Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1889-04-02
THOSE COUNTY SALARIES.

Inc DeHevhe FrcsS OF recent
dste contains an article on the salaries
paid in Alturas and Logan counties.
The substance of the article is that
the Alturas salaries amount to $l4,-
100, while the Logan salaries amount
to $1,000. The, Inference to be drawn
from this exhibit is that Alturas is
managed with the grossest extrava-
gance, while Logan Is handled with
the ssfictest economy.
The law provides that the County
Commissioners at their regular meet.
ing in January "shall designate by an
order entered upon their minutes the
CLASS to which their county belongs,
which shall be ascertained by the
assessment roll of such county FOR
THE YEAR IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING
SUCH MEETING, and such county shall
enter the list of such class so desig.
hated."
When the Commissioners met in
January the Auditor of the county
placed before the Board "the assess.
ment roll for the county for the year
Immediately preceding such meeting,"
and that assessment roll showed that
Alturas county was a FIRST CLASS
county. In fixing the salaries of the
county officials the Board could not
do otherwise than fix the salaries of a
first-class county. But the same law
that requires them to fix the salaries
for a first-class county, also fixes a
maximum and minimum salary-that
Is, no salary shall exceed a certain
sum, nor be less than q certain sum.
If the maximum salary allowed by
law should be paid, it would amount
to $l6,S00, while if tie minimum sal
aries were allowed, it would amount
20 $l2,700. These figures are ap-
proximately correct. This county
heretofore had allowed the maximum
salaries; but this year, for the first
time, reduction was made--a reduc-
ton of abou t20 per cent. on all sala-
ries. So under the law the Commits.
sioners could not pay more than $l6,.
500, nor less than Sl2,70O. The
amount paid is Sl4. 1OO-and this is
the extravaganza of Alturas county!
Now with regard to Logan county
The same law which makes Alturas
first-clas county makes Logan a
FIFTH CLASS county. All newly ere.
ated counties "organized" after the pas
sage of the salary law "shall enter the
class of counties having a valuation
of less than 100000" Therefore, IN
fixing the salaries in Logan county the
Commissioners must fix the salaries of
FIFTH CLASS county. Blu. the same
maximum and minimum rule applies
here in fixing these salaries as in first
class counties. II the maximum sal
aries had been allowed, the entire
amount would have been S44OO, and
the minimum amount would be $1,000.
And this is the boosted economy of
Logan county!
The law having fixed the CLASS OF
Alturas, Logan aud Elmore counties,
there was nothing for the Commission
ers to do but to adjust the salaries to
their respective classes. Alturas gave
neither the maximum nor the mini.
mum, but fixed the salaries at a medi-
UNI between the two; and Gilmore did
the same thing. But Logan fixes tho
minimum. Her Commissioners are
minimum men, and all here officials
are minimum officials, or they would
not accept Office on minimum sala-
~. W. now leave this matter where
the law itself leaves it.
We come now to the consideration
OF more serious matter. This same
paper, evidently upon the authority
OF J. S. Whitton, makes a serious
charge, and at the proper time and
place Mr.. Wilton will doubtless have
an opportunity to prove bis charges.
This same paper in the same article
says;
J. S. Wilton, at that time a mem.
Der of the Alturas Board, but now
Que of tho Logan Commissioners,
went to HALEY on Tuesday OF this
week to look over the records.
This seems to FIX the responsibility
of what follows on Mr.. J. S. Whitton.