The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-04-04
CUTTING DOWN PAY.
Proposal to Reduce the City's
Employees.
MEETING or THE COMMITTEE,
sevsraI Reports Presented-charter ON
eials 10 BE Invited to Take
less SALARY.

The joint committee on fetIeituiicns
met Yesterday with Delegate shipley in
the chair. There we're present: Aldermen
Hall, Pontius and Korn, Delegates G. ..
Kittineer, r. Hanford, w. II. I. Barnes.
1luidoon and BagIey.
The first report read was by Alderman
Pontius. on the water department. He re-
xiewctl very fully the present force, and
ny1crested that the position of chief en-
eidlccr u the water-wofks. at a salary OF
4fs0 s,cr month, be abolished. He also
RECOMMENDED that the inspector be re-
quircd TO do tho work Of shut-of or meter
man.
{ Nh. Ponfius said that the committee
recommended discarding all the books
llow IN rsc. except the consumers ledger,
11ad that new ones be opened. Until Mr..
Chalk came into Office there seemed to be
No attempt to keep books. The present
bookksepcr has only been in Office thirty
.fGye. 70 that il is not his fault
III. Bagley said that it was quite I'M
necessary to have both stoker and ire
man. lie had learned that the difference
bcfween the cost under the old system and
t11o new is something enormous.
M. Hall moved that the report be
odop6ed.
NJ. Bagiey said he moved to amend by
aboli1hing stokers.
~. Hall said that was out of the qucs-
ton.
The report was then adopted
III. Muldoon reported that the total cost
of Ire street department for March was
9130eS. There were forty-five men, ten
horSes, Of which two were unfit for much
work, and nine carts. He recommended
1hat tl,e force be forty men: this. with $40
month for horses, and allowing 1888 for
eundries, would make the cost 5000 q
month, Mr.. Mnldoon said the horses
were also used TO haul coal, hay, etc. for
departments. He found that there was
considerable unfinished work
After some discussion the report was
adopted.
Alderman Korn reported that he had
c&llesl upon tho manager of the electric
light company. aud Mr.. Frink supplied a
statement declaring that it had valid
contract with the city until October next.
Even IL they had not, the enormous cx-
rensss incurred in carrying out the citv's
orders prevented any profit being made.
N. Korn expressed the opinion that the
city should not take any advantage OF the
company because the contract had not
heen signed. He advised steps toward
oeccrtaining the value of the plant with a
view to purchase. He did not see how
any reduction could be made just now
Mr.. Bagley said there was great differ
enco between the cost of arc and incan-
deeccnt lights; they might abandon the
former.
Mr.. kittingcr thought that would be
unfair IN many cases where the company
had gone to the expense of running out
wires.
Tbs report was adopted.
Mr.. Bogley reported on the sewer work
He suggested consolidation of the office al
superintendent of sewers and street com
missioner. Very many incidental OK.
penses could be saved by this plan. The
whole expense for March, except salaries
was $05. Later Mr.. Bagiey said the
superintendent had turned in supple
nlentary account which amounted to abou,
n .l00. The report was adopted.
Mr. w. II. T. Barnes, of the committee
on health, recommended. that the Offices oil
inspector Of plumbing and sanitary office,
be abolished and that the regular patrol
men attend to the duties belonging TO the
sanitary officer; also that the city pur
chase Its drugs at wholesale and that the
health officers be required to prepare al
the medicines used in city practice. He
did not press the latter suggestion if il
were not agreeable to the health officers.
1t was reported that the incidental ex
pcnscs for March were 81. TOO. Alderman
Pontius and Delegate Barnes, both O
whom are druggists agreed that the cos
Ct this department was very much larger
than it used to be. Thareport was adopted
Mr.. krug reported that the expenses o
thc harbor department for March wer,
Ekj0.45. The items. he said, showed tina
nearly the entire amount was properl,
charged to other departments for whom
the work was done. He recommended az
increase of the superintendent salary t,
9i25.
Mr.. Hall said the committees instru6
Mons were to reduce salaries; raising sal
aries belongs TO the council.
Mr.. Hanford thought the object was Z.
arrive at a conclusion SO that state,
amount monthly conld be appropriated
The report was adopted.
Mr.. Hail presented report as 10 tn
drc department He said that 70 reduc
the force was TO impair its efficiency. IL
disapproyed of the system of call men, an,
based II upon the experience of othe
cities. lie objected 10 comparing Seatti
with Portland or Omaha as unjust Oh nc
count of The difference in the contour o
tho city.
The report was adopted.
Mr.. Hartford submitted as report o,
1hA vaAltx.ss II
mcnt Of the committee the force had beei
Eedsced TO the lowest desirable point. u
recommended reduction of the salary a
chief OF police; report adopted
Mr.. kiftlnger, of the committee on gen
oral Offices, recommended that the boar,
Of public works exercise extreme care i
keeping down general expenses. lie mai
the following recommendations, the chag
yer officers TO be asked 10 consent 10 IL
pettuctions: Mayer. $a.Gal. board OF nns
Hc works, chairman, 81 500; others 81, 5oa
park commissioners. Mi, Comptroller
&coo; port warden, SsisS; city clerk office
ono less. and reduce 10 500: comptroller
clerk, slight reduction, say $40; treasure,
So; one deputy reduced 10 SIS. The cit
engineers salary lis. is 10 be confined {
ol.oa
The only fight made was rs 10 The eli;
clerks office. Mr.. Muldeon said they ha,
better cut off two mere policemen thai
save one deputy clerk less. The council
men We're serving without pay and oagh
20 have clerk
Mr.. Hall did not believe this desirable
he thought in a time of retgenchment on
clerk less would not Interfere with the 81
Gcicney OF the department. Ii anoihe