The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-19
FOOD FOR TAXPAYERS.

The question Of purchasing a new alarm
system for the police department will
probably be settled for this year at least,
during the coming week. The majority
Of the members Of the conference COM
mittee, which Is supposed to be check
On all of the departments of the city and
is composed of the heads of the several
departments, favor the consolidation of
the police and fire alarm systems, and the
placing of the two under the supervision
Of the superintendent Of the fire alarm
department system The conference COM
mittee also favor the putting in Of g.
new system in the central part Of the city,
and using a part of the apparatus for
the substations. This scheme, it Is esti-
mated, would cost the city or the police
department about $4,000
The councilmen however, are opposed
to the plan. In the first place the council
has the naming of the superintendent
of the police alarm system, which job
pays $1,000 per year. The superintendent
also has the naming of three assistants,
and this gives the members of the coun-
Gil chance to put four keys On as many
holes. If the office was consolidated the
fire board would have the naming of the
four men, and some of the exceedingly
limited patronage of the council would be
headed off. This is one reason why the
recommendation of the conference COM
mittee does not find much favor in the
council.
In the second place 1t would appear that
$4,000 Is not enough to spend for a new
system. Nearly all the members of the
council have expressed themselves as
favcring an 'up-to-date and efficient sys-
tenn which, according to bids submitted
some months ago, would cost from $23,OOO
to $4,000. The proposition Of Chicago
firm to put in $4,000 plant was turned
down. and the proposition to purchase a
$4,000 system came very near carrying.
The aldermen were willing to expend that
sum of money, and five Of the six votes
necessary to carry the purchase were Sc
cured in the assembly. Finding that the
purchase could not be forced through the
assembly, all bids were rejected.
The assembly, after some discussion,
adopted specifications prepared by Supt.
King, calling for a new system and di-
rected the city clerk to advertise for bids.
The aldermen, however, would not agree
to this, and referred the entire matter
to the committee on streets of that body,
where it is now being considered. The
approach Of the time for the making UP
Of the tax budget for next year makes 1t
necessary that some definite action be
taken If a new system Is to be purchased
next year, and the committee from the
| aldermen will hold special meeting this
week to settle the question. It looks very
much at the present time, as If about
| $4,000 would be placed In the budget for
a new plant. In this connection one of
| the bidders stated last summer that If
the city paid $4,000 for a system such as
was proposed the lucky contractor would
make about 200 on the contract The
| idea that the amount Of money to be
made by the contractor in any way in
| f1uenced the~award or the purchase Of the
| system Is not for moment entertained
| by those who are acquainted with the
| members Of the council.
| T. L. Schurmeier, who has been appoint