The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-12
BILL BOARD NUISANCE.
Charter Commission Would Give
Council Power to Abate 1t.

THE scharter commission got down to hard
work last evening, and went through the
voluminous chapter on the City Council"
Commissioner Pillsbury presided during the
early part of the session, and upon leaving
the meeting, was succeeded by Commissioner
Jones in the chair. Both commissioners hur-
ried the reading and consideration Of the
long sections, the greater number of which
pertain to the jurisdiction and authority of
the city council. Aside from short exp.ana-
tions by the drafting committee as to the
phrasology of the draft, or the interpreta-
toni certain sentences, there was but little
discussion.
Among the alterations to the draft were
those to the effect that the council have the
RICH to regulate license or prohibit the cree
ton OF bill boards; that railway companies
be required to pay all damages caused by the
raising or lowering of tracks TO conform to
the grades of streets, and that the council
regulate and prohibit the obstruction of cross
ingS, streets or alleys by trains, engines or
cars thmat it be allowed to establish, license
or regulate markets or market houses; that
it define nuisances and abate them by i'm
posing fines.
Among the eighty-four sections delegating
certain rights and duties to the council. there
is one which reads as follows: ITO license,
and regulate gift, fire. auction or bankrupt
sales and to license and regulate itinerant
merchants and transient vendors of merchant
disc, runners, agents and solicitors or sales,
cars, vessels, and public houses. Commits
siOner Chiids moved that the part referring
to sales be stricken out, the grounds that
any attempt tG prohibit them in any way was
an unjust interference with legitimate bust
ness The motion was not carried
The question of the right to assess against
the adjacent property the cost of cleaning
the sidewalks of snow and ice was brought up,
and a subdivision to that effect was added
to the chapter. 1t was the sense Of the COM
mission that the owner of the property is
liable in case the occupant is negligent as to
cleaning the walks
mi
ton giving the council power to establish
and maintain municipal employment Office
under suitable rules Of regulation. 1t was
adopted
Commissioner Ch:lds thought the council
should have soIIe authority to make investi-
cations as to the caGSes OF fires and to re-
qulre persons AMI evidence TO be presented
before it to establish sIch cause. his sug-
geStion was adopted. He also moved to
strike out section Is. which reads as follows:
No member of the city council, except as
he is authorized so to do by this charter,
shall demand request or solicit any depart
ment, board. officer employe of the city
to place any person in Office or upon the pay
roll Of the city, to let any contract to any
person, to work or to furnish any material
for the city. ANY person who shall violate
any of the provisions OF this sectln shall, in
addition to other penalties prescribed by this
charter, forfeit his office.
There was some discussion as to what this
covers, the question being raised as to
whether or not an Office could be declared
NdcduI u4ueT Sucn circumstances. II HdS
the sense of the commission that an Office
could be declared vacant for such causes,
when specified by the charter. The mo-
ton to strike out the section was not car
ried.
Commissioner Davenport offered the follow
ing provision to the power OF the council,
which was adopted. u
That 1t have the power to regulate and
control in a manner not contrary to any
specified provision on the subject contained
in the charter, the exercise by any person
or corporation of any franchise or privilege
in any of the streets OF, public places of the
city, whether such franchises or privileges
have been granted by the city or the state
of Minnesota or by any other authority.