Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-09-17


1867 asks leave to place on record his dissent
from the report OF his colleagues 60 FAR as it
proposes to increase the compensation Of the
City Collector. Prior 70 the year 1854, the SAL
ary OF that officer, at TIVE per cent. on the
amount OF collections, was supposed 70 range
from TWO to three thousand dollars. But In
gress of February 70, 1865, BY which coliec.
tions for special taxes were gre atty augmented,
the compensation Of the Collector was propof-
noRately increased, as will be seen from the
folloW table: nIt W.
80 commissionon on Cost Of Ren,aining to
Years. Collections. Clerks. Collector.
1864. ............ sa,sf6 sa.4OO s"' s2,5.6
1s6s.......... s,ss5 1900 1855
5sSs: 5sSs: isss ssss seSS s,eSS ssss s,ass
= In addition to the nett compensation on col.
iestions, as indicated in the ia:t column Of the
ments estimated prior to 1866 at 81 400 per an e.
mum. These fees and emoluments for the year
justpassed amounted 70 upwardsofs 50, ,OOO, ,mak-
ing his clerks and other expenses, more Than
S12.OOO. Foreseeing this large increase the last
Council passed an act redue cling the commissions
and enoluments to stand as they have fdr
many years past. This act was passed on tue
18th OF February, and went into effect on the
1st Of July. 1t could not have been put into
operation sooner, because the charter prohib-
Its any reduction in the compensation Of an
elective officer during his term OF Office 1t
was under this act that the present collector Of
That the law as it now stands will afford him
sufficient compensation, is attested iby. the
amount Of collections for the fiscal year which
closed on the Sd of June, 1867 1festimated ON
the collections Of that year, q commission Of
one per cent, as now provided by law, i'll :.
Guiding the fees and emoluments of his OH ce
for bis own services, after paying the expenses
of clerks, &c, Of So, 400, which, In the opinion
OF the undersigned, IL more than should be
paid TO any officer of this corporation. To this
n q 10 oFt no
OF the committee will add about s., 400, making
nearly $4,000 in all as hi: sWS%pew9saMs,gn CON O.
The vote was then taken by yeas and nays
on agreeing to the report OF the COMMITTEE
with the following result Yeas--Messrs. Ell.
vans, Larman, Noyes, Richards. and Presi-
der, McCatnran, Moore, Talbert. TAFT. and
Turton-7. So the compromise amendments
were rejected.
The following gentlemen made explanations
when their names were called: Mr. Givep ex.
planning his vote said that he would not sacri-
fce principle to expediency and would not
ma ses " but g1d Set here to
took the same ground. Mr.. Grinder was not
willing TO allow the Collector more than
$4,000 per annum, which he believed he re-
MT. Noyes said that more force was necess ary
in The Collectors Office as had been explained
and admitted here in previous debates and this
increase Of compensation recommended by the
COMMITTEE was coupled with a necessary in.
crease OF force in that office. II II was found
that after paying the additional force, the Col
might be reduced next year.
Mr.. Given moved that the report of the
COMMITTEE on Conference on the tax bill be
printed; agreed to.
Mr.. Moore, from the Finance Conmittee re.
ported adversely on the Council amendments
10 the appropriation bills, and the vote being
taken on concurrence IN said amendments-ths
first being that str liking out the appropriation
to pay the salary Of the Commissioner of SCI ".
ers, &c, was rejectedTyeas, /, (Mr. Rtehards)
nays loi Messrs Elvans, Given, Grinder, Lar
ton, and President, (Barr.)
