USA > Minnesota > Stearns County > History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 125
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The bonds of the city were issued in the sum of $18,000 to run for twenty years, $3,000 to be used for permanent improve- ments and $15,000 to pay the floating in- debtedness of the city.
The annual election resulted as follows: Mayor, D. W. Bruckart; treasurer, Charles
FABRISOM
ST. GERMAIN STREET-LOOKING WEST
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Dueber; aldermen, 1st ward, Martin Thurs- dale; 2nd ward, R. C. Junk; 3rd ward, James F. Bradford; 4th ward, Andrew Al- strom.
1894-95-John A. Wimmer was elected president of the council and James A. Mar- tin city clerk. The annual election held April 1, 1895, resulted as follows: Mayor, J. R. Boyd; treasurer, Charles Deuber; aldermen, 1st ward, G. W. Stewart; 2nd ward, N. P. Kraemer; 3rd ward, J. D. Kowalkowski; 4th ward, Peter Munsinger; 5th ward, O. F. Doyle; 6th ward, A. Parish; 7th ward, R. G. A. Cousens.
1895-96-G. W. Stewart was elected president of the council and James A. Mar- tin city clerk.
The annual election held in April, 1896, resulted as follows: Mayo, C. F. Ladner; treasurer, Charles Dueber; aldermen, 1st ward, C. L. Atwood; 2nd ward, John De- Leo; 3rd ward, Peter Spaniol; 4th ward, John Wimmer.
1896-97-President of the council, John A. Wimmer; city clerk, James A. Martin. The annual election, held April 5, 1897, resulted as follows: Mayor, Samuel Mack- rell; treasurer, John M. Rosenberger; aldermen, 1st ward, J. F. Stephens; 2nd ward, John Coates; 3rd ward, J. F. Brad- ford; 4th ward, Chris Schmitt.
1897-98-President of the council, James F. Bradford; city clerk, James A. Martin. In the fall of 1897, a city lock-up was built at a total cost of $1,287.51.
The annual election April 4, 1898, re- sulted as follows: Mayor, J. A. McDonald; treasurer, John M. Rosenberger; aldermen, 1st ward, Louis E. Wakeman; 2nd ward, C. D. Grinols; 3rd ward, J. D. Kowalkow- ski; 4th ward, Peter Munsinger; 5th ward, O. F. Doyle; 6th ward, G. S. Purvis; 7th ward, Fred H. Whitney.
1898-99-President of the council, C. L. Atwood; city clerk, James A. Martin. The St. Cloud Gas & Electric company agreed to furnish electric lights at $80 per arc lamp per year. All the gas lamps were discontinued. The annual election, held April 3, 1899, resulted as follows: Mayor, J. A. McDonald; treasurer, Henry J. Rosen- berger; aldermen, 1st ward, C. L. Atwood; 2nd ward, A. L. Cramb; 3rd ward, Peter Spaniol; 4th ward, J. L. Uptegrove.
1899-1900-President of the council, C. L. Atwood; city clerk, James A. Martin.
The contract for constructing the Fourth avenue sewer, in sewer district No. 1, was awarded August 8 to Webster & Blake for $18,050.31. Extra work brought the total to $20,745.49. The contract for building the stone arch sewer in sewer district No. 2, was awarded January 1, 1900, to Carl Kropp for $4,354.00.
On January 2, 1900, on the recommenda- tion of City Attorney G. W. Stewart, the Lake George boulevard improvement, known as improvement No. 22, was aban- doned. The city engineer was directed to prepare descriptions, plans and specifica- tion for a new improvement. On March 5th these were presented and adopted, and the improvement designated improvement No. 97. The actual cost of the improve- ment was $23,000.00, and the Board of Public Works was directed to assess $5,000 of this amount against the benefited property.
The annual election held April 2, 1900, resulted as follows: Mayor, J. A. McDon- ald; treasurer, John M. Rosenberger; aldermen, 1st ward, J. F. Stephens; 2nd ward, John DeLeo; 3rd ward, Andrew Hennemann; 4th ward, Chris. Schmitt.
1900-01-President of the council, James F. Stephens; James A. Martin city clerk. The city attorney was instructed to advise the council upon the following points:
First, whether or not the city could off- set damages sustained by private water consumers, for the fact that the water was impure, against hydrant rentals earned by the Water Works company under the ordi- nance. Second, if not, what remedy the city had to insure a performance of the contract in regard to the furnishing of pure water. On the first point he held that the council had no legal right to deduct damages sustained by domestic consumers from the contract price for hydrant rental, and he cited a number of supreme court decisions to support his opinion. On the second point it was his opinion that the first step to be taken was to have the state board of health approve a system of filtra- tion and purification of the water before it is pumped into the mains, as the ordi- nance which governs the company provides that this shall be done. If the company failed to put in such filters and purifying processes as the state board of health should approve, then there would be three
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remedies open to the city. First, by the forfeiture of the franchises and rights of the company under the ordinance. Second, by an action for the specific performance of the contract. Third, by an action of mandamus.
