The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-22
ASSEMBLY PASSES A RESOLUTION
PROVIDING FOR PAYING COM
MISSIONER SKJELLBERG,
AFTER A LIVELY CAUCUS.
REARDON STANDS FOR DORAN, BUT
THE MAJORITY IS AGAINST
HIM.
Some Curiosity to See What Action
the Chief Executive VIII Now
Take.

Prior to the meeting Of the assembly
last evening the nine members and
Corporation Attorney Markham went
into caucus over the resolution fixing
the salary Of Street Commissioner
Skjellberk and directing the comptroll-
er to send in an audited resolution pay
ing him for August and September.
Skjellberg was appointed street COM
missioner by the city engineer, Aug. 1,
vice M. D. Carroll, discharged. Carroll,
who is relative by marriage of Mayor
Doran, made a fight and was backed
UP by the mayor and several of the
members of the assembly. The board
of public works, under the charter, is
required to confirm the appointment of
the street commissioner, but on instruc-
ton from the mayor refused to approve
Skjellberg's selection. Since then
Skjellberg has been working without
pay, the board of public works erasing
his name from the pay rolls submitted
by the city engineer. The aldermen
Tuesday night passed resolution Or
dering the comptroller to send in an
audited resolution paying Skjellberg SIS
per month for August and September
as street commissioner, 1t was to con-
slider the advisability of passing the
resolution that the caucus was held
by the assembly last night. 1t was
claimed that the mayor would use his
power as the executive of the city and
veto the resolution if it reached him,
and majority of. the assemblymen de-
cided to first learn If there were suff1-
cient votes to pass the resolution over
t1a IL.
tempt to use his power to satisfy a per-
sonal feeling. The caucus was pretty
warm one, as far as talk was con-
cerned.
Mr. Reardon contended that the as
sembly should kill the resolution as
they could not legally pay Skjellberg
until he had been confirmed by the
board Of public works. According to
Mr.. Reardon's statemnts, Skjellbereg
was the man who went before the
grand jury some years ago and tried
to have the city engineer indicted and
came within one vote of so doing
When John Copeland was commission
er Of public works the name of SkielI-
berg was handed to the city engineer
with the request that he be made head
street commissioner, but the city en-
g1neer refused to make the appoint
Lent. Thls, Mr.. Reardon said, looked
to him as though the board of alder
men had hypnotized Rundlett in ap-
pointing Skjellberg recently
Mr.. Arosin stated that he did not
think it proper for the assembly to in
terfere with the engineer in his ap-
pointments of street commissioners as
long as they were competent. He had
been Informed that Skjellberg was a
competent man and that his reports
were made daily to the board, and ac-
cepted, as were those of the other
commissioners. Mr. Arosin further
said that in conversation with a ma
jority of the board of public works, he
had. been informed that they were
willing to confirm Skjellberg but did
not want to offend the mayor by so
doing. This seemed to be the view of
a majority of the caucus, but several
of the assemblymen did not desire to
offend his honor by passing the reso-
luton. The caucus lasted nearly an
hour and was brought to a close by
six of the nine members voting to
concur with the aldermen and pass
the resolution. When the resolution
came up in the regular course of busi-
ness it was adopted by a unanimous
vote.
The action of the mayor in approx
ing or vetoing the resolution will be
awaited with considerable interest by
the members of the council. If the
resolution is vetoed by the mayor it is
claimed there are sufficient votes to
pass it over his head