The Saint Paul globe., 1897-09-21
SLOW PROGRESS is MADE.
QUESTION OF LEGALITY OF .
SPECIAL CHARTER ELECTION
AGAIN UP.
TRAGIC DEATH OF A YOUNG BOY
Crushed Under the Wheels of His
Own WagOn-News of the
Mill City.

several matters that were brought up
required consideration Of greater
length than was possible during one
session, also owing to the fact that the
matter of the legality of special elec-
ton for the submission of the charter
to the people was questioned again.
However a good deal of G;scussicli was
INDUCED in which will materially aid in
reaching conclusions on several impor-
4 tapt matters.
4 After the reading Of the minutes, a
4 communication was read from John
Crosby, calling attention of the COM
mission to the fact that under existing
laws board of tax levy was provided
for, before which comes the question
of expenditures, also of fixing the coun-
ty tax levy, and that, as this provided
the: only means of limiting expenses,
the power of the city should not be
lost through the omission in the new
charter.
Another communication was that
signed by about 200 citizens, asking
that the new charter provide; first,
that the giving away of city franchises
be prohibited, eArept for renlunera-
|
people; second, that the city be en-
powered to own and control municipal
franchises and to collect fair rentals
from franchises held by private and
semi-public corporations; third, that
bond issues be submitted to a vote of
the people; fourth, the separation of
city from general elections; fifth, the
adoption of the referendum by which
important measures shall be submit
ted to a vote Of the people; sixth, the
adoption of the initiative, by which a
percentage of voters may petition for
and secure the submission of any i'm
| portant measure to the people; sew
enth, the election of half of the alder
men ON a general ticket by proportion
al representation; eighth, election by
popular vote of the city assessor, city
attorney and city clerk; ninth, a pro-
vision whereby the city may fix the
price of gas, electric light and street
car transportation; tenth, for the rec
ognition of the eight hour day in the
employment of city labor; eleventh,
1or making the invalidation of any
franchise of a corpora tion for black
listing or attempting to coerce or pre-
vent its employees from becming mem
oers of labor organization; twelfth.
for day labor instead Of contract labor
ON all city work; thirteenth, for the
vacation of office by any city employe
Tor accepting gratuities from corpora
tlons or private individuals, such as
Tree transportation, ETC.; that the city
make its own street improvements.
All OF the signers of this petition
evidently did not adopt all of it's pro-
visions, as in a number of cases after
signatures exceptions were taken to
certain of them. Both communications
were submitted to their proper COM
m1tteeS and allowed to take the usual
course. Commissioner Davenport re-
ported for the committee on salaries
OF employees and day or contract labor.
HIS report recommended the following
salaries: Mayor, $4,000; aldermen. $500:
city attorney $500; city treasurer.
u, 0OO; city: controller, $1,000; city clerk,
9z,lVV; city assessor, 81, 700; mayors and
pollce secretary, $1,000; commissioner
or health, $1,250; inspector of build
1ngs, $l,5O0;\ two assistant building in
spectors, $1,000 each; elevator inspector.
$1,000; plumbing inspector, 81, 200; cleo
tr1c inspector, $1,000; chief engineer of
fire department, $3.50 per month"; clerk
of municipal court, $1,000; three depu-
NACe PIsVOV CeiS1, one nun1clDal
court, $500.
In addition to these offices the COM
mittee recommended that the city at
torney appoint his assistants. and that
the mayor, with the consent of the
council, fix the compensation which
shall not exceed $4,000 altogether. The
city assessor is also to have power to
appoint assistants with the concur
renee of the mayor, who shall name
the salaries with the consent of the
council. Like rules shall govern the
city clerk, except that the total salaries
of assistants shall be limited to SO, 500.
In the case of the city assessor and
city engineer, no limit on salaries is
fixed.
mayors salary of $4,000 per year, the
salaries of the aldermen remain the
same; that of the city attorney is re-
duced $500; that of the city treasurer
is reduced $1,000; that of the city con-
troller $500; that of the city clerk $500;
that of the city assessor remains about
the same; that of the building in
spector is reduced $500: that of the
city engineer $500. The remainder are
changed but slightly, or not at all.
The matter of the salaries of the
police was not taken up by the COM
mittee on the ground unat the proper
time for that would be after the CON-
mittee on police has made it's report
and the committee on salaries knew
what was to be done in the way Of
modification The matter of day or
contract labor is to be determined upon
their relative cheapness
Immediately upon the submission of
the report Commissioner Child wanted
to know why the committee saw fit to
fix the salaries of assistants. Com
missioner Davenport replied that it
in the intprQCfS nf
missioner HaWley here moved that 1t
be the sense of the commission that
only the salaries of elective officers be
fixed by the charter. Commissioner
Child moved that this be amended so
as to read the elective and appointive
offices, in which form the motion final
ly carried. After some discussion
Commissioner Cohen said: 1 am in
clined to favor the report of the COM
mittee, as far as 1 can see at present.
If we fix maximum, which I favor as
a general proposition, we have taken
| a long step in the right direction. Com
missioner Hawley said that he was not
in favor of fixing the salaries of the
minor offices, such for example as that
of janitor of the municipal court; that
these were matters for the heads OF
| departments and the council to set
tie; and that the heads of the various
departments were in no danger OF
placing the salaries above their own,
| and it was not the custom to make
that of an assistant as high as that OF
the head that, besides, there would be
the check of the council and the mayor
Commissioner Davenport: "Yes, but
we ought to have the council and Of
f1cials understand that there is limit
beyond which they cannot CO." Com
| missioner GjertSen agreed with Com
| missioner Hawley that it would be i'm