The matter was taken up by the city board of health with the state board of health at the request of the council.
The Water Works company was duly re- quested to provide filtered water, but they asked for time to look up the matter and ascertain what was the best method of filtering. After waiting six months for some action from the company, the coun- cil appointed a committee to investigate and consider the matter and to recommend some definite action to be taken. The com- mittee reported that the water was not being filtered and that no effort was being made to filter it; that samples had been sent to the state board of health, who pronounced it impure and unwholesome; and that many cases of typhoid fever existed in the city for which the water was probably responsible. They recom- mended that, unless the company fur- nished pure and wholesome water at once, steps should be taken to annul the con- tract and the city assume charge of the plant.
On October 23 the board of directors of the St. Cloud Public library petitioned the council to increase the tax levy for library purposes from one-half mill to one mill, the additional revenue over and above what is received from the one-half mill to be set aside as a building fund.
On February 21, 1901, the mayor trans- mitted to the council an offer of Andrew Carnegie to put up a free library building costing $25,000, on condition that $2,500 be appropriated annually for maintenance and that a proper and suitable site for such building be provided. The Reading Room society provided the site and the council passed an ordinance for levying $2,500 per year for the maintenance and support of the library. All the conditions having been compiled with, Mr. Carnegie provided the funds and the building was con- structed.
The annual election held April 2 resulted as follows: Mayor, J. R. Boyd; treasurer, J. M. Rosenberger; aldermen, 1st ward, John Schaefer; 2nd ward, C. D. Grinols;
3rd ward, J. D. Kowalkowski; 4th ward, John C. Crever; 5th ward, O. F. Doyle; 6th ward, David McCarty; 7th ward, Gus. Free- berg ..
1901-02-Chris Schmitt was elected pres- ident of the council, and Henry J. Lim- perich city clerk.
On June 3, 1901, the Water Works com- pany's bill of $4,025.00 for hydrant rentals was recommended by the committee to be not paid until the company supplied pure and wholesome water suitable for domestic purposes. The report was referred to the city attorney, who reported at a subse- quent meeting that the city had good cause of action against the water works com- pany, and recommended that the commit- tee's report be adopted, which was done.
At the following meeting of the council a committee representing the second mort- gage bondholders of the water works plant sent in a communication in which they stated that it would cost to put in an adequate sand filter, having a capacity of 3,000,000 gallons per day, from $55,000 to $60,000; that a first-class mechanical filter would cost about $40,000; and that the cost of operating either kind would be not less than $2,500, and would probably reach $3,000 per year. This expense, they be- lieved, made it impossible for them to put in such a system. They proposed, how- ever, to put down wells on the upper levee, and undertake to secure an adequate sup- ply of pure and wholesome water, if the council would allow the hydrant rentals then due. This was answered by a motion instructing the city attorney to institute and prosecute such suits and actions and take such legal steps as might, in his judgment be proper to cancel, annul, re- voke, vacate and set aside ordinance No. 74 of the ordinances of the city and all contracts, rights, franchises and privileges granted thereby to Henry Phelps, Edmund G. Sykes and David D. Brooks, for having failed to comply with the terms and condi- tions of the ordinance, and in particular for having failed to filter and purify the water furnished in a manner approved by the state board of health. This motion was adopted by an 8 to 5 vote, and D. T. Calhoun was employed to assist the city attorney in the case.
The Industrial Trust Company, of Provi- dence, R. I., first mortgage bondholders,
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brought suit against the city in the federal courts for water rentals due, but the case was dismissed on the city filing a demurrer to the complaint. A new suit was then started in the district court.
The annual city election held April 7 resulted as follows: Mayor, J. E. C. Rob- inson; treasurer, John M. Rosenberger; aldermen, 1st ward, C. L. Atwood; 2nd ward, J. C. Boehm; 3rd ward, Peter Spaniol; 4th ward, Math Boll.
1902-03-Chris. Schmitt and C. D. Grinols were candidates for the office of president of the council. Eighty-four ballots were had without any choice. The council then adjourned to April 17, when Chris. Schmitt was elected president and Henry J. Lim- perich city clerk.
