The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-01
CITY HALL CHAT.

school teachers pay roll for September,
is the subject of considerable talk, par
ticularly among members of the school
board and the teachers. The comptroller
has in the past held to the contention
that none of the departments Of the city
can exceed in any one month more than
a prorata share of the amount allowed
it in the tax estimate. The council has
by resolution authorized the school board
to eXpend $4,000 for the school year, be-
ginning Sept l. 1882 and ending June 80.
1900, and not more than $527, 900 for teach
ers salaries. This means, according to
the stand taken by the comptroller, that
$42 900 can be expended by the board for
each Of then ten months in the school
year.
The board OF education, however, asked
the council for $532, 600, of which s366,000
was for teachers salaries. the increase
over the amount appropriated for teach
ers in 1898 being about $4,000. 1t was un-
derstood at the time the school board
made up its estimate for the school year
that an additional $4,000 could be secured
from the so per cent of the amount to be
raised by the additional IL mill levy au-
thorlZed by an act passed by the last leg
islature.
Since then the constitutionality Of the
law has been attacked, and that ques-
ton IS now being considered by the judges
of the district court. The school board.
however, maintains that the schedule
raise In salaries of teachers which was
made in anticipation of the Increased
levy, will be paid whether the additional
$112,0G0 is received under the new law or
not. If there Is not money enough to run
the schools on the basis of the increased
salaries and other necessary expenses for
the ten months, then the board is in favor
Of keeping them open until the fund Is
exhausted aud then closing them up. In
line with this proposition the school en-
pIoyes and teachers pay rolls will be
presented to the comptroller tomorrow,
not on the basis of one-tenth of the $780,
900 allowed by the council but on the
basis of 1856, 900 for teachers salaries as
fixed by the board Whether Conptrol-
Ter McCardy viii follow the rule he has
heretofore laid down. or side with the
school board in allowing more than the
pro rata amount per month, Is a ques-
ton which cannot be answered until the
pay roll for September reaches him. The
comptroller evidently has made up his
mind as to what action he will take, but
he was uncommunicative on the propo-
sition yesterday and turned off a ques-
ton as TO the probable action he would
take by saying the pay rolls of the
schools for September had not reached
his office.
Mayor Kiefer refuses to say what &C
ton he will take concerning the letter
sent to him by the judges of the munich
pal court, in relation to the striking of
cases from the tab In the police court
after the prisoners have either pleaded
guilty or been convicted. In speaking Of
the letters which the judges forwarded
him, Mayor Kfefer yesterday afternoon
remarked:
II have often noticed that when people
are caught doing something they have no
right to do, or should not do, an attempt
is made to laugh the thing off If it is
impossible to laugh charge down, then
the next step Is an explanation or an in
vestigation. 1 have not decided what ac-
ton [ shall take in the matter as YET
The term Of J. F. Hoyt as a member of
the board of water commissioners expires
Jan. l next, and already there Is consid-
cradle talk as to the retiring members
successor. A. H. Lindeke, formerly q
member of the board is mentioned as be-
ing the one most likely to be selected by
Mayor Kiefer to succeed Vice President
Hoyt.
At the meeting of the board of alder
men Tuesday a resolution will be passed
directing Mayor Kiefer to appoint a COM
mittee Of five to investigate and report
as to the plan for the collection and re-
mOval of garbage The committee, under
the resolution, is to consist of the city
comptroller, health commissioner city
engineer and one member from the board
of aldermen and assembly. 1t is under
stood that a corporation having patent
crematory for the disposition of garbage
is ell ready to have a model of its plant
inspected by the committee, and at an
early date the council will be asked to
do away with the present method Of col
lecting and disposing of garbage and pur-
chase a plant which will allow the
garbage to be burned.
The contract between the city and the
J. G. Wagner company, of Milwaukee,
for the construction of the superstructure
of the Wabasha street bridge, reached the
comptroller Friday. The contract price is
SIS, 500 and one of the clauses in the con-
tract reads that the bridge shall be COM
pleted May Is, 1900. A proviso follows
this, however, to the effect that If there
shall be any delay in the preparation of
the plans of the bridge then the con-
tractor shall have until July l. 1900, to-
complete the structure, without paying
any penalty. The comptroller was In
doubt as to this provision, and, while not
an engineer, could not understand how
it was possible for a contractor to bid on
a SIS, 900 contract without having plans
of the structure A letter to the city en-
gineer asking for an explanation as to
the clause was dispatched by the comp
troller, and an answer received stating
that the plans had been ready since the
contract was let, Aug. Is, by the council.
The delay, City Engineer Claussen In
formed the comptroller, was not on ae-
count Of the plans not being ready for