The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-03

new sewer are needed at the Ducas
| street station
| The jail is also reported to be in cool
| sanitary condition, though better VEN
| tilation and more light are needed. Tn.
cost per capita of $325 a week for
boarding prisoners is considered too
high.
A room should be fitted up in the
county jail for the use of insane per-
| sons waiting the action of the probate
| court.
The county treasurers office should
| be connected with the sheriff's office by
| electric alarms or that he have a de-
| tail from the police on evenings when
the office is open
The sufticiency of the bonds of banks
having city and county money and the
bonds Of the treasurers should be
promptly inquired into in order that
there may be no doubt. There are
| some badly used books in the Office OF
| the city treasurer, but they were mis-
| used before the time of the present in
| cumbent.
| Progressive ard precise methods are
the rule in the comptroller's office.
The records of the assessor, health
! officer, auditor, abstract clerk, register
| of deeds, and sheriff are in excellent
condition. The abstract office should
| oe consolidated with the register of
! deeds office and so become self sustain
| ing. The report proceeds:
In the matter of the personal tax judg-
: ments, we find there has been turned in
to the sheriff's office for collection of the
1886 levy, 1904 items, aggregating $40176,
of which amount there has been collected
$l47, comprising IA items The expense to
the county in obtaining these judgments
is not less than $1,000. and 1t is fair to
presume. upon the testimony of the depu-
ty sheriff, that no more than $500 of this
$4O,176 will ever be collected. We recon-
mend, in view of the loss entailed upon
the county by this recurring feature. each
year, that some method be devised either
to stop the expense of obtaining these
judgments or some more effective plan
adopted to collect them
The conduct of the health depart
ment is complimented and Judge Will
rich, of the probate court, is commend
| ed for having the neglected records of
the court perfected and put into good
| shape.
The methods of Mr.. Hillman, the
| court reporter, are commended and the
office is eulogized.
The records and accounts Of the wa
| ter board office are most thorough, sys-
| tematic and complete.
The report proceeds as follows:
There has evidently been careless work
in many of our Offices by incompetent men
in the past; we, therefore, deem it per-
tnent to suggest that the chosen
for the several apartments should be pos
sessed of full knowledge of the places
ice rule should apply at least to the COM
petent men now serving in these offices.
| We further believe that the efficiency OF
these offices may be much improved If the
| head of the same is properly at his desk
at the opening hour of business and con-
tinuing at his post Of duty throughout
the day. That all employees should be
promptly at their places and not allowed
to leave their desks to go about the
building or outside without good and
sufficient reason or permit from their
officer further
opinion that the rules of business
which the thorough-going man of busi-
ness applies to his affairs should be
| fully applicable to our public service.
| Men in our public offices should thor
oughly understand that they are not en-
ployed to read the daily newspapers and
| smoke during business hours. and that,
| if such practices inludged, the pub
| lie is justified in believing that that par
tcular office is in the hands of an in
competent man who is wasting its money
by pretending to employ clerks to do
its work while really only in service for
the pay they receive and the refreshments
the office affords
The collection of licenses of street
cars, the report proceeds, is conducted
| in a loose and unsatisfactory manner.
| The city relies on the statement Of
! the company as to the number of cars
operated and paid for. No licenses are
| applied for at the office Of the city
| clerk, as the law requires.
I'VE most earnestly request" con-
| tinues the report. that the proper au-
| thorities, including the license inspect
| tor, adopt such means as will enable
| the city to collect, according to law,
the proper amount for licenses on ali
cars operated" The company operates
larger number Of cars than is paid
for, and the license inspector should
inform himself of the number, a fact
of which he now appears to be ignor-
| ant.
The attention of the common council
! should be called to the opinion of the
attorney general that liquor licenses
cannot be transferred. 1t Is requested
| that the common council examine the
| question from legal standpoint, and
| should the ordinance covering the
transfer of liquor licenses be found in
| conflict with the law of the state. that
no further licenses be allowed