The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-10
CITY NEWS.
NEEDS POINTED OUT.
April Term Grand Jury Goes After.
Several City Institutions
With vigor.
Mont Collection Of Delinquent Taxes
Occasion for Criticism Of
the Sheriff.

After a thoro investigation of city and
bounty institutions and somewhat of a
struggle as to It's recommendations the
April term of the grand jury has con-
demned the workings of the city hospital.
the city workhouse and the health and
hospital committees Of the city council.
The sheriff's office also comes in for
share Of the general roast on account OF
the non collection of delinquent personal
property taxes.
The report was completed and together
with nine indictments was handed to
Judge Elliott last evening. No other bust
ness was left and the court discharged tho
jury from further duty.
Unsolicited Taxes.
The non collection of personal property |
taxes is the first subject taken up. The |
report deals with the known fact that
thousands of dollars would come into the |
to pay up and says: t
That as practice appears to have grown up and |
been followed in this county for years by the |
county officials, by which when personal prop
erty taxes have become delinquent and warrants |
Tor the same have been placed in the hands Of |
the sheriffs, in but few instances have the |
amounts due evidenced by these warrants !
been collected but in the vast majority of cases
such warrants have been returned with the !
return made thereon that the persons owing |
the taxes could not be found, that after due |
and diligent search property, could be found |
belonging to the persons charged with such taxes
out Of which the same could be made, while |
the county and city records show that such per- |
sons. at the time of the returns, were not only |
residents In this county, but were possessed of |
ample property. which. II distrained and sold.
would have paid the taxes and to us 1t is incon-
eeivable how any such return could have been
made as mot found.' or mo goods and chattels |
found which can be distrained and sold for
such taxes" Due and diligent search could not
have been made. |
Such returns false, because returns have
been made as "not found to many of the
leading business and professional men of the
county; men who have lived here for years and
been the owners of real estate, we'll furnished
houses horses carriages, valuable libraries and
various other kinds of personal property, while
warrants against such persons have been returned
& mot found"
the grossest abuse and violation of public and
official duty. and cannot censure too highly
the officers and their deputies who have made
such returns. Again, upon the return of these
warrants in regular proceedings, judgments have
been entered and attempts whatever have
been made under such judgments to collect the
taxes.
Cancelled Taxes.
Again, many Of these taxes have been against
persons whose property could have been levied
on and the taxes realized, and yet in numerous
instances taxes have been cancelled by the coun-
ty commissioners. think, without proper
investigation, and the taxes have been lost
1t seems to us that proper investigation, or even
very cursory and partial Investigation would
have enabled the county commissioners to have
ascertained that these taxes could have been
collected.
reasonable. unjust without excuse and a gross
violation Of public and official duty, the whole
course Of procedure showing that persons who
live In a manner and style indicating that they
are social business and professional leaders in
the community have for years escaped their pay
ment of taxes and thus imposed additional
burden upon the honest taXpaying citizens of
the county and this has been caused by official
carelessness and almost criminal negligence of
duty.
We also refer to another matter of negligence
and careessness, and that is, in many instances
the assessors assess property in the wrong or
sinearrecta names ownerawhen= a<yeryslittle
#fcare and attention would make such mistakes
impossible. e <ssF,
We most respectfully suggest that proper, steps
be taken to forever stop such practice and to
collect all tax judgments of record, and we
think that the public attention having been called
Ato this matter. the voters will hereafter see
that are selected for public office who will
perform their duties in faithful, honest and
just manner and as the laws Of the state pre-
scribe. .t- t"
The Poor Farm.
The county poor farm was examined by us on
May 2e thoro inspection was made and
everything found In a satisfactory condition. The
food furnished the inmates wholesome and
no complaints whatever were made. The build
tngs and grounds are kept neat and clean.
City Hospital.
We find that there has been instituted during
the superihtendency Of Dr.. Henry S.. Nelson an
excellent system of bookkeeping at the city
hospital.
patients has largely Increased. We are of the
opinion that DR.. Nelson has been too strict in
refusing to admit to the hospital without pay
~ Inent any persons who not absolutely help
& less and unable to find lodging elsewhere, also
that he has been too harsh in exacting payment
from some patients who were in really needy
g circumstances.
4 Nevertheless We recognize the fact that the ap.
! preparation for maintenance has been made
I qunte and that the partial diversion of the city
hospital from its proper function of charitable
kl institution to that of money-mak1ng 1nst1tu-
e ton has been largely matter of necessity. We
find that DR.. Nelson has steadfastly refused, ex-
cept In a few dire emergencies, to receive any
leases Of delirium tremens, temporary dementia,
insane persons awaiting the action of the pro-
I bate court such insane as have been returned
from state hospitals under recent law.
IL A crying need Is the construction of suit
able ward for the reception of these classes
of patients. 1t cruel to throw such
patients back upon the city lookup where there
are absolutely no facilities for their care, but it
is also cruel to place them in of the exist
( ing wards where their screams and rawlings
disturb the whole hospital
The status Of the emergency ambulance sery-
Y ice be summed up In one sentence There
is none. The only ambulance attached to the
city hospital is one used for the purpose of
transporting the sick whose chief need is careful
II handling. It Is wholly unsuitable for rapid
driving. 1t is our opinion that there should be
attached to the police department an emergency
ambulance in charge of police surgeon. There
Ii should also be second ambulance attached to
4 the city hospital for the transportation of con
tagious We find that the ambulance OF
= the department Of health has been in almost
daily use for the transportation of smallpox
cases. and that the same ambulance has beer
used for the transportation of all the diphtheria
scarlet fever, measles and erysipelas cases tt
the city hospital
We call attention to the serious danger OF
spreading contagion involved in this method
of handling contagious cases. We commend the
faithful work of Miss Bertha Erdmann, super
1ntendent of the training school for nurses
There should be provided for this school
small, we'll selected reference library.
s The Workhouse
We find the warehouse in good condition ant
well cared for, except in few particulars
Upon examining the books kept in connection
with the city workhouse we discovered that
large share. of the transactions appeared to b
kept temporarily on memorandum slips only; W
recommend that such methods be at once discon
tinued and that hereafter any and all transac
Il tions, at the time they take place. be entered i
proper hooks kept for such purpose.
We further report that while inspecting tn
building containing the cells and dungeon, mem
bers of this jury were informed; by. Assistan
Superintendent Hoban that Ida johnson,
morphine fend, was ut that time locked up /
the dungeon for refusing to perform labor, plead
1 ing inability account of being ill, whereupo
said Hoban was requested by said jurymen
unlock said dungeon, which done, said Id
johnson lying upon the cement floor of sal
dungeon with nothing else for bed beddin