The Saint Paul globe., 1904-01-23

Failure upon the part of County Au-
ditor Krahmer to have ready to sub
NIT to the county commissioners de-
tailed statement of the condition of the
new county Jail fund necessitated the
postponement of action which was to
have resulted in an order for another
bond issue.
The board met in special session
yesterday for the purpose of taking
some action to relieve the embarrassing
situation In which they find themselves
regarding the Jail fund, but the neg
lect on the part of the county auditor
to furnish the necessary information
made it impossible for the board to
order another issue of bonds or take
any other action whatever.
The matter has been before the coun-
ty board for some time, and was to
have been disposed of last Monday,
but the statement from County Auditor
Krahmer setting forth the condition of
the Jail fund was not submitted to the
board, and the matter was laid over
until yesterday to give the auditor
more time in which to prepare the
statement. 1t has now been almost
two weeks since the statement was
| first requested, and when 1t was not
forthcoming at yesterdays meeting,
held especially for the purpose of taxi
ing action on the jail matter, some of
the commissioners took advantage of
the opportunity to express themselves in
language not at all complimentary to
County Auditor Krahmer.
Must Issue More Bonds.
The bills now outstanding against
the Jail fund aggregate more than S13,-
600, and the commissioners see no way
out Of the predicament but to issue
more bonds. The matter was on Mon
day referred to the finance committee
of the board, made up of Commission
ers Powers, Nash and Gray, and this
committee is said to be ready to re-
port favorably upon bond issue when
the matter again comes before the
board.
1t is stated that the contemplated
issue of new bonds will be for $4,000,
the additional amount being provided
for the purpose of taking care of 'fu-
ture incidental expenses" in connec-
ton with the construction of the new
jail
When it was learned that it would
| be impossible for the board to take the
matter up yesterday, owing to the
sionerS devoted an hour to Wrangling
over road matters.
Mayor Smith, chairman of the board,
informed the board that his attention
had been called to the impossible con-
dition of the Crosby road. The COM
plant came from the postofflce depart
ment, and the threat was made that II
the road was not repaired that the
service Of the rural mail delivery route
oil hi 4 ho
A suggestion that the road be re-
paired again brought up the question
of whether such work was to be con-
Sidered repairing or Improvement OF
roads. The county attorney has held
that the board has right to appropri-
ate money to improve roads, but notre-
pair them; the latter work is said to be
the duty of the town boards.
Towns Must Repair Roads.
Commissioner Nash suggested that
Commissioner Wright, in whose dis
trict the road was located, be empoW-
cred to have it repaired.
l want to know whether the work
will be paid for before order it done"
said Commissioner Wright. II won't
put men to work there and then have
them wait for months for their
money"
The county has no authority to re-
pair the road said Assistant County
Attorney O'Neill. Let the town boards
pay for it,
But the town boards will not do it,"
said Commissioner Powers
THAT is not the fault of this board, I"
replied Mr.. ONeill.
We'll, we want this work DONE" said
Mr.. Powers.
There are great many things this
board would like to have done; some
of them right here in town." said Mr..
O'Neill, "but they are matters over
which this board has no control"
/ suppose you are hitting at me on
the Dale street cross town line,' said
Mr.. Powers, hotly, and Mr.. O'Neilrs
| only denial was smile.
Let us order the work without the
consent of the county attorney" sug-
| gested Commissioner Nash. 1--WE might
as we'll get this road matter into the
courts and see where we stand; the
county attorney is not the whole thing"
But he tries to be with this board"
| said Mr. Powers, who was in bad tenn
per. He objects to everything we try
to do"
I'VE only quote the law to you," said
Mr.. O'Neill. I'VE will not approve
bills contracted contrary to law; if you
think we are wrong go ahead and do
the work without our opinions You
may have some trouble in getting the
bills paid, but 1T will give you a chance
to see who is upheld by the courts"
Mr.. O'NeilIs challenge was not ac-
cepted, and the matter of repairing the
Crosby road is still unsolved.