The matter of paving was taken up for the first time during this year. The city engineer and the committee on streets and alleys were directed to report at the next meeting of the council as to the cost of laying at least four different kinds of pav- ing, the report to include granite, vitrified brick, macadam and asphalt. The prop- erty owners were invited to state in writ- ing whether they favored paving and what kind they preferred. The city engineer reported July 7 that he had addressed let- ters of inquiry to the sixty-five property owners on St. Germain street, between Ninth avenue and the Mississippi river, in regard to paving, and had received thirty- three replies. Fifteen of these were in favor of paving, and eighteen opposed to it. Of those in favor of paving eleven favored macadam, one granite blocks, two asphalt and one brick. A motion made to pave St. Germain with macadam was lost by a vote of 11 to 3.
At a special meeting of the council held May 9 Dr. H. M. Bracken, secretary of the state board of health, reported on the case of typhoid fever in the city. He stated that the city water examined by the state board of health had been found bacter- iologically impure, and that the city could not obtain a supply of pure water from the river without filtration. He pledged the support of the state board in the city's effort to obtain pure water.
Sanitary Engineer Wilson, of the state board, stated that from the investigations he had made it seemed to him very likely that the typhoid fever epedemic was
caused by the city water. He believed that it was contaminated with typhoid germs, which could be eliminated by a proper system of filtration.
The water works company was requested to give Mr. Bracken and Mr. Wilson such assistance as they required in their in- vestigation of the city water supply.
On June 11 the water works committee and the city attorney were authorized to make an offer to the Water works com- pany on behalf of the city to buy the water works plant, including the pumping sta- tion, water tower and mains for $65,000. This was done, but the offer was declined. Matters then dragged along until Novem- ber 3, when J. M. Addman, vice-president of the Industrial Trust company, addressed a communication to the council. He de- sired to know whether the council would forthwith direct payment in full of the hydrant rental then due, and instruct its counsel to dismiss the suit brought to annul the company's franchise, if they in- stalled a suitable filtration plant within a reasonable time.
The water works committee answered with the following recommendations: First, that the city offer the sum of $75,- 000 for the company's plant, and in set- tlement of the outstanding bonds and in full payment of the accrued hydrant rental.
Second, that if the offer is not accepted and the company will install within a reasonable time a suitable purification plant, the suits now pending be dismissed and the company be paid, as soon as the filtration system is completed and ap- proved by the state board of health, one- half of the amount claimed to be due for hydrant rentals, less cost, attorney's fees and expenses attending suits.
The council, however, instructed the city attorney to push the suit as vigorously as possible and without delay.
The annual election, held April 6, re- sulted as follows: Mayor, J. E. C. Robin- son; treasurer, John M. Rosenberger; aldermen, 1st ward, James F. Stephens; 2nd ward, 3 years, N. P. Kraemer; 2nd ward, 1 year, H. P. Steckling; 3rd ward, And. Hennemann; 4th ward, Chris. Schmitt.
1903-04-Chris. Schmitt was elected president and Henry J. Limperich city clerk. The water works committee re-
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ported that J. M. Addman, chairman of the bondholders committee, had notified the council committee that an offer of $75,000 for the bonds and claims against the city would be accepted. A motion was adopted that the city offer this sum in full pay- ment for the water works property, includ- ing real estate, and all machinery and equipments of whatever description apper- taining thereto, and in full payment of all claim which the company may have against the city for hydrant rentals. A special election was ordered to be held May 7, 1903, for the purpose of voting on the proposition of issuing water works bonds in the sum of $100,000, which re- sulted as follows: For the bonds, 510; against, 198. The bonds were offered for sale to the highest bidder, but when the bids were opened, the council not satisfied with any, rejected all, and again advertised for new proposals, but this time offered only $60,000 of them for sale. These were negotiated in due time.
On October 2 the council authorized Alderman Atwood to bid in the water works plant at the mortgage foreclosure sale for the sum of $75,000 for the city. The plant was purchased on the following day for the amount specified, which in- cluded $24,000 hydrant rentals. The water works committee was instructed to confer with the citizens' advisory committee rela- tive to the management of the water works plant when the city took charge. The bonds of the city in the amount of $20,000 for the purpose of providing means for a supply of water for the extinguish- ment of fires were issued to mature in twenty years. This was done that the city as a whole might pay its proportion of the purchase price of the water works plant. The water works committee together with the citizens' advisory committee was in- structed to investigate the matter of ob- taining a supply of pure water.
