funds for
free text books was to have some law
passed In the legislature which would
allow the city to set apart q certain
amount of money for the purpose. The
schools, he explained, needed all 1.-The
money they could raise for the support
Of the schools and for the construction
OF new buildings each year. The tax
budget, as recommended by the joint
council committee, was passed as re-
ported, with the exception of the
building inspector being allowed an ad-
ditional $1,000 and the city treasurer an
additional $500 for clerk hire
The aldermen took up the budget
item by item, and everything went
smoothly until the items for the school
fund was reached. Then followed a
two-hours' discussion. A secret eau
Gus, as Aid. Lindah1 called 1T, was held
on Saturday, and four members Of the
aidermanic body and a like number
from the assembly decided that the
$4,000 to be used in furnishing addi-
tional sittings be divided so as to give
the Second ward $4,000 for a new
school building, the Tenth and Elev-
enth wards $4,000 for a new four-room
building, or an addition to the Long
fellow school, the sum of $500 for a
site in the Fifth ward, a like amount
for site In the Seventh ward, and
$4,000 for rental purposes in the other
wards. Aid. Lindahl and Bell objected
strongly to this division of the amount.
Aid. Bell wanted $4,000 to repair the
old Humboldt school building in the
Sixth ward. and Aid. Lindahl was OPP
posed to the Second ward school build
ing being put up anywhere except in
localitys where 1t would relieve the
overcrowded' condition Of the schools
in the First and Second wards.
Wabash he Two
and labor assembly, enlivened the pro-
ceedings by insisting that the council
take some action which would give the
people free text books. Wherever free
text books have been tried the plan
was a success. Ninety per cent of the
people in st. Paul, he said, were in ia
Vor Of free text books. The plan was
now in operation in a number Of the
smaller cities in the state. 1t would
only take a few thousand dollars to
put the plan In operation, and it was &
question as to whether the kindergar-
ten system could not be cut down so
as to allow the money saved in this
way to be used for free text books
He advanced the opinion that the peo-
pie were more anxious to have pupils
from ten years old and upward have
free text books than that younger
scholars should be provided for.
Aid. Bigelow said the council and
conference committee had decided that
it. was better to have sittings than
free text books. The $35 900 cut I'D
as decided upon by the quartette from
the assembly and board of aldermen
was carried through although each
item OF the amount was voted on sep
arately, and each time vote was TAX
en-, Aid. Donahower made the aldermen
vote on the proposition to have the
amount set aside for text books.
Aid. I.inlahl said tha SphoO1 b,1ildi,,cr
to be erected in the second ward was
in the vicinity of the fish hatchery and
would not relieve any Of the over
crowded condition of the First ward
schools. He quoted figures to show
that the Second ward schools were not
overcrowded, while those in his ward
We're. The Second ward proposition
passed, however, as did the Tenth and
Eleventh ward school building, and
$4,000 was appropriated for this addi-
ton. Aid. Donahower insisted that it
was bad policy to tie up S. 900 in sites
in the Fifth and Seventh wards, but
Aldermen Bigelow and Markham in
sisted that the amount could not be
invested more adyantageously The
other aldermen, who wanted a slice of
the money, stood by the realty pur-
chase scheme. and the thing was car
ried. The $4,000 left for rentals was
given to Aid. Bell to repair the old
NoSiAOSAo 4Ah StlS1 koiAlu WdrO,
this proposition being. advocated by
the mayor. The school item was then
adopted and the aldermen galloped
through the balance of the budget in
quick order.
building Inspector Kingsley WAS
heard regarding the 81 600, which the
council committee had cut from the
estimate of $4,000 allowed by the con
ference committee. The laws. he said.
as present in force, provided for plumb
ing and elevator inspection, and If any
retrenchment was to be made the pres
emit building laws should be first chang
ed. The expenditure Of the depart
ment last year was $500 less than
ever before expended. On motion of
Aid. Donnabower the amount was
changed back to $500 as passed by
the conference committee The amend
nfcnt carried by a vote OF 6 to 5. those
voting for it being Aldermen Bell. DON
nabower, Larson, Lindahl and SIutz
man.
The city officers salary fund was
increased $3.50 and this amount was
added to the sum allowed the clerks in
the city treasurer's office Mr.. Horst
explained that the Pha1en park assess
nlent would increase the work in his
Office on this one improvement, one
hundred per cent. Aid. Bells motion
to Increase the bridge repair fund so
as to provide for $50, 900 to be set apart