The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-04-08
New CHARTER for the City of ST. Paul
bstract Completed by


purchase and establish poles, wires, pipes
conduits. subways. and other appliances
for lighting purposes, the use of which
the common council may lease to any
person contracting to light the city. This
provision is designed to enable small
local concerns to completes for city light
ing. III
L. The council is deprived of the power
it now has of extending lighting districts
or to locate or relocate lamps within such
district. The board ofrlpubhc works are
given exclusive charge of this matter
s. The council is given power TO regu-
late the erection Of sign boards and bill
boards in close proximity TO the street
6. The council is given the right to es-
tablsh and operate under the supervis-
lon OF the commissioner OF public works
municipal quarries and works for this
manufacture and laying of street paving
and sidewalk materials. This is designed
to enable the city to protect itself from
excessive prices resulting from combina.
tons of the contractors doing this kind or
work
T. The common council is given mower
to establish and maintain a munIcipai
plant for street sprinkEng and cleaning
anu for the collection and disposal or
garbage and other waste.
FRANCHISES.
s. The common council, under the ex-
listing charter, may grant franchises upon
any terms il secs fit, without limit of
time CIR pro Visions for compensation to
the city. The proposed charter inposes,
the following limitations:
(a) No franchise can be granted unless
passed by a three-fourths vote of the
common council if vetoed by the mayor
it must be passed over his veto by a
four-fffths vote.
CD No perpetual franchise may be
granted, or any franchise for longer
period than twenty-five years.
(c) No exclusive franchise may ever
! be granted
(d No ordinance granting franchise
shall be passed by either body of the
council until at least ten days after
such ordinance shall have been intro
duced and framed in the form in which
it finally passed.
(e) Every corporation or person exer-
! cising any franchise shall pay to the
city annually sum equal to at least
5 per cent of its gross earnings
(f) No franchise Heretofore granted
shall be extended or modified unless the
| person or corporation holding the same
shall agree to pay a gross earnings tax
of at least 5 per cent, not only upon the
extension or modification but upon the
earnings of the original franchise
| (g) No franchise shall be granted I'M
| less the corporation receiving the same
| shall agree to pay at least a gross earn
| ings fee of 5 per cent.
| CHI No person or corporation now hold
ing franchise shall be granted any
new franchise unless they shall agree to
| pay at least per cent gross earnings
fee on the old as well as upon the new
franchise.
ID In order to properly enforce the
provisions as to gross earnings tax, every
| person holding any franchise must file
annually sworn statement with the city
comptroller. which statement shall give
detailed Information as to the extent of
it's earnings, business and property. A
! failure to comply with this provision for
feits the franchise.
G) The council is given power to regu-
late the maximum price to be charged
by any person OF corporation exercising
any franchise for the services rendered,
but such price shall be fair and reason
able. @ fo5
Qz) Every franchise granted for street
railway purposes shall be subject to the
condition that the person holding the
franchise shall sprinkle, clean, keep in
repair and free from snow and pave and
re-pave between its tracks and two feet
on both sides thereof 'A@ti1-'"@',t