The matter of paving was again brought up, when a petition from John Cooper and other St. Germain street property owners was presented. The petition was referred to the committee on streets and alleys. A meeting of the committee was held May 22, to which all the property owners affected were invited. The discussion revealed the fact that only a minority of the property owners had signed the petition, and a mo-
tion to recommend the paving of the street was voted down by the meeting. The com- mittee in its report to the council on June 1, recommended that the petition for pav- ing be laid on the table and their report was unanimously adopted.
The first request for the systematic re- moval of garbage came from the Ladies' Reading Room society and the Schumann club. They petitioned the council to pro- vide for the collection and removal of gar- bage from the residences in the city. The committee on streets and alleys, to whom the matter was referred, reported that the suggestion in the petition was very ap- propriate and commendable, and that the matter should have further investigation, but recommended that nothing should be done during that season.
The annual election held April 4 resulted as follows: Mayor, J. E. C. Robinson; treasurer, L. J. Rocholl; aldermen, 1st ward, John Schaefer; 2nd ward, H. P. Steckling; 3rd ward, J. D. Kowalkowski; 4th ward, J. C. Crever; 5th ward, O. F. Doyle; 6th ward, David McCarty; 7th ward, Gus. Freeberg.
1904-05-Chris. Schmitt was elected pres- ident of the council and Henry J. Lim- perich city clerk. The first annual report of the water works under the city's oper- ation showed that the total receipts for the year amounted to $18,504.50, and the total disbursements $10,598.80, leaving a balance of $7,905.70 as a net profit.
The annual election held April 3, 1905, resulted as follows: Mayor, John N. Ben- sen; treasurer, L. J. Rocholl; aldermen, 1st ward, C. L. Atwood; 2nd ward, W. A. Boerger; 2nd ward (unexpired term), John Kaufman; 3rd ward, Peter Spaniol; 4th ward, Benedict Kost; 4th ward (unexpired term), Frances Smith.
1905-06-David McCarty was elected president of the council and Henry J. Lim- perich city clerk.
In April of this year the office of "Quar- antine Officer" was established, his duty being to investigate and report to the board of health all cases of nuisances det- rimental to the public health, and to in- vestigate and report the violations of any law, ordinance, rule or regulation made for the purpose of preventing the spread of contageous or infectious diseases, and to aid and assist the board in preserving and
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maintaining the public health in such man- ner as they directed.
On September 5 the council ordered that a special election be held October 24, 1905, for the purpose of voting on the propo- sition of issuing water works bonds in the sum of $30,000 to extend the mains and install a filter plant. The vote stood as follows: For, 145; against, 518.
The last chapter of the water works controversy was written during this year. David T. Calhoun, who had been employed to assist the city attorney in the suits against the Water Works company, pre- sented a bill of $4,500 for professional services. The water works committee, to whom the matter was referred, after care- ful investigation, reported that the bill was exorbitant and unreasonable, and recom- mended that $2,500 be allowed as payment in full for all services rendered. The citi- zens' advisory committee recommended the payment of $4,500. A motion to cut the bill to $2,500 was lost by a vote of 4 to 8, and the original bill was allowed by the same vote.
Mr. Starkey, a consulting engineer, was employed to examine into the city's pos- sible sources of water supply, among others, the supply from the Mississippi river, Sauk river and wells, and to advise which was most suitable and feasible; and also to recommend the best system of fil- tration.
The annual election, held on April 2, resulted as follows: Mayor, J. E. Robin- son; treasurer, L. J. Rocholl; aldermen, 1st ward, James F. Stephens; 2nd ward, John Kaufman; 3rd ward, John Zierden; 4th ward, Chris. Schmitt.
1906-07-David McCarty was elected president and H. J. Limperich city clerk. The annual election, held April 1, 1907, re- sulted as follows: Mayor, Louis Brown; treasurer, L. J. Rocholl; aldermen, 1st ward, W. J. Holes; 2nd ward, Frank J. Thielman; 3rd ward, John Lahr; 4th ward, Francis Smith; 5th ward, C. A. Swenson; 6th ward, Geo. H. Miner; 7th ward, Gus. Freeberg.
1907-08-William A. Boerger was elected president of the council and Barney Voss- berg city clerk.
A petition signed by a large number of citizens and businessmen praying that St. Germain street and certain avenues in the
business section be paved with macadam was presented to the council. The city engineer was directed to prepare plans and specifications, and the work was ordered done by the street commissioner under the direction of the city engineer.
Bids for the building of a new pump house were called for, but all being too high were rejected, and the work was or- dered done by day labor under the direc- tion of the superintendent of the water works.
