The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-22
NEW POLICE ALARMS.
Aldermen Are Puzzled About How
to Procure Them.

10 Procure Them.
Members of the police committees from
the assembly and board Of aldermen met
in joint session yesterday afternoon to
consider the question of purchasing a
new alarm system for the police depart
ment. No definite action was taken,
but there will undoubtedly be recon-
mendatfon that new system be pur-
chased.
Assemblyman Thompson presided, and
present at the session were Aid. Murphy,
Bell, Allard and Blomquist and Assem-
blymen Thompson and Benson.
The bid of the Auto-Electric company,
of New York, for putting in a complete
system is $2S, $50; that of the tlamewell
Fire Alarm Telegraph company, $4,000,
and rebate of $500 for the present
plant. The Municipal Signal company.
of Chicago, offers to sell to the city
new system complete for $4,000, to in
stall it for $1,000 additional on posts and
poles now erected, or. to put in new iron
posts for $4,000.
Aid. Allard thought 1t would be a good
idea to know where the funds to pay
for a new system were to come from.
Aid. Bell said he understood there was
about $4,000 In the police department
fund which could be applied to The pur-
chase of a new system.
AssembIyman Warner said IL the coun-
ell decided on the purchase of new
system the money would be on hand
from some fund.
Assemblyman Benson suggested that If
the money to purchase the system was
not in the police fund, what was needed
could be put in the next tax levy, and
some arrangement made by which the
company furnishing the system would
wait for its pay until after Jan. 1, 1900.
The question was raised as to whether
the present system could not be repaired
and Gustav Willtus Jr., who made an
examination of the plant now in use was
called in. MIR. Willius thought it would
be penny wise and pound foolish to ex-
pend any money in repairs on the system
now in use.
The committee adjourned to Friday
evening, when the temporary plants
erected by the three companies will be
inspected and the question definitely set
tied.
Comptroller McCardy, asked about the
condition of the police department fund.-
stated most emphatically that there
would not be sufficient money to pay for
a new system this year in the police
fund. Last year the department spent
$685. and Jan. l, 1899, had on hand
$1S, 033.G9. The tax estimate for this year
was fixed at $1S5,000, of which $4,000 is
paid from the general fund. The depart
ment can realize from certificates of in
debtedness so per cent of $150,000, which
is 100000, making a total, with the bal
ance on hand, of $16S, 03369, which can be
surely counted as available. Something
more will undoubtedly come IN from tax
collections, but this amount Is uncertain.
Last year the department fund was cred
tied with $23, 100, and it will probably be
somewhat near the same figure this year.
,, Under the ruling of Comptroller Nc
Cardy, however, the department can not
spend any more in one year than the
amount fixed in the tax estimate, and
even should the taxes come In the ex-
pendftures will be held down to the fig
ures, SIS, 0C0
Up to date the department has expend-
ed $50, 204.54, and based on these figures
the total expenses of the department will
be S172 GO. This will leave but $4,000 to
be expended for a new police system,
unless, as Mr.. Benson suggested the bal
ance can be placed in the tax estimate
for $780,