The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-03
THEY MUST PAY
THE LIVERY BILLS
No Legal Way for Commission
ers to Saddle This Expense
Upon Taxpayers.

/ The members of the board Of county
| commissioners are in the air over the
| recent decision which holds the 1903
road and bridge law to be Illegal, car
| rying with it, as the decision does, the
authority Of the commissioners to hire
carriages at the county's expense for
| the purpose of inspecting county roads.
| Some of the members of the board
declare they will never go out to in
spect another road if they have to do
| it at their own expense. The question
was discussed at some length at the
meeting of the board yesterday, but
Assistant County Attorney O'Neill was
| firm in his ruling that the commission
| ers had no right to inspect the roads
at the expense of the county.
The matter first came up at the
meeting a week ago, and has been
causing the members of the board con-
| siderable worry ever since. 1t was the
first question brought up for discussion
at yesterdays meeting.
Commissioner PottgieSer thought
there should be some way devised to
meet the expense. He said it was
necessary for the commissioners to
look over the county roads, and he did
not believe it right to compel them TO
do so at their own expense.
Commissioner Nash was the most
| radical supporter of some plan where
by the county would have to pay the
expense. He had plan which Woulo
| get around the letter of the law, ana
| suggested that the board vote a $50
| contingent fund to the president, the
amount to be used for team hire. When
| this amount was used up, another 500
| could be voted. Such a plan was per-
fectly legitimate, he thought, but As
sistant County Attorney O'Neill did
not agree with him.
! THE salary of $500 per year which
| the county pays you Is supposed to
| cover expenses for team hire" said Mr..
| O'Neill. There is not a county in the
state where the board is allowed for
team hire"
"The plan I suggested is perfectly
legitimate said Mr.. Nash. Pass my
resolution and let anyone who desires
stop by mandamus proceedings. The
legality of such action could soon be
settled"
Mr.. O'Neill said such action would
not be legal, and Commissioner Gray,
acting chairman, said he wanted no
such fund if 1t was not legal.
Commissioner Wright thought there
was nothing for the members to do in
| the matter but furnish their own rigs.
| Mr.. Nash's motion was voted down,
whereupon Commissioners Nash and
Pottgieser declared they would not
| make any more trips of inspection into
the country.
The discussion finally ended with
Assistant County Attorney O'Neill the
victor, and hereafter the members of
the county board who inspect the roads
throughout the county will do so at
the expense Of some other than the
taxpayers.
Can't Make It No Water No Pay.
The allowance of an estimate for the
drilling Of the arteSian wells at White
Bear lake brought forth protest from
Commissioner Pottgieser who wanted
to know il there was a stipulation in
| the contract that water must be Sc
cured before there was any allowance.
Mr.. O'Nein was of the opinion that
there was no such stipulation in the
contract, but he held that the board
had the power to stop the work at any
time it desired to do so.
The board was informed that the
contractor was down but $50 feet, and
it was decided that he should be given
a fair chance. 1t was thought a flow
of water would be struck soon.
There was a decided objection to
the allowance of bill for SIS, pre-
sented for approval by Court Com
ctooioiIei ddiIIch. Inc plll was lOf
the services of the court commissioner
while acting in the place of Probate
Judge Bazille during the temporary
absence of the latter. Mr.. Gallick had
acted in two insane cases, and put in
a bill for $3.50 for each, the usual fee.
When the board was informed that the
probate judge was to receive his fees
in addition to the amount demanded by
Court Commissioner Gallick, the bill
was allowed, but the members were of
the opinion that Judge Bazille should
provide for the payment of any person
who might act in his place during his
absence. 1t was suggested that the
amount should be deducted from the
salary Of Judge Bazille. The bill was
finally allowed, after some argument,
Commissioners Nash and Seng being
the only members who opposed it.