The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-25
IN NEW CHARTER BILL FOR ST.
PAUL. MINNEAPOLIS AND
DULUTH.
ST. PAUL S0L0NS TO OPPOSE
BECAUSE BELL. CHARTER DEPART
MENT LIMITATIONS ARE NOT
MADE A FEATURE.
NO CONFIDENCE IN COUNCIL.
Fears Entertained That Expendi-
lures of Departments Would Be
Increased Under Bill.

Although it was understood that the
general charter bill for ST. Paul Min
neapolis and Duluth was to be pre-
sented to the legislature yesterday, the
commission who have been preparing
the measure were not able to give out
advance copies of all the chapters for
publication. Those handed out yes
terday related to the police department,
fire department, board Of corrections
and charities and city. assessor.
There still seems to be some question
as to whether the bill will be acted
upon at the present session. The COM
ment made by the city officials in ST.
Paul relative to the provisions of the
proposed charter indicate that there
will be a somewhat decided objection
or opposition on the ground that 1t
does not limit or fix the maximum
amounts to be expended by the various
departments. This particular feature
of the Bell charter has been one. and
in fact the only one which has COM
mended it to the citizens of ST. Paul.
Those who cared to express an opinion
on the proposed bill yesterday seemed
to all have the one idea and that was
that by allowing the council to fix the
amounts to be expended by a number
OF the departments there would be a
tendency to let down the bars, and the
result would be that increased expendi-
lures might result. Those who have
been engaged in drafting the new bill.
when questioned as to why this pro-
vision of the Bell charter was not fol-
lowed in the measure, stated that it
was impossible to do so and make it
acceptable to the three cities. One of the
commission explained that the bill did
not limit the expenses of all the de-
partments because it was found i'm
practicable to do SO in the limited
time the commission had to do the
work. He instanced the fact that in
st. Paul the school fund was raised by
levy Of ~ mills In Minneapolis the
levy was four mills, and in Duluth the
levy was mills for school purposes.
and mills additional for interest on
school bonds. If the new bill had
gone into the particular amounts to be
expended by each department in each
city, it would have required at least
six months figuring as to the dis
bursements of each department in each
city, in order to strike the proper ratio.
An abstract Of the provisions Of the
chapters given out for publication yes
terday will be found below:
Title 10 is devoted to the public de-
partment and provides for a force con-
sisting of a CHIEF and such other officers
ana employees as may be authorized
by the council The mayor is to ne
the chief executive officer and is to
nave control and supervision Of the
department. The chief and all officers
and employees shall be appointed by the
mayor and removed by him. No per-
son is to be eligible to appointment in
the department who is not citizen of
the United States, able to read and
write the English language. and a resi-
cent of the city for three years i'm
mediately preceding his appointment.
The mayor is allowed to appoint spec
ial police in case of riots or disturb
ances calling for additional police.
Such specials are to be paid not to
exceed So per day, but such appoint
ment shall not continue in force for
more than week without the consent
Of the council The mayor, within
tWenty-four hours after making any
appointment or removal in the depart
ment, is to notify the city clerk in
writing.
No member Of the force under the
grade of captain shall be removed
until after the grounds for his removal
have been furnished him in writing and
ne has had an opportunity to appear
and defend himself before the mayor.
The compensation of the chief and all
other officers and employees of the de-
parment are to be fixed by the coun-
Gil, but the annual salary of the chief
It to be not more than $500 nor less
than $1,000. The total appropriation
for the support Of the department in
any one year is not to exceed the
amount of two mills on each dollar OF
the assessed valuation of all taxable
property in the city
Title 20 provides for the appoint
ment of a board of fire commissioners
OF five members, who shall be reputable
tree holders and qualified electors Of
the city. None of them shall hold any
other office under said city and shall
receive no compensation for their ser
vices. The five members are to be an
pointed on the first Tuesday in June
1893, for one, two, three. four
and five years, and after that
one is to be appointed on the
1lrst Tuesday in June of each year
for term of five years. A secretary
elected by the board will hold office al
its pleasure and may receive such COM
pensation as the common council, on
recommendation Of the board may fix.
not to exceed $1,000 per year. The !
board shall appoint a chief engineer,
who shall hold his position at the
pleasure Of the board. The board may
provide for the appointment Of one or
more assistant engineers and for one
or more fire wardens and a proper
number of firemen as they may deem
necessary. The board shall fix the
salaries subject to the approval of the
common council. The chief engineer.
subject to the approval Of the board,
shall appoint all assistants, officers and
employees. The board shall appoint the
fire wardens. All new appointments
and promotions to and in the fire force
shall be under and in pursuance Of
rules of an open and competitive ex-
animation of such applicants. The
board shall prescribe rules for the reg
ulation Of the department and may
suspend without pay any member Of
the department except the chief en-
gineer for misconduct or insubOrdina-
ton. Members Of the department in
jured in the actual service of the de-
partment and rendered incapable of
performing duty. shall receive full or