New-York tribune., 1874-08-18
MUNICIPAL COMPARISONS.

The statement OF commissioners oleih, an"
his table figures printed In THE OF NeseruS
placing the average salaries paid the employees OF the
Deparmen OF Charities and Correction very far below
those OF any other Department of the City Government
was the cause Of considerable Indignation yes'eruay
among the officials interested All were anxious to
make explanations and to show that the statements OF
Commissioner Stern had no basis in fact They were
anxious to prove that the favorable exhibit OF Conms
sioner caused by his giving the average sda
ries OF all employed the Department Of Charities and
Correction while only the salaries of the Commissioners
and the clerical force were given In the other Depart
ments.
TIE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
Deputy Controller Earle stated that great injustice
had been done to the other departments by the conmu
nicatIon OF Commissioner Stern II not far ex-
hbit. Commissioner Stern had given the full force EN-
poyed in the Department OF Charities land Correction
including those receive very small salaries, as for
instance the orderes and i'll the hospitals and
the keepers in the various institutions aud had only
given the heads of departments the clerical force in
the other departments. II this plan followed. the
Department OF Docks. the Department Of Public Works,
and other departments would make good an exhibit
as the Department OF Charities and Correction. There
large number Of laborers employed In both depart
ments whose salaries If thrown IN, would Drlng The
equalization down 10 very low fgur s. reference TO
the comparative statement OF the salaries paid In the
various departments according TO the table returned to
the Board of Appointment would show how unfair
was the printed statement Of Commissioner
stern. The salary IN the
bureaus composing the Finance Department was Tor
June 81 22 and ulder the 20 per cent reduction IN
July the rate of 523 4s per annum The aver
age salary paid the Commissioners aud clerical stan OF
the Department of Charities and Correction was for
June So and for July s2Oi9 As. Ii would therefore
be seen that the extraordinary exhibit OF this Depart
mcnt as compared with the others fictitious and not
real The salaries OF the County Clerk deputies ana
clerks for June at the rate OF G9G 3d. ana Tor July
the same. The average salary paid the Surrogate ana
clerks was for june s2l6 Co. and for July sl9n ~ II
win be seen that the paid in both OF these De.
partnens was considerably lower than that Of the Com
mssiouers of Charities and Correction. The salaries
paid in the Finance Departing nj are as low as they
should be the responsibility and the character OF
the to be performed are considered Ile average
salaries paid viii be seen considerably lower than
those paid the Commission and clerical force in the
Department OF Charities and Correction
OTHER DEPARTMENTS
Commissioner j. d. Moulton of the Department Of
Taxes and Assessments made about tue expiana-
ton a. Deputy Controller Earle. Their force OF clerks
WAS now about as small 1t could be- The work per.
formed was OF very responsible nature, ana required
a certain amount of education and skill lie dii not
think force competent to perform the work could oe
obtained at less cost to the city, Tao only persons EN-
ployed in the Department who did not hold responsible
1900 each.
Deputy Commissioner Baker OF the Department Of
Public Works said that the statement pat forth by Com
missioner Stern faacI0us one. Were the Depart
ment OF Public Works TO make up statement including
all its force il would make good exhibit. The
comparative statement shown what was known as
their office roll. II did not include tho foreinen or
aborers in the Sewerage Department. the B)uIevards.
aud elsewhere. Some of their clerical force were
actually rated laDorers and paid as such at the rate
or s. per day These did not appear IN the comparative
statement OF salaries.
Capt TuOmey deputy clerk OF the Board OF Aldermen.
complained that the published statement calcu-
lated to do their department injustice unless
planned. The salaries of the Aldermen were fixed By
law at 81 900 each. They were allowed $4,000 for the
clerical force. The Clerk Of the Board received 5000
per annum the deputy clerk 81 600, and the remainder
divided among IL clerks.
TIE Dock Commissioners claimed that Mr.. Sterns
figures showed that the employees In the Department of
Charities and Correction III June were 7iS. against
total &c the time in the Department OF Docks
IL was of course gross injustice to the Department OF
Docks average the salaries paid In the Department
on this basis Commissioners sterns had evidently taken
the empoyG Gs in the Dock Department who received the
highest salaries and excluded the mechanics and day
labores whose pay was s, s. day.
When, on the other hand he had referred
to the Department Of Charities and Correction. he
must have included all these low paid employees other
wise he have made the surprising total OF 7iS
In this way he could easily bring down the average OF
salaries. There many men in the employ OF that
department who ply sically disabled in some way
Their work was very light ana their wages were very
small. The Dock Commission was, it was maintained,
conducted at az low fglre possible. The day
aborers received only ST. and the salaries OF all the
clerks engineers surveyors. etc. low they
could be.
THE FIRE AND BUILDING DEPARTMENTS.
terday in regard the table OF estimates and reduc-
tions appended TO Commissioner srern's communca
ton TO the Commissioners OF Charities and Correction
that Mr.. Serns figures wrong. Instead of 81 EN-
poyes at average salary of s2d9 O8, there in
The Headquarters alone the payroll for last month
80 employees at an average salary OF sl95s But In fact
Fire Department employs about 80 men, all the fire
men OF the CITY being on rolls tue employees
OF the three of the Chef of Department. the
Marshal, Inspector OF Combustlbles, and two medical
mate of the Department, although they are
paid on several payrolis But IN fact the
Board OF Apportionment made no material reduction in
salaries. Tie main reduction upon the original estimate
was the matter OF general supplies and repairs. The
salaries in all important offices OF the Department are
nxed by act Of Legislature, and cannot be reduced by
the Board, and all others reasonable enough already
Mr. Stern would OF course understand that every de
parment well as his own must conform 10 the revised
estimates however hampered tue economy leaves them
and he cannot therefore intend to intimate that the De-
partments reducing 10 suit the reduced
allowances About all he seems to complain OF Is that
the Boald OF ApporOnment has compelled his Depart
ment rerench rather more than the rest very plain
charge provided his nsufeS are cOftct Out III the frc
Department estimates at least he has his figures all
wrong.
Tho Superintendent OF the Department OF Public
Buildings was his Office when TRIBUNE reporter
called Yesterday and the Chief Clerk of the Department
stated that he had OF asceranng at present
whether Mr. Sterns figures were correct or not. He
presumed they were obtained from the pay-ros and
estimates forwarded TO the Controllers office by the
Department. and Ill that case they were doubtless cor
rect. The published table showed that the Department
had its force by I'VE in July and Increased ts
average OF yearly salaries by sy 20, but 1t frequently
occurred that extra work had TO be ordered IN one
month. and falling of OF expenses would occur
In anolher. In July usually the expendltnres were