The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-08
CLAUSSEN is SCARED
COMMISSIONERS LAWLEIs, OF POLICE
BOARD, WRITES Regarding
UNDERGROUND WIRES
WHERE DOES THE BLAME LIE?
Request for Information Is Not
Properly Responded To, Says
the COmmissiOner-Cla
sens Position.


merous cases of electrocution and ac-
cidents growing out of the network of
wires covering the business district of
st. Paul. the board of police through
Commissioner Lawler, has been making
a strenuous effort to secure information
as to what companies and corporations
have a legal right to the use of the
streets but so far it's efforts have not
been attended with success.
Communications have. been addressed
to the legal department for information
as TO their powers in the premises, and
to City Engineer Claussen for a list Of
those entitled to the legal use of the
streets, no matter the character of their
business, but the answers up to date
have not at all been satisfactory
At the meeting Of the beard of police
Tuesday Commissioner Lawler submitted
the correspondence, which formed a
bulky packet, and yesterday supplement-
ed it with another letter to Mr.. Claussen
growing out of that officials interviews
in several St Paul papers.
In Mr.. Claussen'S published remarks he
was credited with saying that the blame
for the present unauthorized obstruction
Of the streets laid wholly with the po-
lice Considering Mr. Claussen's remarks
an evasion of the Information asked for,
Commissioner LAWYER yesterday address
LETTER TO CLAUssEN.
St Paul, Mimi, Aug. 7, 1910. Claus
sen, City EngineeF--Dear Sir: My Off
cial letter of the 5th inst. addressed to
you relative, to Information desired by
the board of police about trespasses on
streets and alleys, is as yet unacknoWl-
edged, and | assume that the position
taken by you in the two newspaper inter-
views hereinafter referred to is intended
as your answer.
You are represented in the Pioneer
Press of this morning as using the fol-
lowing language:
IF there are unlawful wires and poles
in S. Paul obstrGcting the streets it is
the fault Of TIE police. The police are
supposed to keep the streets free from
unlawful distractions. They should not
have allowed the obstruction to be put in
place without proper permits. L am ready
to stand by any permit that has been is
sued from this office since my incum-
bency.
Il know OF" no legal right the street
car company has to occupy Cedar street.
The police, however, allowed the COM
pany to install it's obstruction. l shall
not make myself liable for damages by
taking hasty action in removing any
poles, wires and tracks. If l am ordered
to do SO by the council | shall do so
without hesitation"
l beg to say that the position taken by
you is entirely too personal and narrow.
The board of police has simply asked you
fault of any official or other person.
The public does not care to know who is
at fault" 1t does want the unlawful OBJ
StructionS removed, and it is your bust
ness and mine TO remove them no mat
ter who may be responsible for their ex-
iStence.
am glad to say that suggestions made
in the first part of the above interview
relative to permits is wise, and at the
next meeting of the board of police 1
shall offer resolution providing that all
members of the police department shall
be instructed to prevent the erecting OF
poles and the stringing of wires in any
part Of the city unless the persons en-
gagged in such work shall exhibit a per-
nit.
With regard to the city railway COM
pany occupying Cedar street, the question
of fault is entirely immaterial now. 1t
is my understanding that when the al
Kiefer was in office, and you, his APP
pointee, were city engineer. The mayor
was at that time the head of the police
department, and it was undoubtedly your
duty as city engineer to prevent this I'M
lawful obstruction, or at least notify the
mayor of the treSpaSS that was being
committed. This, however, is a matter
of ancient history, and has nothing to
do with the proper and respectful request
of the board of police that it be fur
nished with report from you as to the
existence of this and other alleged I'M
lawful occupation of the public high
ways
| beg to assure you also that there is
no danger whatever that you will be
made liable for damages by any action
of the board of police. You certainly
have not been 'haSty" in this matter. as
you admit that nothing has been done
since a year and half ago, when you
took it up with the corporation attorney
and furnished him with map at that
time showing the situation.
You are also probably aware that it is
not likely that any action on the part
of
action. do not presume that you have
any idea that the assembly will speedily
pass the resolution passed by the board
of aldermen last night You probably
know as well as | or any other citizen
who has any information on the subject
that the resolution will be referred to a
committee. and in all probability delayed
indefinitely or ultimately defeated.
FACTS ARE WANTED.
beg to repeat again, therefore, that
the board of police does not expect YOU
to take any action in removing the wires
or other unlawful DISTINCTIONS All it
wants from you is the facts, and it will
then, on its own responsibility and by its
own employees take the necessary action
In your Dispatch interview YOU are
quoted as using the following language:
The police commission desire me to
give them line on all wires in the down
town district, but this means two months
work. The best way is to wait until the
city has its electric light plant in service
and then We can go ahead and chop down
all the poles in the underground dis
trlct. The ornamental electric light
poles will be in service in few weeks
If it is true that it would take two
months to make a map of the downtown
district, is not this fact a very strong
reason Why your department should i'm
medlately commence to make a map
showing the situation in the city outside
Of the downtown district.
The resolution of the police board calls
for information covering the entire CITY.
III 1t is not at hand it certainly should be
gathered at once
So far the board has had no intimation
from you that you have taken any stem
Whatever in the matter of gathering this
information, or that you have given any
instruction in that direction to your sub
ordinates.
beg to repeat that what the board ex
poets from you is facts and not censorious
or executive action of any sort
VIII you kindly at Your earliest con-
vemence advise me through the mails
Whether we can expect the information
desired, or whether it will be necessary
TO procure 1t in some other way Re-
specially, ID. w. LAWYER.
WHAT CLAUssEN SAYS.
The letter was mailed to Mr.. Claussen
yesterday, but up to last night he had
not received it. Informed of its con-
tents, however, he refused to talk at
length until he had seen it in its entire
tY.
1T is a little early to discuss the let
ter before l have received it, said Mr.
Claussen. 4 am willing to aid the police
board as far as I can, but 1 must re-
peat that If the streets are in any way
INSTRUCTED, beyond the legal right, it is
entirely the fault of the police Those
interviews Mr.. Lawler takes exception to
are IN nowise exaggerated. I stand by
what mas been credited to me-