The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-01-02
Dash to Board Prisoners.


for the ensuing year, and the chairman
of the board was authorized to lease to
Mr.. Dash the dwelling now used as the
sheriffs residence.
The action means that the sheriff of
the county, who for years past has oc-
cupied the residence in connection with
the Jail, is not to be granted that priv
ilege for the year 1903 The outcome
will undoubtedly be stiff legal fight,
as Sheriff-elect Butchart proposes to
contest the action of the board.
The bid of w. w. Butchart, the
sheriff-e elect, was the first one opened
at the meeting of the commissioners
yesterday afternoon. 1t provided for
the regulation three meals per day for
each prisoner, at thirteen cents per
meal, the bidder agreeing to furnish
fuel for the kitchen range, and also
soap.
Mr.. Dash, in his bid, agreed to fur
nish the prisoners with meals at eleven
cents per meal per prisoner, and all
the coal needed in the kitchen He
also agreed to pay 1920 year for the
dwelling now used as the sheriffs resi-
dence, the light, heat and water for
the building to be furnished by the
county.
Robert H. Hare, at present a deputy
sheriff, submitted bid which went
into detail regarding the food to be fur
nished the prisoners He made two
propositions, one of which was to fur
nish the meals at ten and one-half
cents per meal per prisoner. The other
provided for meals at twelve cents per-
L..
food, light and heat, with the provision
that the kitchen, range and storeroom
in connection with the building be at
his disposal.
Other bids were furnished by Edwin
Olson, at eleven and one-half cents per
meal, providing the county furnishes
the fuel and range; L. w. Smith, nine
cents per meal, with coal and wood
furnished, and ten cents per meal with
out, the bidder to keep range in re-
pair; and A. Blanchet, sixteen cents per
meal.
The bid of Mr.. Smith was for a
period of two years, and the board OBJ
jected to it's being received. Mr.. Smith
agreed to change it to read for one
year, but it was finally admitted in it's
original form.
Mr. Blanchet did not offer his bid un-
til after the others had been opened,
and his. too was object ad II h7,+ VIC
finally admitted
The only two bids considered were
IT," later : Z Il -egal representative.
present in the person of Attorney
Thomas, who argued that the other
bidders had not said what they would
furnish for the prices stated, and that,
therefore, the county board did not
know that the prisoners would be prop
erly fed. Members of the board ar
gued that the advertisement for bids
had not called for anything of the
nature that Mr.. Hare had presented,
and that, therefore, the bids of the
others were perfectly regular
After fifteen minute recess, in
which the bids were discussed, the
committe on claims and accounts, con-
sisting of Commissioners Patterson,
kugler, McInnis and Kauppi, introduce
ed a resolution to the effect that the
bid of Mr.. Dash be accepted. and that
he be required to furnish a surety bond
of $500; and another resolution that the
offer of Mr.. Dash to pay $420 year
for the use of the Sheriff's residence
be accepted, and that the chairman of
the board be authorized to enter into q
lease, the rent to be paid in monthly
installments of $35, in advance. Both
resolutions were adopted unanimously.
The legality of the leasing of the
sheriffs residence to one other than the
sheriff is questioned by many, but the
members of the board insist they have
perfect right to do so, in that the new
law, changing the compensation of the
sheriff from fee system to a salary
basis, does not provide that he be given
the Jail for a residence.
Il see no reason why the board
should not lease the residence" said
Assistant County Attorney Crosby.
THE sheriff, under the new law, is paid
salary of $4,000 year, and no pro-
vision is made for his occupying the
dwelling in connection with the Jail. If
the county had a piece of ground not
in use, there would certainly be no OBJ
lection to leasing it to somebody for
potato patch, or something else. And
the same applies to the dwelling in
connection with the JAIL
1T was all a put-up job" said
Sherlff-elect Butchart and 1 propose to
see whether the county board can keep
me out of the Jail. I have secured the
opinions of some af the Duluth attor-
neys, who think that 1 am right, and
I will contest the action, which I con-
slider deprives me of my just rights
1.-THE sheriff of any county is respon-
sible for his prisoners, and how can
man see to them properly at all times
unless he lives in the Jail? The build
ing was put up for that purpose, and it
is his rightful place. The man to
whom the lease of the building was
given will have nothing to do with the
Jail, and therefore should not be in
there.
There We're several OF Us in the race
for the nomination to the office of
sheriff, and won out. Later 1 was
elected, and it has evidently made bad
feelings to the extent that some people
are trying to rub it in."-News Trib-