The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-11-21
CITY PLANT IS BEATEN
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE DEFEATS
THE PROJECT TO ESTABLISH
LIGHTING PLANT
BUDGET AT LAST COMPLETE
City VIII Have to Raise by Taxation
Something over $I,SOO,OOO
for the Fiscal
Xear.

| Hoping to secure a nucleus of fund
| for municipal lighting plant, City En-
| gineer Claussen yesterday, before the
conference committee, made an earnest
appeal that 600 be included in the tax
estimate for next year before the final
| report was adopted as it lay ready be-
| fore them.
The engineer stated that in view of the
! liberal allowances made for projects
which would benefit only certain citizens,
he deemed it proper to again breach the
| subject
The plant he declared was a matter
that affected the pocket of every tax
payer and as consequence had no par
ticular friends to urge it before the COM
mittee.
Comptroller McCardy said that the
| committee were not in financial shape to
/ even consider the subject owing to the
| heavy demands already made on the bud
| get. The proposition was voted down,
| Messrs. Clausen, Dix and Anes against
Corning, Wolterstorff, McCardy, Bremen,
Kerwin and Chairman Smith.
The discovery has been made that the
considerations voted for the maintenance
of the public baths will not operate as
it was expected they would. Next year
the gross expense of maintaining the
public baths will reach nearly $4,000 and
If the budget had been passed as 1t ssood
the baths would have to close after the
gross expense reached $4,000. This cur
ious condition of affairs is brought about
in the following way.
Pending the active operation Of the
new charter, DR.. Ohage has been allowed
to run his own bank account and take
in and spend the income from the baths
at his pleasure Now that money has
been set aside for baths In the budget
and an allowance made for probable
revenue, the doctor will be compelled
as other city officials, to turn all receipts
into the city treasurer at close Of bust
ness each day, and to send all bills to
the council. Under this arrangement
with only 50 per cent of 5000 available
next year, the baths would have 10
close when the sum was expended, no
matter what had been turned into the
city treasurer from the sale of privileges.
To remedy the difficulty the fund for the
maintenance of the baths was raised
from $1,000 to $4,000. The $4,000 set aside
for new buildings is not affected.
PLEADED FOR AUDITORIUM.
A committee off, gentlemen from the
Commercial club appeared to urge that
$1,000 be provided for arranging the aud
itorium this winter and providing a heat
ing plant.
The fact was mentioned that the Ma
tional Buttermaker's association will be
here this winter and that there is no
place to accommodate the convention The
Modern Woodmen will be here in July,
5000 strong, also the National ConVen-
ton Of Railroad conductors and several
medical associa tons will convene in this
city. Something. 1t was urged, ought to
be done to give the city a presentable
convention hall. Mr. McCardy said that
the Thirtieth National Encampment Com
mittee G. A. r. owned the structure and
would be glad to sell it at any time for
s., 500. It was found impossible to 10
more than recommend to the council that
money for that purpose be voted from
the contingent fund of 900. The char
ter does not allow 4eeWay in the matter
as it is stipulated that not more than
900 shall be spentafer advancing the
interests Of the city along these lines.
NJ J. Bell, of the Sixth ward urged
that $4,000 be included in the budget to
repair the breaks on the West side levee
below State street. The corporation at
torney advised that the council could
appropriate money to repair the breaks
from the emergency fund.
The committee then adopted their re-
port to the council and adjourned to
meet December list, at two o'clock in the
council chamber. The public are invited
to this meeting by the charter.
The budget just prepared is exactly
$407, 5S5 SO larger than the one prepared
for 1900. The following table shows
what savings and what Increases have
been provided for by this conference COM
mittee: