The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-28
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
WILL Be HEARD
AGAIN
Joint Court House and City
Hall Commission Decides
to Repair Bells and to Re
store Quarter Hour Ring
ing---Turns Down Tele-
phone Bill.

The Joint court house and city hall
I commission, at its monthly meeting
yesterday afternoon, adopted q resoIu-
| t1on offered by Commissioner Pott-
| geiser providing for repairs to the
chimes in the tower of the court house
building. The repairs will be made at
| once, and the musical bells which for
merly marked the quarter hours will
be heard again within a few DAYS.
Its a shame to keep those chimes
SILENT" said Mr.. Pottgeiser. in support
Of his resolution. While in Minneapo-
lis the other day 1 heard the chimes
from the court house of that city, and
right there decided that our chimes
should be repaired"
Inc resolution was adopted without
dissenting vote, and the necessary
repairs will be made as soon as posi-
BILE.
Object to the Telephone Bill.
The commission received something
or shock from the receipt of a bill
Tor .$lS7.l5 from the Northwestern Tel
ephone company. The bill is rental
for the telephone in the office of the
custodian at the rate of 81 per month
from January, 1901, and for "out-of-
town calls made from the telephone
during this period. The bill for out
side calls amounts to $80.95. The pres
entation of the account was the first
AI4IAAldtlOn Tie JOINT commission had
that such bill had been accumulat-
ing. and it was unanimously decided
to reject the bill
These out town calls have doubt
less been made by different persons
who walk into the custodian's office
and use the telephone without per-
mission, for the purpose of calling up
parties in Minneapolis or other places
where toll is charged" said Mayor
Smith. ''The company had no right
to allow this and to go on for more
than two years without presenting q
bill or informing the commission that
charge was being made for such
calls. So far as the rental of Sd per
month for the telephone in the custo-
dlanS office is concerned, l think the
matter should be investigated The
company agreed to furnish the build
ing With certain number of phones
free OF charge and allow a half rate
for any above the number. agreed on.
There is something wrong when a bill
for rental is allowed to run for two
years without an attempt being made
to collect it. There is one sure thing,
and that is that we cannot afford to
pay for every Tom, Dick and Harry
who sneaks into the custodian's office
and calls up Minneapolis and other
towns"
viii Make Investigation.
The other members of the commits
sion were of the same opinion as the
mayor and the bill was disallowed.
Between now and the next meeting
committee will call upon the tele-
phone company and demand an ex-
PLANTATION.
The unexpected action on the part
OF the Northwestern company has
caused the members of the Joint com
mission to order an investigation of
the relations between the commission
and the Twin City company. A year
ago last August the Twin City people
were allowed to install a. switchboard
and forty phones in the building, it
pelng agreed that the service should
be free for one year. This time ex
pired last August, but nothing was said
about the matter and no bill has been
presented for the service since that
time
n 1T would be a good plan to have an
understanding with the Twin City peo-
pie, said Assemblyman Van Slyke.
They may take a notion to present a
Dill for all of the phones in the build
ing, and demand payment for their
use from the expiration Of the time
during which the company agreed to
furnish them free. We had better find
out our position on this question before
the matter goes any farther"
The same committee which calls on
the Northwestern will ascertain the
attitude Of the Twin City people. and
should the company show a DISPOSE
ton to charge rental for the service
now afforded the building, it is likely
that many Of the phones will be or.
dered out.