The Saint Paul globe., 1903-03-17
WILL Get AFTER
THE TAX DODGERS
County Commissioners Will
Devise Means to Get De-
linquents to Settle.

The board of county commissioners
held another strenuous meeting yester-
day and several times during the ses-
sion, when two or more members were
on the floor trying to speak at the same
time, Mayor Smith was compelled to
rap for order. The meeting lasted more
than three hours. and did not lag for
an instant.
Commissioner Powers again brought
up the matter of delinquent personal
taxes, and freely criticised the efforts
made to collect them.
These delinquent personal taxes
amount to almost enough now to build
another county jail" said Commission
er Powers, and there is no reason why
the greater part Of this money should
not be collected. The sheriff should go
right after these delinQuents, and if
they refuse to settle, let him levy on
their goods. Most of the deIinuuents
are people who have lived here many
years and are able to pay The trouble
is, they have been treated so Ieniently
In the past that they believe they do
not have to pay unless they desire to-"
Other members of the board agreed
with Mr.. Powers and it was decided to
go after the tax dodgers" at once and
compel them to pay up without fur
ther delay. 1t was suggested that,
NAAOiO IAC dlllOulI Oh IneSe QellnQuent
taxes be deducted from the sheriff's
bills 1t might result in more activity on
ms part In making collections, but an
investigation proved that there were
no more delinquent taxes under the
regime of Sheriff Justus than there had
peen under other sheriffs. The matter
VIII De taken up at an adjourned meet
ing to be held Thursday, at which time
some plan will be devised whereby
these delinquents can be compelled TO
settle.
When the matter Of claims was
reached there was a set-to between
commissioners Wright and Pottgfeser
Both are members of the claim COM
mlttee, and a number of claims were
before the board which had only the
signature OF Commissioner Wright. Mr.
Pottgleser was not in favor of allowing
the claims until he had had time to
look them over, while Commissioner
Wright insisted that they were all
right, and that if Commissioner Pott-
g1eser had desired to investigate them
he should have attended the meeting
or the claims committee last Saturday.
Ihe bills are approved by the coun-
" attorney, and there is no reason
why they should be held I'D any long
err" insisted Mr.. Wright.
don't care rap what the county
attorney has done" said Mr.. Pott-
gleser. L am a member of that COM
m1ttee on claims and will not vote to
allow them until 1 have looked them
over. L want to know what I am doing
When l vote the county's money away"
We'll. then, you should have been at
the committee meeting; don't come
around kicking now" said Commits
sloner Wright, who was not in the best
of humor.
L will have you know, sir, that I was
saturday, and I didn't drop nv work
as soon as the clock struck 5, either. I
worked until o'clock, and finished my
work, while some Of you fellows were
afraid to work after s."
The bills to which Mr.. Pottgieser OBJ
jected were finally held up until he
could have an opportunity to examine
them.
The election of a vice chairman of
the board, an Office created by the pres
ent legislature, developed into a spirit
ed, but good-natured, contest, Com
missioner Gray being elected on the
fifth ballot. His opponents were Com
missioner Wright and Seng.
Before adjourning the board went
INTO secret session and considered a
number of matters in connection with
the new county Jail. The members of
the board had heard that rumors were
being circulated to the effect that the
steel used in the construction of the
cells of the building was not UP to the
standard. and $25 was appropriated in
order that the quality Of the steel
might be tested. Resolutions were
passed providing for the removal of
the prisoners to the new building not
later than March 81, and for the dis
mantling of the temporary Jail as sec 4
as vacated.
The board will meet again Thursday
morning