, 1874-12-30
THE COUNTY BOARD.
Influence OF tho Contract System and
ligh Salaries.
Three Of the New Members Likely to
Join The Enemy.
Unpleasant Disclosures to 30
Made To-day.
Meeting Of tho Special Committee.
SALARIES OF COUNTY EMpL DYES,

SALARIES OF COUNTY MPLoYEs.
THE BunlEor CONSIDERED IN COMMITTEE.
moeliug Of tho Special Committee appointed
by tue Doard Of County Commissioners 10 OK
amino into and report Upon tho subject Of tho
salaries Of tho employees Of Cook County for tho
ensuing yoar, waa hold yesterday foronoo.i.
Thora wore present tho Chairman, Commissions
or Holden, aud Comm msHionera Crawford, Nc
Cnffroy, Gucnthor, Conloy, DusHo, and Schmidt.
Ilio session 1TaB moro harmonious than might
layo been expected In Wow Of tho divisions IT,
tho board on tho question Of Balaries but this
may bo accounted for on tho Bupposttion that tho
ad7ocatea Of high salaries Woro confident Of their
strength In tho Doard and 30 could afford to ro-
main qulcHccnt for tho time. Tho Committee
Tfocooaod on tue assumption that tho present
Board IL not bound by tho Hatary-list adopted by
tl4o old Doara }uBt previous to tho expiration Of
its tenure, and discussed tho question Of COM
ponaatton rs though 1t wero under consideration.
for tho frat time.
Ono Of tho first acts Of tho Commttoo vas to
hr'nE back to thu original figure Of s2,000 per
year THO salary Of tho Stato'H-Attornoy moat
o'l!clcnt assistant, who was thought by tho old
Board to DO worthy Of salary OF 20, 500 for tho
year 1876.
Tho aa1ary~list~ in tho onlce Of Rtho County
Clotk was the occasion Of good dcAl Of dtscus-
sion. It appeared that Gon. Lieb had agreed. to
run Ills Office next year for tho sum Of ,si5, ,Q0O,
sud fix tho compensation OF his clorks, himself
70 nave tho benefit OF what lie could aayo out Of
that figure. II Con. Lseb could rl1, his oNco for
Si5 1o0 next year. whereas 1t cost tho county
S53 goo this year, it occurred to Commissioners
Holden and Guonthor that tho County Clerk
could indicate to tho Committee tho reductions
le proposed to mako. and let tho Board regulate
the salaries ns before. Tho Clerk waA sum-
noned beforo tho Committee to glyo inforina-
tion on this point, but ho aliowod a non.eom.
INITIAL disposition as to details 1Io admitted TINT
his Office could DO run nj an expense not oxcced-
ing $4,000, II the Board would yota him TINT
sum to bo uRea US he pleased but ho
declined to tile q; bill Of particulars us
70 where this saving was to DO effected.
lIe Baid 1t mado ercat difference wLothor lo
paid his employees Will. his own money or witll
TINT Of tho county. Ho could cnt them down il
thor pay canlo out Of hts own poclsat, but ho
could recommend no reduction il tho county
paid them. This way of stating tho case struck
that Con. I,ieb was perfectly able and willing to
retrencll for his own benefit, but vas botl, pow
crless and unwilling to cut down tho expenses
Of ais olfico for the benefit Of tho taxpayers Of
Cook County. UnaucceBsful III hecuriug tha ill.,
formation necessary to enable them to net intel
l'gontlv, tho Committee determined 10 mike no
accommodation concerning tho galnry schedule
Of the County Clerks Office, but to leave 1t for
ehe rroBont In the loose aud !eaky condition that
stands admitted by tho County C1ork. will prob
ably bo the subject Of Home discussion a1d ILL
curry when the mastor comes before tho Doartl
for its action.
Tho changes from The Hnlary-llat adoptoa by
tue Old Board Wore few alAl comparatively mi
important. 4 disposition was stoaslily manifest
I'D by Commissioners Holdou and Guentncr, oc-
casionally supported by tho votcB and voices OF
Commissioners Crawford and Schmidt, 10 cut
down tho present princoly aa1arioa Of Cool.
Commissioucrs Holdeu and Guoitlicr, there
were no persistent advocates Of rotronchtnout in
tho Committee.
Among the reductions agreed upon by tho
Committee, tho most important wsIo County
tho shoriG's office, from $4,000 to $1,000; tho
Warden Of tho County Hospital, 81, 800 to 81, 400
the County Attorney, from 9G.0DU to $4,000 ;
states Attornoy'a assistant, from 2,501 I'd
$4,000. Many Of those figures will tloubtlosa la
changed by Tho Board to-lay. Boforo the COM
mittee adjourned Commissioner Crawford took
tho back track OIL tho salary Of tho County Agent.
anu moved tl!as it DO liked at $500. Ihe mo.
ton prevailed.
Tia proposition to vote aa!,ry Of $4,000 for
ngreed TO. but tho Committee voted to rocon,-
mend thirteen Deputies ut $4,000 oach.
Aitor the entire list had been gone through
with. Commissioner Guenthor moved ia 1nalo =
REDUCTION l1a Of per cent upon oil salaros over
$1,000. This Was voted down by Il largo MA
jorlty, and Commissioner Gunnther announced
TINT ho would not bign tho ronort as adopted by
tha Committee. Commissioner Holden, as
Chairman, waa instructed to prepare md submit
tho report at tho rnectlug to-day. Com.niHsls.,-
or Crawford stated TINT ho should not conslder
himself bound to sussatn the action Of tho Com
mitteo in MI respects.
1t WAS voted to recommend TINT an assistant
ho provided for Col. Niles, Clork ot tho DunrI,