The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-18

| coaiu VI aldermen at the meet
| ing last evening took a most decisive
| step in favor of home industry by re-
Jecting the lowest bid for putting up
| the new railing on the Sixth street
bridge, because the bidder was a Min
neapolis firm, and awarding the con-
tract TO local institution at higher
| ngure. Aid. Bantz WAS the single OBJ
Jector, and he only on the point as to
whether the board had legal right to
make the rejection. When the bids for
the railing work had been opened and
tabulated by the city engineer it was
found that the Star Iron Works Of Min
| neapolis was the lowest bidder at
SZ4960. Next on the list came the Rob-
erts Architectural and Ornamental
Iron Works with $4,000 The city en-
g1neer recommended the award to the
lowest bidder.
Aid. Knauft came to the front with
an amendment, substituting the ST.
Paul firm for the Minneapolis concern.
and the contract was so awarded by
unanimous vote of the board after Aid
Bantz had been satisfied as to the
right of the council to take such ac-
ton.
The contract for the construction
work on the bridge proper was award
ed to the Chicago Bridge and Iron com
pany at $14737 as the lowest bidder
Z. l.. Strobel & Co, the next lowest
bidder. offered to do the work for
15,817.30.
building Inspector Haas submitted
his annual report showing that the
total spent in building operations in
st. Paul during the year was 81, 1885,
542.45 as against 81 424,274 for the pre-
ceGing year. A strong recommended
ton was made that the building laws
be published in pamphlet form for GEN
eral distribution.
The appointment of c. K Sharood
as a member of the board of fire COM
missioners was confirmed and final
order passed for the paving of the in
tersection of Cedar and Central streets.
An adverse report of the committee
on streets on an ordinance providing
that the sweeping and cleaning of
asphalt streets shall be done by day
labor under the direction of the board
of PUBLIC works, created ripple Of ex
element
Aid. Bantz strongly opposed the
adoption Of the report. He said the
ordinance was framed and introduced
for the purpose of protecting the labor
ers from the starvation wages that he
declared are incidental to the contract
system. He thought dollar a day too
little for any working man.
Aid. Bell defended the report and
said the construction put on the mat
ter by Aid Bantz was all wrong. AS
a matter Of fact the council had the
power Of passing on bids and had
ample opportunity for the protection
Of the workingmen-
Aid Donahower took a hand in the
discussion and Aid. Kenny chimed in
with the final result that the report
was rereferred to the committee.
The committee on streets reported
favorably an ordinance amending the
present ordinance regulating hotel
runners and providing that upon a
conviction in court of violation of
the law the mayor shall have power
to revoke the licenses. A resolution
was passed appointing Henry Calvin,
sergeant-at- arms of the council, at a
salary of 500 per month, and a resolu-
ton delegating Gustaf Willius Jr. to re-
port as to the condition of the present
police alarm system and the necessity
for a new system was referred after
an argument between Aid. Kenny and
| Aid. Knauft.
Vice President Allard announced the
appointment of Aid. Knauft and Aid.
Banks on the joint committee for the
purchase Of a new public market site.