The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-30


of the Ambitious Ones.
After a connection of twenty-six years
with the department, City Engineer
Rundlett cleaned out his desk yesterday
afternoon and retired into private life.
His successor, Oscar Claussen, filed
bond in the sum of $1,000 and will formal
ly take possession of the Office tomorrow.
The general opinion is that the new en-
gineer will make few changes, if any, for
a few weeks, until he takes the measure
of his force, but that eventually there
will be clean sweep of the present en-
ployes. Interest at the city hall is CEN
tered on the talked of changes. 1t is
clearly understood that the mayor has
the patronage of the office entirely at his
disposal, and it is unlikely that he will
relinquish the powerful political weapon
that clever maneuvering has placed in his
grasp.
Those who are In position to know
say that Hoban will undoubtedly be re.
warded with appointment as assistant
engineer for his services rendered in
bringing about the change in the head of
the department. The charges filed by
him against the sidewalk inspectors,
necessarily involving the city engineer,
whether sustained or not, were esteemed
by the administration a powerful lever
on certain recalcitrant influences. Fur
thermore, H. H. Fuller, the present in
cumbent of the Office. is persona non grata
to the Kieferverein in every sense Of the
word The Hoban appoirCne.I is in
tended as a rap to certain Republicans.
But it is in the street commiSSionerShips
that the interest has conferred. These
men have the selection and entire charge
of the hundreds of men employed on the
street force and a voice in the appoint
ment Of sidewalk inspectors, sewer in
SpectorS and innumerable other kinds of
inspectors, all of whom will have votes
and more or less influence 1t is so
well understood the mayor is the dis
penSing power in this connection that in
every ward in the city delegations have
been organized to wait on him in the in
terest of some candidate and the series
of calls commenced yesterday. The
mayoral ante-chamber was filled all day
with men anxious to present the claims
of some one to a commissionershIp, and
the mayor was finally driven by stress
OF numbers to make hurried retreat
from the side door to his private of
flee.
As the clans are gathering the candi-
dates are being generally discussed The
First and Second wards have one conl>
missioner. The present incumbent is
T. j. Ekberg, and of course Mr. Ekbere
Is DESTROYS of retaining his job He is
First warder and his only opponent In
his own ward is Emmanuel johnson
whose friends claim that he has strength
enough in the ward to be entitled to any
thing he may ask The Second. how
0n to h.
dates, both of whom have delegations to
see the mayor
The Third ward presents ]. c. Reichert
for a candidate; the Fourth. George
Roedler; the Fifth. George Warren, F. A.
krch, and the present incumbent Com
missioner Yorke. Carl Oxman and AL
Phillips ask for recognition in the Sixth,
and everybody hopes that Phillips will
finally be given something to do. The
Seventh has no candidate as yet In
the Eighth, however, which is a big ward
and has a night and day commissioner
all to itself, there is a lively scrap on.
The present night commissioner, John
Williams, is being opposed by Hugh L.
Tankersley, who has the backing of tha
ward organization, of which he was for
merry president Incidentally he has the
support of County Auditor Johnson The
scalp of John Marquardt the day COM
missioner, is said to be sought by former
Aid. Kaldunski
The Ninth ward is divided between the
adherents of the present commissioner.
John Kjeiberg, and George McCree. for,
mer assistant state boiler Insp sctor, who
wants the position The Tenth and
Eleventh have no candidates to oppose
Commissioner John Larson
With all these elements warning over
the spoils, City Engineer RundIett goes
out of Office with the respect of every
one of his subordinates and associates.
Yesterday morning he was called down
stairs and on his return found the entire
office force assembled in his private Of
nee. On behalf of the employees George
L. Wilson presented to the retiring en-
gineer a solid gold watch, appropriateIv
engraved, and a cut glass loving cup
Mr.. Rundlett displayed a great deal of
feeling in responding to the general ex-
pressions of good Will.
He became connected with the depart
ment in 1873 as assistant city engineer
and became engineer in 1881 He has
held the latter position ever since, with
the exception of two years that he spent
In experimenting the construction of the
water works, which he planned When
Mr.. Rundlett first went into office the
only bridge built that is standing at
present was a part of the south end of
the Wabasha street bridge. There were
no paved streets, except Third, Robert
and Jackson, and these have been re-
paved several times since. He also
planned and supervised the construction
of the sewer system of the city.
Mr.. Rundlett stated yesterday that he
had made no plans in regard to the flu
ture.
THE election of my successor took me
so by surprise that I had not time he