The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-11
MONEY SEEMS No OBJECT.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HESITATE
OVER SPENDING $4,000 ON
THE JAIL
SEEK MORE LEGAL ADVICE
More Than Anxious to Get the
Power to Issue Thousands
of Dollars Of
Bonds.

The county commissioners met last
night and sought to find some way out
Of the new Jail tangle Scarcely anything
was accomplished.
A communication from County Attor-
ney Bigelow, in reply to a request,
was received and placed on file. In his
opinion, the counsel stated that the
county commission was not authorized to
issue bonds for the purpose of buying
real estate. In the case of the several
thousand dollars overdraft on the road
and bridge fund, he stated that any i'm
proper charges made against that fund
might be charged to other funds, and
that the board was the judge of the pro-
priety OF the different charges that have
been made from time to time.
Commissioner Quehl, who was under
the impression that Assistant County At
torney Zollman had rendered an opinion
to the effect that the board had right
to issue bonds for a Jail site, closely
questioned that gentleman, without much
success. He denied having made any
such statement.
Commissioner Hardick said that some
how or other they had got the erroneous
idea that they had the power to go
ahead as they were doing and erect the
jail, and buy the SITE too, If they wish
ed. But the attorney stated that the
board had no general authority to IS
sue bonds.
Commissioner Hardfck introduced mo-
ton instrueting the county auditor to
ascertain from the state investme t
board whether it would be possible for
the county to borrow money for jail
site from the state of Minnesota. The
molten carried,
The commissioners, hoping that some
way might be found out of the limita-
lions in regard to the issuance of bonds
as set down by the county attorney, vot-
ed to request BigeIow to ask an opinion
OF the state attorney general.
The proposition to repair the Old jail
instead Of building a new one was
brought up by the reading Of the follow
ing communication:
Hon. Rudolph Schiffman. Acting Mayor
OF ST Paul:
At your request, we examined the jail
building, Fifth and Cedar streets, and
find the following conditions:
The south wall we consider UNSAFE. as
it is very badly buckled. There is nine
ty-five feet i'll length of this wall and
thirty feet in height that ought to be
taken down and rebuilt and thoroughly
anchored to the front wall, putting in
large windows in the new wall to give
more light and air to the cells.
Stone tables on north and south wall,
west end, should be braced ON in side.
We find the plumbing in very bad con-
ffition. The main supply from street is
too small to flush the closets. 1t re-
quires new plumbing throughout, also
Yentila ton to cells.
All old hot air pipes throughout to be
rAn0Vp6
The wooden stairs, south side of build
ing, to be repaired.
We were unable to examine the condi=S
ton of the joists without taking off the
plaster or taking up the main floor.
A. F. GaugeT, Clarence H. Johnston,
George H. Grant. John Ii. Shea and VIII
liam FoellsGn signed the report.
After the reading of the report Aid.
Sehfimann laid the case before the com
mission. IS He said that the Jail was not
a fit place for the confinement of any
human being. He mentioned the sew
age gas there and the censure that the
board would be subject to in case some
of the predictions of the past grand
juries should come to pass. Four .shou-
sand dollars would put it in shape for
the next FIVE years, according to the
report of the committee appointed to IN.
VestjSate.
Commissioner Powers said that only
$1,000 had been appropriated for jail
maintenance and the repairs could not
come out of that fund.
The report was laid over to be consi1-
cred at Il future meeting.
Commissioner Powers moved that the
county auditor be requested to furnish
an iteKniZed statement of all bills and eg-
Inmates for roads and bridges charged
April 1 to date, also the balance of
money to the credit at present. 1t was
carried unanimously.
Some complaints against the estimates
furnished by the county surveyor were
brought Zip. The county auditor at the
Eext meeting will furnish an accounting
Of expenses Of the surveyors Office dur
ing the last two years.
Bids on the under grade crossing of
Rice street, at its Junction with the 500
road, were received. The bids ranged
from $500 to $3595, as follows:
Joseph P. LN1ge, SAYS; John BoIdtl14n,
81, 5e5; Dougherty & Dempsey, Sc, $50;
Patrick H Thornton, s5,509; Charles e.
Sandeen, 1890; Thomas Linrnan, 81, SEQ.
bitches FOR WHITE BEAR.
Ross Clark appeared for the White
Bear In1proV en1ent association with the
request that the county vote money from
the 1850 allowed fer lake Improvement
by the legislature for the construction
Of a system CT bitches to drain the sew
eral thousand acres lying near White
Bear, which a present is tributary to
the swan1py land to the west OF tie
lake. TheIe seems to be no other way
to keep the level of the lake up to the
point where it was twelve years ago
The board Will take action at Their next
meeting wnen Mr. Clark will be able
to give an exact estimate of the cost,
which will be about 81 200.
ANY bow with a head on his shoulders