The Saint Paul globe., 1899-07-22

by a unanimous vote of the board and
would qualify and take charge of the of
flee within the next ten days, probably
Aug. 1. The first vote taken for the cleo
ton of Mr.. Claussen stood to l, Com
missioners Ames, SandeI and himself
voting for Claussen and Commissioner
Mabon for Rundlett The election was
afterWard made unanimous. Mr.. Pott-
gieser explained that there was no great
secret about the election of Mr.. Claussen.
1t had not been held in the public office
of the board owing to the room being
partly filled with witnesses summoned to
give testimony in the investigation of
charges against Inspectors Hickey and
Bantz, of the engineering department.
City Engineer Rundlett was also in the
outer office at the time, and the board
concluded that it would hardly be the
proper thing to notify Mr.. Rundlett that
he had been deposed from office.
''Mr. Rundlett has been aware for
some time said President Pottgieser.
that influential politicians were at work
endeavoring to induce Commissioner San
dell to join with Commissioner Ames and
myself in the election of Mr. Claussen.
and it is likely that he was not surprised
at the result this morning. So far as I
am concerned the charges brought
against the two sidewalk inspectors had
nothing to do with the election of Mr.
Claussen Both myself and Commissioner
Ames have been in favor of the election
of Mr.. Claussen since the expiration of
the term of Mr. Rundlett In March. Sew
eral times the matter of selecting an en-
gineer has been brought up in the board
but the members divided on the question
Commissioners Sandel and Mabon refus-
ing to vote for Mr.. CIaussen. Manv
prominent Republicans have interested
themselves in the matter, and Commits
sioner Sandell finally saw that 1t was the
desire of the party to have Mr.. Ciaussen
elected, and yesterday joined with US in
naming Mr.. Claussen.''
Commissioner Sandell, when asked
about the election of Mr.. Claussen yes
terday afternoon, said there was nothing
to it, and intimated that it was simply
TUmor. He evidently did not dare to be
interviewed as to his position in view of
the controversy with Mayor Kiefer as to
the alleged attempt made by him to bribe
the mayor for reappointment.
Mayor Kiefer, asked about the election
of Mr.. Claussen, said that he had heard
such a report but had not been officially
advised as to whether it was correct or
rot He denied that he had been closeted
with MIR. Claussen during the day, and
said he had not seen him for a day or
so. He did say that if Mr.. Claussen had
been chosen the board had selected a
competent and able man for the office.
City Engineer Rundlett expressed sur
prise at the action of the board and in
tfmated that the charges made against
| the sidewalk inspectors now being inyes-
tgated by the board of public works had
| helped on the action of the board in Sc
| lect1ng his successor. Mr.. Rundlett has
held the office of city engineer continu-
Ously since 1885. In 1881 he was elected
| but two years later resigned to accent
the position of engineer to the water
board. In 1885 the office of engineer of
! the water board was abolished and the
work placed in charge OF the city en-
| gineer, the salary of that officer be-
ing raised to $1,000 per year Mr.. Rund-
lett was elected as city engineer in
March, 1885, succeeding w. A. Somers,
who held the office for over two years.
The election of Mr.. Claussen will be
hailed with joy by the Lincoln club as
the new official will have the selection of
four assistant engineers, dozen or
more clerks in the Office, a force of ten
men known as the field force of survey