The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-14
GOVERNMENT ON BUSINESS PRINCIPLES

How Mr. wIIIius Would Out to Make ST.
Paul Ideal City.
To the Editor of the Globe:
You ask me how would spend my money to
make ST. Paul ideal city if owned the town ana
had $5o0o000O in good hard cash..
70 begin with I should establish system Of gov
eminent upon pure business principles. At the head
I should place the best business man 1 could find
thoroughly familiar with municipal affairs at sal
airy of from $4,000 to $4,000. Call him the mayor
should divide the government into various depart
ments, fnace, police, fire, water engineer and cleo
trieaI depart leSs; departments on education char
ties libraries, public buildings parks health etc. At
the head of each department I should place CHER
Of department with absolute control his department.
officer and to be expert In the line of hts
special duties Their salaries to be not less than
S. 600 each Chiefs of departments to form the city
council with the mayor as presiding officer, and this
body to manage all the affairs of the city.
Subordinate officers Of each department to be re-
crued by promotion from the clerical force Of their
department. and clerical work to be performed by
graduates of universities technical and other profess
sonal and commercial schools trained for the speciar
class of work for which they employed salaries
to be fixed according value Of services performed
and
In municipal government constituted would
have more confidence than in my own Judgment
that they would invest my $4,000 COO In the most
judicious manner possible. Perhaps should reserve
to myself absolute veto power in all actions In
volving large appropriations. should also reserve
the privilege submit suggestions such might oc
to nae from time to time. I might, for instance
offer the following suggestions:
First-Commenee the work Of remodeIing the city
from the bottom up by establishing permanent and
perfect system Of sewerage and like system OF
street tunnels of sufficient capacity to hold all under
ground work. such water, gas pneumatic and
steam ppeseeleqtric telephone, telegraph and other
wires. dnaa
Second-Abeish the prevailing system of the free
Of public streets and alleys by private corpora
lions, and provide, under municipal ownership, for
the best SERVICE possible in the way of street cars
pneumatic pipe lserSice, gas electric light water,
steam heating, telephones, etc.
Third-Psyev all your business streets and prin-
cipa thoroughfares with welfnished granite blocks
upon stone or concrete foundation and residence
streets, within D. circle of say and half miles
from the city hail. with other suitable material
Fourth-Proyide by building ordinance for the
strictest regulation possible, defining districts for
Villas flats and other private dwellings, establishing
building lines and other regulations for EACH ncud
ing the planting Of shade trees, prohibiting the
of alleys for other than street purposes, etc.
Fifth-Abolish in the st. Paul dictionary the
words back yard" and substitute in place thereor
slower garden
Sixth-Replat all outlying property into lots NOT
less than acre In size and remove all buildings