The Saint Paul globe., 1903-02-17
WHITE BEAR {: 4; WELL
LOST TO COUNTY
Commissioner Powers De-
clares That the Board
Was E'BuncOed."

The members of the board of county
commissioners are now wondering
whether or not they were made the
victims Of buncO game when they
sunk $2,10O of the county's good money
in well at Wildwood
At the regular meeting of the COM
missioners yesterday Commissioner
Powers told the board in very plain
terms that it had been worked" Mr..
Powers believes the only one who will
ever receive any benefit from the we'll
is the Twin City Rapid Transit COM
pany, and he further believes that the
company had this condition of affairs
In mind when the well was first locat-
ed.
The well, sunk for the purpose of
helping to raise the level of White Bear
lake, was located at a point chosen
by the street car company, and, instead
OF being sunk near the lake, the loca-
ton chosen was one within ten feet
Of the power house of the street car
company on ground owned by the
company, and In Washington county,
at that. After the well was complet-
ed the street car company absolutely
refused to furnish the power for pump
ing purposes unless paid for it, and the
county now has but little use for the
WELL 's.--,--
Should the we'll be abandoned by
company could use to good advantage
the 500 gallons of water which it fur
nishes each minute, and, had the we'll
been sunk at the companys expense,
a more desirable location could not
have been selected. Any time the
company SO desires, 1T can prevent the
county using the well.
Commissioner Powers made some
rather strong insinuations during the
course of his remarks, being of the
opinion that the $2,100 already spent
on the well was as good as thrown
away.
The commissioners were in session
nearly all day yesterday, and at both
the forenoon and afternoon sessions
much red fire was burned. Many times
during the day different members be-
came involved in hot arguments over
some trivial matter, and the lie was
several times passed in a polite way.
The most important matter disposed
of by the commissioners yesterday was
the issuing of 100000 additional bonds
to defray expenses in the completion
of the new county Jail. Commissioner
Nash alone voted against the PROPOSE
ton. Bids for these bonds will be
advertised for at once, and the money
will be available by March Is. This
VIII bring the total amount of bonds
issued In connection with the new Jail
| up to $270,000, and more money will
be needed before the building is COM
pleted. The bonds which are to be is
| sued are to be in denominations of
| 5000, maturing in twenty years. They
| will draw 3R per cent interest
A communication from a number Of
/ taxpayers objecting to the quality of
| plaster being used at the Jail was read.
! It was brought out that, under the
! terms of the contract, the contractor
! had the right to choose the kind Of
| plaster to be used, and the county is
| unable to do anything about the mat
| ter. The commissioners, however, as
| sert that the plaster being used is as
! good as the adamant originally intend
| ed to be used,
| 1t was decided to ask the legislature
| to pass law placing the county sur
veyor on salary basis. A bill allow
| ing him $4,000 per year received the
| approval Of the members.
Commissioner Powers was anxious
| to know what provision was to be
made for carriage hire for the COM
| n1issioners who have to make trips to
| the country for the purpose of in
| specting roads. Bills of this kind had
been declared illegal by the county at
torney, and Mr.. Powers intimated that
| before he would pay his share of the
| rejected bills out of his own pocket he
would bring suit against the county. A
| bill will be presented to the legisla-
| ture providing for expenses incurred
| in this manner.