The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-10
CITY COUNCIL CONCLUDES TO BE-
GIN SUITS IN EXPOSITION
CASE.
SORRY FOR ITS ACTION.
VOTE RECONSIDERED. BUT AFTER
FURTHER TALK AGAIN
PASSED.
SIMPLY 2
TITLE
TO QUIET
And to Define the CIty's Rights in
the CGse-Neyxs of the Mill
City,

The court will be asked to decide
equity in the exposition property. The
city council struggled with this very
much discussed subject again last
night and finally through the passage
Of the motion submitted by Aid. Long
at the last meeting of the council, the
first step was taken in the direction of
a settlement Of the affair
The matter came up with the re
port of the committee of one alderman
from each ward, appointed at the last
meeting TO report TO the council upon
the motion of Aid. Long, authorizing
and directing the city attorney to COM
mence an action in ejectment in the
district court of Hennepinz county on
behalf Of the city of Minneapolis
against the persons in possession of the
disputed ground.
When the report was read, accom-
panied by a motion to adopt, there
seemed to be no inclination on the
part of any to discuss the subject.
When the yeas and nays were called
every one voted yea, until the clerk
reached the name of Aid. Webster.
Aid. Webster voted no, and in eXpla-
nation of his reason for doing SO, said
he had no disposition to fight the mo-
ton. but thought that the city was
in honor bound not to take advantage
of a technicality in the deed transfer
ring the property to the exposition
company. The deed, he said, was Civ
en- in good faith, and accepted in good
faith and he thought any action of
the city in endeavOring to again Sc
cure the property would be essentially
improper.
Aid. Webster's short talk was eff
fectiVe and it looked for time as
though the motion would be defeated.
Aid. O'Brien- asked permission to
change his vote to EC. Aldermen Lane,
Adams and Crosby did likewise, but
there the break in the ranks closed,
the vote finally resulting as follows:
Yeas-Messrs. Alexander Long, KiichH,
Elliot, Rand Anderson, Shepley Rhode,
Lloyd, Schwartz, Dwyer, Currier, President
LOye-13.
Nays-Messrs O'Brien, Lane. Adams, Cros-
by, Webster, Dickinson.
Not VOting-Drew.
Absent-Durnam, Colburn, Hewett, Phillips,
Nelson, Fort.
To cIinch the matter Aid Rand
moved that the vote by which the mo-
ton had just passed be recOnsidered,
but in doing so he had reckoned with
out his host. Aid WebSter's words Of
wisdom had taken root elsewhere than
with the four who had changed their
vote on the first ballot, and, much 20
the surprise Of Aid. Rand, his motion
to reconsider was carried by a vote Of
IS to Z. He had secured what he asked
for, but not what he wanted.
The question then required TO the
original motion, and before a second
vote was taken several Of the aldermen
managed TO air their views upon the
matter. Aid. Long waxed eloquent
when he asked those opposed to his
motion if they were in favor Of deed
ing for the paltry sum of S. 900 a prop
erty worth nearly $500, COO which he
believed rightfully belonged to the city
of Minneapolis. The object of his mo-
ton. in any event, was but to secure
from the court an expression Of opin-
ion as TO what equity Minneapolis held
in the property.
Aid. Webster reiterated his former
statements. and still believed that the
passage of the resolution would not
rebound TO the credit of the city faith
ers Of MINNEAPOLIS.
Aid. Long spoke in favor Of the mo-
{ ton.
Aid. Rand spoke in support of the
motion. and tried to convince Aid.
/ Webster that he was wrong in the
I premises. 1t was simply a matter Of
/ justice, which could be secured only
/ by an appeal to the district or equity
+ court. City Attorney Healy, in re-
I Spouse to a request for his opinion,
stated for hebenefit of Aid Webster
that the deeds formerly given were
given without consideration. and. as he
understood the statutes We're therefore
invalid. If some action was not taken
/ in the very near future the present
Z pOssessOrs of the property would secure
/ title by adverse possession. He thought
/ that the passage Of Aid. Longs resolu-
7 ton was desirable.
The second vote on the resolution
4 was then taken. resulting as follows:
Yeas-LOng. Brien. Lane. Kiichh. Eliot,
Rand Anderson, Shepley, Rhode, Schwartz,
! DYyer Currier-l2.
+ Nays-Adams, Crosby, Webster. Dickinson,
( President Loye-5.
! Not Voting-Ald. Alexander. Lloyd, Drew.
/ A communication was read from City
/ Comptroller Nye relative to the resolu-
/ ton Of Aug. g. 1895, authorizing and
/ empowering the city comptroller 10
/ register bonds of the city of Mime
! apOIiS