On June 3 the bonds of the city in the sum of $50,000 were issued, pursuant to chapter 62 of the general laws of 1907. The amount received from the sale of the same was used to pay floating indebted- ness. The bonded indebtedness of the city reached its highest point April 1, 1908, when it amounted to $318,000, the annual interest being $16,470. The tax levy for 1908 was placed at $67,500.
During this year an attempt was made to obtain a supply of pure water by sinking wells on the upper levee. Nineteen wells were sunk and pure water obtained. The supply at first was adequate, but later the wells filled up with sand and had to be abandoned.
A charter commission was duly ap- pointed by the judges of the judicial dis- tricts in which the city is located, pursuant to the provisions of section 749, Revised Laws, 1905, for the purpose of drafting a proposed charter in accordance with sec- tion 36, article 4 of the constitution of the state of Minnesota and chapter 9 of the Revised Laws. The commission met and organized by electing Chas. F. Ladner, president, B. Reihard vice president and James E. Jenks secretary. Committees were appointed to whom were assigned the various chapters of the old charter for re- vision. The commission met from time to time and reviewed the work of the com- mittees, but no changes were made in the charter except such as in the unanimous opinion of the commission were necessary to bring it into closer compliance with modern conditions of municipal develop- ment.
The principal changes made were the following: 1. A provision making certain officers elective who under the old charter were appointive. 2. Licensing electricians. 3. Providing for city depositories. 4. For
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appeals from allowance of claims. 5. Es- tablishing a Water Board and defining its duties. 6. A revision of the chapter on bonds. 7. Regulating public service cor- porations and the granting of franchises. 8. For an auditor to examine and report upon the public records and the records of public service corporations as a basis for taxation and regulation. 9. A revision of the chapter on special assessments so as to conform with the decisions of the courts. 10. Requiring one of the city justices to reside in East St. Cloud. The proposed charter was then submitted to Mayor Louis Brown by the commission and by him transmitted to the council, with the recom- mendation that it be submitted to the voters of the city for their approval at a special election to be held at such time as the council should designate. The council ordered that it be submitted at the general annual election to be held April 6, 1908. The vote stood as follows: For the new charter, 1,190; against, 387.
The following officers were also elected: Mayor, Hugh Evans; treasurer, L. J. Rocholl; aldermen, 1st ward, A. A. Wright; 2nd ward, Chas. P. Ahlgren; 3rd ward, Peter Spaniol; 4th ward, Paul Beaudreau. 1908-09-Chris. Schmitt was elected president of the council and Barney Voss- berg city clerk. Preparatory to paving with macadam a Kelly-Springfield roller was purchased for $2,750: On January 4, 1909, the city engineer was directed to pre- pare plans and specifications for a system of sewers for the part of the city lying southerly of the Great Northern railway. On February 1, 1909, the Hon. L. W. Col- lins, accompanied by the members of the McKelvy Post of the G. A. R., appeared before the council and in a very appro- priate address, returned to the city of St. Cloud the sword which had been presented by the citizens of St. Cloud to Lieut. Col. Stephen Miller, May, 1861, and submitted the following letters:
To the Mayor and Common Council of the City of St. Cloud.
Gentlemen: Stephen Miller, a promi- nent resident of the then town of St. Cloud, was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the First Minnesota Infantry by Gov. Ramsey, April 29, 1861, and soon after the citizens of the town presented him a fine sword, properly inscribed. Lieut. Col.
Miller was promoted to the colonelcy of the Seventh Minnesota Regiment August 24, 1862, and remained colonel of the regi- ment until November 6th, 1863, when he was commissioned a brigadier general by President Lincoln. He resigned from the army with a splendid record in January, 1864, at which time he became governor of the state. He died at Worthington, Minnesota, August 18, 1881. Just prior to his death he gave the sword to his only liv- ing son, Capt. Stephen C. Miller, with in- structions that should the latter die with- out a son surviving him, to receive the same, it should be donated to the city of St. Cloud. Capt. Miller, who served as an officer in the Seventh Minnesota, died childless at Washington, D. C., on the 8th day of December, 1908, and his widow, Mrs. Kate Miller, who resides at No. 1407 L St. N. W., Washington, D. C., has sent the sword to me with the request that, in compliance with the dying wishes of both father and son, it be delivered to the proper authorities. I now comply with her request, enclosing herewith a communication from her. I know that this memento of a prominent citizen, a distinguished soldier and a capable and efficient governor of our state will be thankfully received, fully appreciated and carefully preserved by the residents of his home town, whom you represent. With the suggestion that it be placed for safe- keeping in the Public Library, I am, Yours truly, L. W. Collins, Washington, D. C., January 1st, 1909.
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