The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-22
parties. the commercial bodies and the

city.
The only councilmen absent from the
| caucus yesterday were Assemblymen
Arosin and Craig, and Aid Stutz-
the Ninth was there by proxy, as it
were, having previously telephoned
| the mayor that he favored the propc-
sition.
AT the request of Mayor Doran City
| Comptroller McCardy laid the PROPOSE
ton before the caucus. He recited the
facts regarding the Auditorium build
ing, that were published a few days
ago, how the G. A. r. citizens conf
| mittee had purchased it a year ago
from the receiver for 1900 and leased
it to the Commercial club for one year
at the nominal rental of 81, and that
the Commercial club had decided not
to renew the lease, which would expire
on Sept. 90, 1897. Mr.. McCardy said
open to the G. A. R. citizens commit
tee, either to offer the building for
sale, with the result that it would be
torn down, or to raise enough money
to maintain the building for another
year.
It would require $1,000 to maintain
it for a year, and, in Mr. McCardy's
opinion, it was important and necessa-
ry that ST. Paul retain the building
y
would be year of political conven-
tons.
Mr. .McCardy then pointed out that
there were two ways of raising the
81, 500 necessary to maintain the Audi
forum, either by picking it up around
town as proposed at the meeting of
the commercial bodies, or else to secure
an appropriation of the entire amount
from the city's $4,000 contingent fund
Inasmuch as the Auditorium was
adapted solely for large public gather
ings and conventions, Mr. McCardy
thought that the city ought to main
tain it. In case it saw fit to do So the
G. A. r. committee would supervise the
building, and would see to it that
whoever used the building would pay
rent therefor. Some repairs were nee
essary that would entail the expendi-
ture Of $3.50 or $500. The G.. A. R. COM
mittee would make those repairs out
of the revenue that that the building
would yield, and would turn over to the
city all revenue received in excess of
the cost of the repairs.
In estimating the cost of maintain
ing the Auditorium for year, Mr.. Nc
Cardy said the taxes on the land oc-
cupied by the building amounted to
$780, and that the payment of such
| taxes would be accepted by the own
ers of the land in lieu of the payment
of ground rent. The insurance of
$3.50 would cost 5000 a year, and the
! balance of the $500 would consist of
the expense attending the employment
of man to take care of the building,
the lighting and other incidentals In
conclusion Mr.. McCardy said that the
G. A. r. committee simply wanted the
word of the councilmen that they
would vote to appropriate the $1,000,
WhereupOn the committee would make
the repairs and take the chances of
| being reimbursed out of the revenue
next year.
Assemblyman Kirke suggested that
if the Auditorium should burn down
after the council had appropriated the
$1,000, then the G. A. r. committee
should transfer to the city that por-
ton of the 800 insurance in excess
of the $1,000, the latter figure being
the sum paid by the committee for the
building. Mr.. McCardy said that tbs
committee would consent to such an
agreement.
Assemblyman Reardon said that the
city couldn't afford to have the Audi
torium torn down, and the council
ought to appropriate the money neces-
Sary to maintain it,
In response to Aid Sanborn, who in
uuired how much the G. A. r. citizens
committee would sell the building for,
Mr. McCardy said the committee would
sell it to the city for $1,000.
Mayor Doran thought that the prop
osition to maintain the Auditorium
was the preferable one, but he suggest
ed that the matter of making the
more extensive repairs be deferred I'M
til next spring.
Mr. McCardy assured the caucus
that the G. A. r. committee would At
once repair the roof and doors of the
building.
Mayor Doran then called the roll to
ascertain how many present would
pledge themselves to vote for the APP
preparation of $500 to maintain the
Auditorium. All voted in the Affirmative
save Aid. BigeIow and Lindahl. The
latter said that he might vote for the
appropriation when the time came,
and he was satisfied that the Audi
forum had been put in proper shape.
Aid. Bigelow asked to be excused from
voting. Aid Larsen's telephone res
sage was counted as an affirmative
vote on his part.