New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-11
TOO MANY CLERKS WANTED
THE COUNTY CLERKS ESTIMATES.
Mr.. KEENANs DEPUTY GIVES SOME INFORMATION
To THE GIBBS COMMITTEE.

THE COUNTY CLERKS ELIMINATES.
Mr.. KEENAN's DEPUTY GIVES SOME INFORMATION
TO THE GIBBS COMMITTEE.
The Gibbs Committee met at 1890 a. m. yeSter-
day in a large room on the ground floor OF the Nor
ton Honso fronting on Broadway. The chairman
and Senators Mccarthy. DAILY and COmst0ck were
present and both Mr.. Strahan and Mr.. Miller, the
counsel, participated III the proceedings which
Edward Seleck Depnty County Clerk, was ex-
amined with special reference to the estimates sent
to the Bad q hr epsS
Under the new law the salary OF the County CleTk
is fixed at $4,000 year. all fees going directly 10
the city, The salary of the deputy clerk IS to be
$4,000 Mr.. SeIleck was asked what use there
would be for deputy If the County Clerk should
himself attend strictly to his business. tie SAID he
thought that was funny question to ask him.
The humorous point of the inquiry which so quick
ly penetrated the mind of the witness did not find
euce un j, the counsel gravelv stated that he meant
the question to be serious one, when everybody
laughed. MI. Seleck finally SAID he did not know.
The same answer applied to the otbce OF assistant
deputy county clerk. Subsequently the witness
admitted that the deputy clerk performed all the
duties aud that in fact there would be no need of
q deputy or an assistant deputy nthe county
Clerk attended to the business Of The office.
The estimates also ask for $3 900 as salary of the
to the fact that this Officer testlfying boi1e the
Roosevelt Committee. said that while he then re,
ceived about 81 200, the work was such as couid
be performed by any good bookkeeper WHO could
be hired for 81 800
Tho witness said there was no doubt that one
man con d perform the duties of law clerk al
though the estimates provide Ill addition for dep
uty az SO, 400, the chief receiving 10, BOO. Inc
counsel followed the list of those included IN inc
est mates to the end, and compared the replies on
Mr. Sellcck TO duties and compensation with cX-
tracts of testimony taken before the R0oScvelt'
Committee in the same relation. The salary OF the
clerk of records was set down at 81, 900. In addl-
ton, there appeared an assistant clerk OF records
ard record index clerk, each at salary OF GOO
The witness substantially admitted that there was
nppdo f nm 1gglS 4
Of the principal, who. of course, should rot pe
absent The sum of $500 is asked for General
FRANZ Sigcl as equity clerk. Mr.. Selleck SAID that
as q matter of fact General Sige did not have any
thing 10 do with the duties of that ONCE at ALL tor
the discharge of which knowledge OF DEGREES ana
the way they should be made out was necessary
One recording clerk at salary of 81 800 and ten at
salaries of 81 200 each appear IN the estimates me
witness was closely pressed TO state what he would
lie willing to pay for this work IT he was running
the office or purely business principles lie sad a.
last that six or eight could perform the duties and
that II 200 would be n fair salary.
Mr. Ter SAID that before the Roosevelt Com
mttee county Clerk Keenan, submitted state
ment slowing that he employed one searcher az
So 800, one At 81 800, ard seven at 81 200 each,
making total Of $4,000 In addition to that ne
had retained as ms sh"re of the fees S1O25l 70,
making an aggregate sum of $23,65l %. In the
estimates under consideration $4,000 was asked
to provide for expenditures in this direction. he
witness was rcques ed to explain the reason for
Indifference He simply replied thatlt owing
10 increase of work. wheTeupon senator Mccarthy
dTilv remarked thar 1t was undoubtedly due TO inc
fact that New York was a growing prosperous
town and hal rapidly expanding business III TINS
particular direction.
MIR Miller observed that the estimates for the
County Clerks office were Sl0J600. The teSi-
nony before the Roosevelt Committee showed th9t
1t that time the salaries paid 10 the clerks
amounted TO $37 S25, which, in addition to the
salary 0f $1,000 then paid to the County Clerk.
made the sum $l0S25. Deductina the $loOOO
how allowed by law to the County Clerk from
%IO5. 600 the sum stated in the estimates, would
leave balance of $9O,600 to he paid for every
thing else in the office, including scare cheers Ii"
witness qJletlv remarked that III such case inc
Office would be a little more than Self-snstainlng.
for if the fees next year cqualled those Of 1888
there would lie $4,000 received, leaving
a balance Of $4,000 in favor Of the cry
Counsel suggested that if the estimates should be
reduced about $50 900 the city would receive that
much more. ir. Selleck could give no 0tler reason
for the large Increase III the estimates over the eX-
growth of business. Some clerks, he sand, worked
hard and some took things easily, but that was the
way Of tho world Being asked rs TO the need OF a
casilsr for whom salary OF S3OOOls asked, ne eN-
PR sod the opinion that such an officer was neceS
sary properly % look after the funds received
John ID. Crlmmins. Park Com missioner, was
next called. HIS testimony related chiefly 70
tie method OF managing the parks. He
tie annexed district were being prepared rapidly
as possible. There was much work TO be done IN
surveying and mOlumenting the district but he
believed all could be completed within two years
He SAID the men employed were selected wholly "n
considerations of fitness. without regardtO politics.
tie advocated proper sewage system Tor dra nlng
Central PARK, and thought the commission should
have q certain of control over streets and
avenues contiguous to that park he believed that
legislative action was "ccsSary looking TO the pro-
cureMeut Of additional powers Tor the reason that
the city authorities did not heed appeals inade 10
them.
1t was stated on the adjournment of the commit
tee that Controller Grant would testify at 1880
this morning.
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