The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-09
WILL not INSIST
The Donors Of Statue, Father Of
Waters Give Council Chance
to Reconsider.
Council Refers Letter to Special
Committee Petition to Pre-
serve Old City Hall,

There is a possibility that the old city
hall at Bridge Square will not be RACED for
some time Those who take a unitarian
view of the proposition to convert the site
into park. as a setting. for the statue
know as The Father of Waters have
caused opposition to the plan and rather
than have any friction over a tier OF
this kind, the donors are willing that the
council should reconsider the resolution
for removing the old city hall. The COM
munication to the council on this matter.
which was read at last nights meeting is
as follows
'Gentlemen: In view of the somewhat
adverse criticism from certain quarters of
the proposition to locate the statue, The
Father of Waters" on the site Of the old
city hall. we who offered the statue for
erection on; that site wish to say to your
honorable body that after comforting about
the matter we have concluded that 1t is
perhaps not altogether fair to you to in
sist upon the erection of the statue at
that point. While of the opinion that this
statue would confer greater benefit upon
the city and the public II erected there
than if placed anywhere else. we do not
wish the conversion of the old city hall
site into park at our suggestion to be-
come a source of embarrassment to YOU
We, therefore, address this comnuni-
cation to YOU to say that, while we are
prepared to carry out our proposition and
place the statue on the old city hall site
when the ground has been made ready,
we wish you to feel at liberty to recon
slider your action in that connection If you
think best.
: Thanking you for your co-operati ton
and courtesy In this matter we are, re-
spectfully
John De Laittre,
WIN. H. Dunwoody,
IT. H. Shevlin,
"-Et al.
''All by R. D. Herrick, duly authorized
agent
The communication was referred to a
special committee of one alderman from
each ward, consisting of the following:
Alderman Dwyer. chairman; Aldermen
Gerber, Chatf1eld, Nye, Merrill, Rand, Nc
Laskey, Powers, Mccoy, Peter Nelson. A.
S. Adams and Shoemaker.
Petition Also Referred.
To this same committee was referred
an official communication from Mayor j.
C. Haynes in which he gives his reasons
for not signing the resolution and urges
the council to reconsider its action. Also
a petition signed by forty one citizens and
business firms protesting against the OBJ
liberation Of the old building.
The petition recites that the old build
ing is respectable and useful structure
that may be devoted to many public pur-
poses, or so given to private purposes tina
good income may be received from it.
It is appropriate for a public library cen
trail station, reading-rooms, clubrooms.
police headquarters, museum or otherSpub
lie uses.
Among the individuals and business
houses signing the petition are: William
Donaldson & Co., John w. Thomas & Co.,
G. F. Gordon, Yerxa Bros & Co., e. G..
Potter, A. H. Young, Daniel Fish, w. A.
= p~,,t~
Mendenhal B. F. Nelson, l.. M. Stewart,
S. G. Tuthill, John E. Bell.
Mayor Haynes First Veto.
Mayor Haynes first veto was read. It
was used on the ordinance granting per-
mission to construct subway from the
Guaranty building to the new Walton
block for the latter's heating. The alder
men realized that the ordinance did not
safeguard properly the interests of the
city and declined to repass 1t over the
veto.
from the side-paths was sent back to the
committee having this matter in charge.
Several attempts we're made In charge.
on the council to make an appropriation
of $500 for illuminating the streets to be
devoted to the Elks carnival and street
fair. A motion to take the money from
the lighting fund was lost. A motion to
use a part OF the contingent 1und would
have carried but it was discovered that
there was no money in the fund. A reso-
luton directing the General Electric COM
pany to place thirty arc lights on the
fair grounds became rather ineffective
when Alderman Holmes had the word
permitted" substituted for directed
Peterson's Bill Allowed.
The sum Of $3.50 was voted to Former
Alderman Claus 0. Peterson to re- imburse
him for the contest for the seat Of Alder
man eWstphal There were but two votes
against the bill, those Of Aldermen A. E.
Merrill and G. A. Westphal. The latter
explained that the matter was delicate
one with him. but he considered the prec-
edent a bad one and he could not there
fore support it.
Auditorium Committee.
At the request Of the auditorium COM
mittee of the Commercial club a special
committee was appointed to cooperate
with them. It consists of President
Jones, Aldermen Gerber Chatf1eld, Nye.
Rand Powers and Schoonmaker.
The council accepted the invitation OF
c. j. Goodrich of the Twin City Rapid
Transit company for Tuesday, May IL. to
inspect the plant Of the company here.
in st. Paul and in Saltwater.
TIT REkT VTnWCII NnrT