The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-22
WILL LET THE ABERDEEN In
CHARTER COMMISSION MAKES
PROVISION FOR IT
If the New Enactment Becomes a
Law-Mr. KrfeEer Tries to Have
a Section Adopted Calling for
Employment of Day Labor by
the City.

The charter commission last evening
voted unanimously to designate the
Aberdeen hotel in the charter as q
place where liquor may be sold The
matter was introduced by Commission
er Lightner, who moved an amendment
of section Is, chapter T. Of the new char
ter, providing that liquor could be sold
at the Aberdeen so long as it is run as
a hotel.
II suppose the Prohibitionists will be
offended" said Mr.. Lightner. But ]
think that this exception should be
made in favor Of this hotel. 1t is the
only hotel in the prohibited district"
You are right" said Commissioner
Cough
Suppose another hotel is built in
that district" asked Commissioner
Krieger.
1.-THE charter commission will hold
another session." replied Col. Clough.
The commission also reconSidered it's
action of several nights ago, in reduc-
ing the amount allowed to the fire de-
partment to $1S0000, and raised the
limit to $4,000. This was done at the
earnest request of President Arosin, of
the fire board, who declared that the
department would be seriously crippled
if it was not allowed more than the
commission had fixed Mr. Arosin said
lEaI Tie expenditures idSl year were
over $1S20O0. and that they were kept
down only with the most rigid econ
omy. They would be as great this year
and should be greater because all the
buildings of the department needed re-
pairs and other expenses were unaVoid-
ably incurred. He showed how the sal
aries of the firemen were graded in the
several districts, and said that they
were small and that the men earned
1yxyox
on duty and they deserved consider
alton.
Are the men paid the same as priv
ate individuals would pay them?"
asked Commissioner Dean.
There Is no way to compare their
work with any other" answered Mr..
Arosin. 1T is not manual labor. They
are alwys on call, and when they leave
for fire they do not know whether
they will ever return to the house. I
would not like to be one"
Mr.. Arosin enumerated the force and
said that if the appropriation was cut
the salaries would have to be cut.
THAT is one of the provisions we
made" said Col. Clough.
But even with reduced salaries we
cannot keep the expenses within the
Eve should be allowed 100000 Then,
if there is anything left. it can be cred
tied to the next years account"
Il appreciate the fire service in this
city" said Col. Clough, 'but I don't
think we can get the taxpayers to
agree to such a large sum. One hun
dred and eighty thousand dollars is
enough. We cannot get more"
Col Clough is inconsistent" said
Mr.. Lightner 1--WE reduced the police
department SIS, OOO Following out that
oh no ort
ment to $155, 000."
THAT is what should have been
DONE" said Col. Clough.
''The fire department was carried on
IN business-like way" said Mr.. Light
ner. 1.-The men were graded according
to the amount of service they were
called upon to give. There was no
such system in the police department.
We ought to recognize the good work
In the fire department"
'"The fire board was better able to
economize,'' said Col. Clough. They
knew more"
Then you are giving a premium on
ignorance" retorted Mr. Lightner
There is the Hamline district with
out a fire engine company" said Mr..
Arosin. eve are trying to arrange
matters so that we can save enough
money to buy an engine for the people
there If a fire breaks out there we
must send an engine two miles to reach
to reach it. Fire protection is badly
needed there. We require about $4,000
for a fire company and outfit there.
We should give the residents of that
section an engine this year"
Mr. Lightner said that when the fire
department was under consideration he
wanted the appropriation fixed at $780,
coo, and he was voted down. Commits
siOner Murray moved to reconsider that
item and it was carried. Then, on mo-
ton of Mr.. Lightner, the appropriation
for the department was made $4,000.
The commission went over chapter
"a, of the proposed new charter, which
contains miscellaneous and supplement
tary sections. With a very few eXcep-
tions the provisions are already en-
bodied in the old charter, and but few
changes were proposed.
Section reads:
Section 8. All contracts for work to be
done for said city, or for the purchase Of
property of any kind, for the public use Of
said city, except otherwise provided for
i'll this charter, in which the value of such
work or the price or value of such property
shall exceed the sum Of two hundred $4,000
dollars. shall be let to the lowest RESPONSE
BILE bidder, reserving to the council the right
to reject all unreasonable bids. In such
case the common council shall require a
notice Of not less than six days for the time
and place of letting such contract. by pub
LEGATION in the official paper of said city,
which notice shall substantially describe
the work to be done and such other par
ticulars as the common council may order,
and shall designate the time and place
when and where sealed proposals shall be
received therefor; the said proposals shall
be opened and considered at the first meet
ing thereafter of either body of the common
council and upon any bid aforesaid being
accepted. contract in accordance there
II hall tnd rfNt,,if III 4
council for It's approval; and upon the
same being approved and signed by the pre-
siding officers of either body of the said
council it shall be executed on the part of
the city by the mayor and city clerk with
the corporate seal of the city attached, and
countersigned by the comptroller, and filed
with the bond required by this charter in
the Office of such comptroller. The common
council shall require a bond on the part
of the contractor to be executed and delv-
cred with such conditions and with such
sureties as is required by the provisions of
chapter 10 of this charter. and in such
amount as the common council shall pre-
scribe, for the purpose Of securing the per-
Torrance of the contract. The common
council shall also have power to require
every bid to be accompanied by a bond on
the part Of the bidder for such sum and
with such sureties the common council
may prescribe, but any such bidder shall
have the option of making a deposit of q
certified check or cash in lieu of such bond
Commissioner Krieger offered an
important amendment, which reads as
follows:
The common council, by two-thirds
may impose, may provide for the
hiring by the city directly Of ali
labor required in the performance of any
work done for the city The city engineer
and the president of the board of public
works shall have charge and supervision of
all such labor. All materials supplies, ma