The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-16
OPPOSE THE RUNNER
COMMERCIAL CLUB TAKES THE
INITIATIVE IN FIGHT ON HO-
TEL ADVANCE GUARDS
DECLARES THEM A NUISANCE
Aid. Enauft Introduces an Ordi-
nance Providing for the AbOI-
ishment of This Fra
tcrnity.

The Punishment of the hotel runner, in
the shape of an ordinance repeating the
present act allowing such, brought a
representative body of citizens to the city
hall yesterday afternoon. The object Of
the gathering was for the purpose of i'm
pressing upon the committee on streets
Of the board of aldermen the desirability
of giving the repeating act their APP
proval.
President II. A. Boardman, of the Com
mercial club, who headed the delegation,
took the initiative in informing the MEM
hers that the public demanded the retire
ment Of the hotel runner, and submitted
heavily signed petitions in proof of the
plea One Of the petitions bore the names
of the Retail Clerks association, while
another carried the signatures of many
of the leading retail dry goods stores ana
other lines of business.
1.-The hotel runer," said Mr.. Board
man, lis thing Of the past. No other
city has them, and as they now exist
their methods are bar to st. PauFs ad-
vancement Minneapolis has done away
with them, and many travellers, know
ing Of their experience in the past with
this class, pass st. Paul by rather than
be again bothered by them. The mem
bers of this body owe it to st. Paul to
pass the ordinance doing away with
them"
Aid Dobner admitted that the hotel
runner was in a manner obsolete, but
said, even with the passage of the ordi-
rance, the trade Of the runner would not
be curtaned. There are men running on
the railroads and who have access to the
depot who do such work, and these we
cannot control"
Thomas Cochran at this juncture arose
to add his voice in support Of the passage
Of the repeating ordinance but a mem
Der of the Hotel Runners union asked
for postponement until their legal ad-
wiser could be heard and it was granted.
IT'S only fair that both sides should
have q hearing in this matter" said Mr..
Dobner, and to this NJ. Cochrane agreed.
At Mr.. Dobner's suggestion the matter
was postponed for two weeks
The ordinance repeating the present
runners act was introduced by Aid.
Knauft. and opposition to it's passage has
developed from some of his brother al
dermen. The members OF the Commercial
club and other organizations by whom
the matter has been discussed extensive
~, say the runner, in many instances, has
developed into ways that are devious,
and they intend to work to the end Of his
adjustment.
In addition to many representative cit
liens who attended the meeting, a special
committee from the Commercial club
were present, as follows: E. S. Durment,
J. c. Michael w S. FIynt, C. B. Bowlby,
H F. Waterous. Jacob Mannheimer, II.
A Boardman. c. P. Slime, John Caulfeld,
George L. Wilson, ]. W. L. Corning, A.
G. Bradbury and Thomas Cochran.
That the ground might be gone over
thoroughly and the committee supplied
with Instances of nefarious practices in
dulged in by some of the runners, Supt.
J. r. Mcmillan. of the union depot, and
John Kelly. of Kelly Bros & Foley, were
in attendance, but did not have an oppor-
tunity of talking owing to the postpone
ment.
At the next meeting those interested
will come forward fully prepared to in
sist on the passage Of the repeating or
dinance.