The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-04-14
Council Procecdin9s.

the proceedings OF Council, on Friday,
the 18th instant:
The special committee to whom was
referred the resolution regarding the
various Offices attached to the citY 90.
vernment of Columbia, beg leave to SUBJ
NIT the following report:
Your committee find, upon examina-
ton Of the city records, the following to
be the officers elected by the Council,
with salary attnohed to each office:
City Clerk, Treasurer and Assessor.
81 200; Clerk of Market, 600; Superin-
tendent Of Water Works, 800; City At
torney, 1000; Chief of Police, 92o; City
Physician, 500; Street Overseer, GOO;
Overseer Of Poor, (new office,l no salary
fixed; City Surveyor, fees fixed by ortl,-
nance; Sixteen assistant policemen, 600;
School Teacher, no salary fixed; Archi-
tect new City Hall, S1,50O for job
The following are the officers or em-
ployees appointed in various ways, with
the pay attached to each:
/ fireman Water Works, appointed by
the Committee on Water Works, at q
salary of S35 per month; l assistant fire.
man, appointed in same manner, 80 per
month; steward Of Aims House. ap-
pointed by Committee on Aims House,
20 per month; steward at Hospital, ap-
pointed in same manner, 20 per month;
l nurse at Hospital, appointed in same
manner, per month; l nurse at Aims
House, appointed in came manner, per
month; l keeper Sidney Park, appointed
by Committee on Park, IL per month; 1
messenger Of Council, appointed by the
Mayor, 10 per month; messenger of
Guard House, appointed by the Mayor,
10 per month; l market clsaner, ap-
pointed by Committee on Market, 10
per month; 2 detectives, appointed by
the Mayor, each. so per month.
The salary of the Mayor WAS fixed by
resolution at 81, 500 per annum, and this
your committee believe to be not too
high. We recommend that the salary of
this Office be fixed by ordinance, the
same as other Offices.
After having carefully examined into
the requirements of the city as to the
services Of the respective Offices herein
mentioned, your committee recommend
as follows:
First. The City Clerk. Treasurer and
Assessor is q bonded officer, compelled
to furnish heavy bonds, while his duties
are onerous and perplexing. The salary,
as fixed by ordinance, is believed to be
as low as it would be reasonable to ex-
pect to secure the services OF person
competent to discharge the duties and
assume the responsibilities of this posi-
ton.
Your committee, therefore, recon-
mend that the salary of City Clerk,
Treasurer and Assessor remain as at pre-
sent fixed by ordinance.
Second. The Clerk of the Market is
an officer whose salary and duties are
| t,xy =
fixed at $500 per annum, and this yonr
duties performed. We find, upon ex-
animation, that the Clerk of the Market
has been and is at present discharging
the duties of another officer, in plain
violation of an ordinance adopted by
the former Council, viz: "City Weigh
err" and your committee. recommend
that the said ordinance, which provides
for the manner of selecting tho City
Weigher, be rigidly enforced. This Of
fee, instead of returning a revenue to
the city, as was contemplated by the or
dinance which created it, is used simply
to enrich the pockets Of the Clerk of
the Market.
The respective Offices of City Attor-
ney, City Physician, Superintendent of
Water Works, Street Overseer, and City
Surveyor, are responsible positions, and
call for talent of high order to fill
them. An officer who devotes his time
to the duties Of either of these positions
is worth the salaries affixed. Your com
mittee, therefore, recommend that the
salaries remain as they now are.
The Office Of Chief of Police appears
to be one which exists either Ivy resolu-
ton or sufferance. as there is no ordi.
nance providing for either the election
or pay of such officer; and here your
committee leg leave to respectfully sng-
gest to the Council the necessity for nn
ordinance fixing and limiting the mum.
ber of city officers, together with the
pay and duties of snid officers.
The Office Of Chief OF Police is one oi
the most delicate as we'll rs arduous and
responsible Offices connected with the
city government.
1t requires not only intelligence, abili
ty and integrity, but firmness and deci
sion of character, for there mny be occn.
sions when even the fnte OF the entire
city depends upon the resolution and
efficiency of this officer. Your commit
tee have, in connection with this Office,
examined into the condition, efficiency
and pay of the police force of tho city,