The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1897-12-11
RATES NOT TOO HIGH
Newspaper Men and Printers
Heard on the Matter Of
Legal Printing.
How Many Funds? Commits
sioner of Public Works and
Building Inspector. t.

Building Inspector. i.
In the absence of the stenographer
Tuesday evening Mr.. Afford acted as
secretary for the charter commission.
The provision relating to the treasury
department was taken up and most of
the time devoted thereto. It was pro-
vided that no orders shall be drawn on
any fund unless there is money therein
to pay the same, together with all 9th
ers that may be outstanding. Quar-
terly settlements by the county auditor
we're substituted for monthly settle
! ments.
Mr. Voss entered vigorous protest
against increasing the number Of dis
tinct funds from eight to twenty. three.
He said it would increase the work in
the treasurer's Office, and would lead to
confusion and errors in drawing orders
There was much controversy over this
matter, Commissioner Smith taking
sides with Mr.. Voss, while most of the
other gentlemen took the other side.
The section was adopted finally with
the suggestion that if Mr.. Voss could
show to the commission that the work
in his Office was materially increased
the matter would be reconsidered. To
the purposes for which the council is
nth %o hor1o o1lnl
the funding of improvement certificates
and the floating debt of the city. /.
The title relating to the commissioner
of public works was passed without
much discussion, as was also the one re-
lating to the building inspector. The
former requires no qualifications, it pro-
vides for appointment by the mayor,
permits removal by two.thirds vote OF
the council for cause and forbids inter
est of commissioner or any employe
either directly or indirectly in any con-
tract made through his office. 1t also
provides for a suspension of the Office
entirely and the imposition of its duties
upon the city engineer or comptroller.
The building inspector will also be ap
pointed by the mayor and is subject to
removal by the mayor with the consent
of two thirds of the council; the council
can impose upon him any duties it may
deem best, and the section requires him
to enforce the laws of the city regard
ing the construction of buildings; and
permits the council to confer upon him
the powers of policeman. It provides
for a $4,000 bond, the payment Of sal
ary, and the conversion of fees into the
city treasury. @%
Commissioner Congdon objected to
the provision giving the inspector the
right to enter any building or residence
between sunrise and sunset. He said
that it was power invested in no
other official in the land, and he did not
want it possible for any man to enter
his house at aLy time of day whether
he wanted him there or not. This pro-
vision was finally stricken out |
Commissioner Hudson brought up
the time when the charter should be
submitted. He hoped that it would not
be deferred until after the next city
election. He believed that it would
stand no show of passage at special
election. Others thought that it wowld
surely be defeated if voted upon with
the water works proposition. No action
was taken.
Previous to entering upon considera.
ton of the charter the commission
listened to a number of committees.
Messrs. Thoits of the News Tribune,
and Weiss of the Herald, were heard in
opposition to the reduction in the rates
for legal printing. They called atten-
ton to the fact that the present rates
were already lower than in most states
and were none too high, considering
the wages paid in Duluth and other OK.
penses of conducting newspaper.
Mr.. Dean on behalf of the typograph.
ical union also entered protest against
the proposed cut. He endorsed the,
statements made by the publishers and
argued that reduced rates for advertis-
ing space meant in the end lower wages
for the employees. He took shy at the
proposition to print such advertise.
ments in the weekly papers and said
that the city might just as we'll not use
anything"
Geo. G. Findley. though nota member
of the committee, was permitted to say a
few words in which he endorsed the re-
marks of both the publishers and the
representatives of the printers union. &C
far as rates are concerned, but proteste
against any discrimination against t.
weekly papers. The value of me-
paper as an official paper depen'
altogether upon it's circulation
icon tinued on fourth page.l