The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-28

which is to follow Alderman Fred Pow
ers' sensational charges of attempted
bribery in the city council by Representa- e ia.
tives of a-certain hose company. Some
startling revelations are expected ana
matters Of interest to the grand jury may
develop.
Alderman Westphal, chairman OF the IN
yestigation committee, announced this
that he would call a meeting OF
the committee Wednesday next, and that
Alderman Powers would then be given the
fullest opportunity to substantlate MS
charges in every particular. The commit
tee, he declared, would probe the charges
as deeply as possible and no attempt to
vyhitewash them would be countenanced-
Alderman Powers in conference with
Chairman Westphal this morning declared
that he would have some interesting de-
tailed information to divulge when the
committee meets. The exact nature of
his charges cannot be made public at this
time, but it is known that he will tell the
committee of direct attempt to bride
at least one member of the council. That
disclosures is indicated by the fact that
Mr.. Powers statements tending to in
criminate hose company representative
will not be uncorroborated.
Full Information Promised.
investigate this matter said Mr.. Powers,
"and / am prepared to give the commit
tee. information which may make a GER
tain individual run for cover. I know
what am talking about and my informa
tion is not based on hearsay. I received
it first hand I had spoken to several al
dermen about the charges, which 1 will
make at the committees pleasure, with the
idea Of putting them on their guard and If
h. to- b
No more brazen attempt was ever made in
the history of the city council to use
money for corrupt purposes than in the
present instance, and I intend to throw
! the searchlight on it as fully as possible
Alderman Harry McLaskey, acting pres
ident OF the city council. said that in APP
pointing the investigating committee, he
had been governed by the conviction thai
not a member Of the council could afford
to let such sensational charges OF eorrup-
| ton pass unheeded.s $500.
'It is my DESIRE he said, that this in
vestlgation shall be searching one which
! shall let no possible guilty man escape
| Alderman Powers will undoubtedly hav,
every opportunity to make his charges
good and it is up to him to do so
\ For myself can frankly say that I have
had no intimation before this that any at
tempt had been made to bride aldermen il
!
other respect. I certainly have not bee,
approached by any one who desired to in
f1uence my vote in favor of any interest.
Hose Contracts Always Troublesome
Within the memory Of the oldest coun
| Gilman there has been but one hose con
| test unmarked by disagreeable insinua
! lions. This single exception was foul
years ago, when the committee on fir,
department brought in a unanimous re
| port. The aldermen were so startled tina
| they adopted the report before they coult
| emerge from their daze.
Years ago it was customary to split u
/ the contracts among three or four OF tn
Heading hose firms whose bids were exact
ly alike. This naturally gave rise to TIL
i suspicion that the hose men were in
pool to keep prices at the top notch an
i to divide the profits. This arrangemer
, continued for some time in spite of tn
perennial charges Of a pool and an alder
manic combine to help it along.
. Then the pool If there was one, wa
!; disorganized by the appearance of a west
ern company. The new concern receive
, but the scantest courtesy until a certai
! alderman who was not on the fire depart
naent committee was instrume entail in hay
ing the committee relieved of the respOr
sibility of deciding the hose question. TIL
new company secured foothold, but hay
ing secured it was inclined to be magnaI
+ imous and let the other companies have
;, share Of the contract, which. provoke
some more talk.
Since the advent Of this company Il
disturbance and discord, over the ho
bids has been greater than ever and II
agents Of the various hose companies ha,
hustled and schened vigilantly-
One Way to Get Rain Goats.
Some Of their movements were deci,
edly suspicious, at least they provok,
[ the suspicious of q former alderman, wi
while in the council was prominent al
influential. He called down the hose m.
4 for their methods and asked them wi
they could not do business as it was dol
by reputable houses in other lines al
|.let their wares stand on their merits.
We'll what can we dc? replied one
the agents in an apologize manner. A
3 alderman comes into your store looks ov
l your line of fine mackintoshes, tries
2 one that suits and walks out, forgettir
to pay. What are you going to do abo
! it,
I The alderman admitted that the pro-
lem was a perplexing one. but he alwa,
! looked askance when he saw one OF l,
colleagues with new macintosh Of pa
: ticularly fine quality. This was son
years ago. however, and the story is n
germane to the Powers Investigation, e
cept in SO far as revealing that no
3 deals almost always have bad odor-
& JARRED THE COUNCIL