Mr. Elvans in explaining his vote said that
he had been assailed In the columns of q morn,
ing paper by the direction or authority OF a
party hankering AFTER q prospective bone
never to be brought within reach OF mis- greedy
jaws because he Mr.. Elvans) had promised
TO vote for the appropriations in question SO
long as the law creating the Office remained
upon the statute book. He would only saw
he had been earnesttn his endeavors to secur.
the repeal of the law creating the Office OF in.
spectOr OF sewers and would continue to urge
its repeal. believing its passage to have been
illegal-but until repealed or declared null and
OF duty p, law abiding citizen would not al
low him TO jeopaTdize the tax bill because it
contained pr DIVISION Tor the pay OF tho i'm.
cumbent OF the ofhce-and he wouId vote
against the amendment OF the Board OF Com,
mon Council, Notwithstanding the snarlings OF
a man who, while he (Elvans) was showing
bis political faith by bis public activity in the
face Of local prejudice, was hiding himself in
his inner ofice. busily engaged in writing
toadyinR letters sustaining Presidential poll
cies in order to retain effice He voted against
the amendment OF the lower board.
The next amendment reducing the salary of
the three Com miseioners OF the Washington
Asylum to s6t0 per annum, (S20O each,) was
agreed to. The next amendment inserting the
word "newspaper'' in lieu Of aNationul Intel
igencer' in the clause making appropriation
Tor p publishing the laws. was rejected by the
following vote ~ eas-Msssrs. Elvans, Lar
man, McCathrap. Richards and President
lBarr,) 5. NaYs-Messrs. Given, Grinder,
Moore, Talbert, TAFT and Turton, g. Tue next
amendment providing that the Taper of water
for his services was taken mp, when it was ex-
planned that he received NO Zee but only charged
for the materials and labor furnished by th
Corporation in tapping the water mairs, no
portion OF which went into his pocket, or that
OF any oficer Of the Corporation. The amend
ment was rejected. The next amendment in
creasing the compensation of the Metropolitan
Police from S15, ,GU0 to $50, 600 was disc ussed at
some length, Mr.. McOathranA and Mr. Moore
obJecting TO Interpolation OF encumbrances IN
the appropriation BILL ~ f+ 1tH@ 4
Mr.. Elvans said the amendment was for an
increase Of pay to the Metropolitan Police, and
was legitimate one ..L b. Z. :"
Mr.. Moore said there was no law for the In.
crease. .-f-...t FFf.s .I
!. After further discussion the amendment was
rejected. The next amendment being the clause
compensatDR the District Attorney by insert
inga provision that he shall be qualified to
practice before all the Courts Of the District
was rejected by the following vote Yeas,
Messrs. EivaDs. Larman, McCathran,H and
Richards, 4: Nay.rMessrs. Given, Grinder,
Moore, Noyes, Talberr, TAFT, Turton and PresI.
dent, Barr g. The next amendment, that no
person shall receive any compensation from
the Corporation without FIRST taking the oath
OF loyalty to the United States was then taken
up 7. - - =
Mr.. Moore stated that every employees and
officer OF the Corporation was req uired to take
an oath OF allegiance to the United States Gov.
erDmen Our Corporation was the first TO
prescribe such an oath. He moved TO perfect
the Coulcil amendment by ineerting the oath
prescribed by the act Of this Corporation OF b
Janpery 8, 1862. Adopted, and the Council
Mtssrs. Evans, Grinder, LaTman, Mccain.
ran, Moore, Noyes, Richards, Talbert TAFT and
Turton, 10, Nays-Messrs. Given and Presi. !
Mr.. Given, frem the COMMITTEES on Finan ce,
reported the following: fT ffsT ra
"Resolrcd, That the attorney Of this Corpora.
ton be, and he ts hereby. oquested to advise
this board relative TO the Hanflity Of this city
under the amendatory act OF Congress creating
the Metropolitan Police Department approved
July l6, 1e62. and the act approved June 25,
1864, to pay the increased compensation % the
police msgisirates selected (under sad an.
thority) by the police commissioners of the
Metropolifan Police Department" Adopted ~
Aiso, prevented the protest OF Chas. Ct, Psge
and others kainst the CONSTRUCTION Of a sewer
IN 9Th street, from L 10 M streets north Re.
ferred TO Drainage CommitteA. d q Il ! -
Mr. Moore, from Improvements Commit
tee, reported bill TO grade ana gravel r.
street south, from llth 70 18th streets east;