The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-16

AT meeting of the park board yester-
day Assistant Corporation Attorney Tay-
Tor gave the members an oral opinion as
to the validity Of the law recently passed
by the legislature regarding the purchase
OF parks by the common council.
In the opinion OF Mr. Taylor. the sec
ton OF the law which provides for the
purchase of parks by the council by q
two-thirds vote is valid. but as to the
section which provides for condemnation
there is some doubt as the law does not
say where the condemnation proceedings
shall start and whether the council or the
board of public works shall take the
steps.
In order to get the matter started and
settle the question as to which Of the
bodies shall condemn and to ascertain
the probable cost Of the purchase of the
tract for Phalen park the following reso-
luton was adopted and ordered present
ed at the meeting of the board Of alder
men this evening:
Resolved, That the attention of the
common council is respectfully called to
last session of the legislature authoriz-
Ing the city council, by two-thirds vote
OF the members, to purchase land
S<NSOONAkiG u,
the concurrence of the board Of park COM
mtssioners, for park purposes and to the
opinion OF the corporation attorney here
with transmitted that this section of the
act Is valid, while holding adversely to
the effective validity of the second see
ton authorizing the condemnation of land
by the city for park purposes.
Resolved, That with a view to ascertain
Ing whether 1t is practicable to purchase
ON reasonable terms the land designated
by the board of park commissioners for
a. fa lro oia
and included. in the order for condemna-
ton now before the board Of public
works, the council is respectfully re-
quested to take immediate measures
through the board of public works. or
otherwise, to ascertain at what prices the
owners of the land included in the said
order for condemnation will agree to
sell the same to the city.
Along the same line and with a view OF
squirting up the board of public works
the following resolution was adopted:
Resolved, That the attention Of the
ed to the fact that on March last a
resolution in due form was adopted by
the board Of park commissioners. and
promptly transmitted to the said board
of public works, ordering the condemna-
ton OF certain tracts of land contiguous
to Lake Phalen, in the city Of ST. Paul,
for a public park; that, according to a
recent decision Of the supreme court, the
park law makes 1t imperative upon the
board of PUBLIC works. that the condem-
Guiding the final confirmation of assess
ments. shall be completed within four
months from the date Of the transmission
or such order to the said board OF pub
lie works, and that otherwise all pro-
ceedings under such order become null
and void.
AS the period of four months from the
date of the order will terminate July 6
I next, the board of park commissioners
respectfully requests to be informed by
the board of public works whether It has
taken such action in the premises as will
enable it to complete the proceedings
within the term required by law, and IL
not what further time, In its Judgment,
will be required for the purpose.
A resolution was also adopted direct
ing the superintendent of parks to take
charge of and cut the grass on all lawns
where the owners under the recent law
passed by the legislature shall petition
the council to have the park board as
sumo charge of such work.
In answer to proposals for furnishing
the pumping station at Como with
Yeughiougheny. coal seven bids were re-
ceived. BY reason Of what the board con-
sidered more than a coincidence the bids
were all 965 per ton. All bids were re-
jected and the superintendent instructed
to purchase the coal In the open market