The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-28
MORE SOFT BERTHS
CHARTER COMMISSION PROVIDES
FOR A STREET CLEANING
DEPARTMENT.
POWERS OF THE MAYOR
OBJECTED TO BY DIR. AVERY IN
CONNECTION WITH BOARD OF
HEALTH.
CHARTER STEADILY CROWN
Commissioners Make Good Progress
General News of Minne-
npOIis.

| placed itself on record as favoring the
creation of a city department which
| shall have supervision over all the
streets of Minneapolis, taking the mat
ter as it now is out Of the hands Of
| the several ward street commissioners.
There were present at last nights
meeting of the commission Commits
| sioners Steele, Hawley Downs. Jones,
| Haynes, ChiIds, Atwater, Davenport
and Cohen. As soon as the minutes Of
the previous meeting had been read
and approved, Commissioner HaWley
presented to the commission three reso-
Iutions as follows:
First The city charter shall provide that
the city engineer shall have the control and
supervision Of the construction, paving, re-
streets, alleys, public grounds and side
walks in the city, excepting parks, park
ways, boulevards and other places under the
control of the park board
Second: There shall be q street depart
ment in the city Of Minneapolis, which
shall have control and supervision Of the
construction, maintaining, repairing, clean
ing and sprinkling Of all streets, alleys,
public grounds and sidewalks in the city,
excepting parks, parkways, boulevards ana
other places under the control of the park
board.
Third: The city engineer shall have con-
troll and supervision of the original con-
bridges alleys, public leVees, sewers, curbs'
and cutters and curbstones, and the laying
Of all pavements on public grounes and
thOroughfares Of the city. The department
Of streets of the city of Minneapolis snail
have control and supervision of the repair
ing, grading, maintaining, cleaning and
sprinkling of all streets, alleys, Sidewalks
and public grounds OF the city.
Commissioner Atwater explained that
these three resolutions were pre-
scented in order that the sense of the
commission could best be secured. The
committee at work preparing the chap
ter on city engineer was at a stand
still until the commission adopted one
of the three resolutions, and to get the
matter properly before the meeting he
moved the adoption of the first resolu-
ton.
Commissioner ChiIds Immediately
moved the adoption of the second reso-
luton, and Commissioner Jones did as
much for the third. Then a lengthy
discussion ensued. The fact that the
city would sooner or later be compelled
to have a street cleaning department
was advanced as an argument by those
who favored the third proposition,
while those who favored the first reso-
luton argued that it was inadvisable
to create another city department ow-
ing to the attendant expense. Commits
sioner ChiIds, who had moved the adOp-
ton of resolution number two, had
nothing to say. He was decidedly in
the minority and rather than see the
adoption Of the first provision would
vote for the third.
The matter was finally put to a vote.
Commissioner Jones motion to adopt
resolution number three being the first
in order. 1t was adopted, but after
wards reconsidered. the second vote,
however. resulting as did the first. The
adoption of this resolution will result
in the Incorporation in the new city
charter of street cleaning depart
ment, such as is now in existence in
Chicago, New York and other large
cities.
As a special order Of business the
chapter on health was next taken up.
DR.. H. N. Avery, commissioner of
health. and Dr. R. o. Heard were pres
ent with the commission to advise with
them in regard to this chapter, and.
while it was under consideration, sew
eral valuable suggestions wree made by
these gentlemen. The most important
feature of this chapter lies in the fact
that it creates a board of health, to
be composed Of the mayor, the chair
man Of the council committee on health
and hospitals and the commissioner Of
health of the city, the latter to be the
head Of the department and to direct
its conduct as such, by and with the
advice of the full board.
To this provision both Of the medi-
cal men present objected. DR.. Beard
thought it would be mistake to create
such board. He believed that the de-
partment should be under the charge
of one man and that he alone should
be responsible.
DR.. Avery expressed a like opinion
He objected to the power which would
be given the mayor under the section
IN question, of removing without cause
and summarily a city health commits
sioner. He did not think the mayor
should have such power and thought
that the health commissioner should
be entitled to as many rights as a clerk
appointed under the civil service rules
Commissioner Hawley replied to both
Of the gentlemen. He explained that
the provision for a board of health
was simply to make the charter con-
form with the state law recently en-
acted. AS a matter of fact, the health
commissioner would be in about the !
same position as he is under the pres
ent charter He would be the head
of the department in every sense. and
as he would be appointed by the mayor
it IS likely there would be no conflict |
between that official and the health |
commissioner.
The commission evidently thought !
that section number one was a good |
thing, and despite the objections Of Or. |
a or az