Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-12
GUARDING THE FUNDS.
Allegheny Councils Tie Another Knot
in the Pursestrings.
DEFICIENCIES MUST NOT EXIST
The City Solicitors Assistant Reduced to
the Rank Of Clerk.
ONLY ONE OFFICIAL ESCAPES ALIVE


was heard of struck Allegheny Councils last
night. Councils emphatically put its foot
on any unnecessary expenditures. The fear
of another deficit hung like a cloud over all
the proceedings. The general opinion was
that too many useless men were drawing
salaries. There were only minor matters
presented in which the members might vent
their spleen, but they fully covered every
thing in sight. The first was street
in the Butchers Run district, and
the date of the poor things birth was
set back month. Thenext was a change in
the clerical force of the Controllers Office.
The sI,5OO chief clerk stood up for eight
rounds, and retired from the ring without
losing even a dollar, but the poor $500 clerk
had 500 knocked off him. He was then
wrapped in a shroud and sent to committee.
The next was an assistant city solicitor,
with apparently life tenure of office. David
Henderson lashed at him, Mr.. Cruikshank
moved his arm, Mr.. Knox muttered denun-
citation, and the poor fellow shrunk into
miserable clerk at SIS a month for a term of
only six months. He was also buried in the
committee, and there is but slight hopes of
his recovery.
Expenses Must Come Down.
Such was the policy adopted by Councils
last night and such it will continue for
fodder in sight. The chiefs of the depart
ments are to furnish Councils with the list
of salaries of all their employees and great
slash is promised. Mayor Wyman has also
asked Councils to fix the salaries of police
magistrates and hence the knife for the next
six months. The whole trouble was pre-
cipitated in Common Council when the re-
port of the Board of Viewers on the opening
of Chestnut street through the flooded dis
trict of Butchers Run at cost of $3.50, 600.
Messrs. Albrecht and Gerwig, of the Third
ward, were opposed to the ordinance and
thought large sewer down Madison ave-
nue. would be cheaper and would answer
the same purpose. Mr.. Nesbitt, of the Sur
vey Committee, said that the question was
very important one, the old sewer is no
good and q new one on another street would
help it much. There was no telling when
another flood would come, and with the
committee it was a question of lives
against the expenditure OF dollars.
This was followed by a long discussion as
to whether lives or dollars were the more
valuable. Dollars won for the present and
the matter was sentenced 80 days to the
pigeon holes for having the impudence to
appear in Councils.
Cruikshank Pulls the Draw-String.
Over this action Mr.. Cruikshank smiled
smile and then unburdened himself thusly:
"Mr. Wertheimer assures me that with the
present extravagance the city will be 500, 900
in debt at the end of the present year. The
city is burdened with too many unnecessary
nen anu oIeii Sa M, iaos "ao ea'iiis up sne ~
proprlatlons. me new aepartments
a. aie pe. SponuiiilS tn,yd wv thy ,aant au
~ nut;t eS ue eSI bpo,,, 49,, ,ntod Pn2T PsG
are being looted to-day. People are talk
Were and II mnst he s{onned Tonncils
sho,IJ go a resnint;o, No rP6}Rnn +bo baedS
oT 6a,,a ItnnentS 40 cnt dow aTSenses @ Eor
VI, y, ,p,t o,,, ony ;n safo
NY , pa. an any LII s'ie'-
A chorus of approyal greeted this. but IL
n,os brOi,an h,, Ebairma5 PorEa who sia,;1D
cantiV said. 3.There are many who think
the same way, but the matter must be pre-
sented In proper form.
They Dishgured His Salary.
The next morsel of food was found in the
ordinance making the Office of chief clerk
in the Controllers office worth $500 year,
and creating the office of assistant at $500
per year. l.
Mr. Knox-Thev nronose tn relieve ono
80, ofho1f IT. 49, 80 a., ;,aSoo,-. -
man VI ns, ni' ou'oo &c anu oiioii inoie ease ms
salary. IL looks as II the Controllers ONCE
was helping itself. There is no sense in it.
Why, can I'LL City Hail yard with clerks at
81, 200 year that are just as good as any we
have.
Such opinions were numerous, and it was
also discovered that the ordinance did not
provide any plan from which to draw the
increase in the salary list. The chief clerk
was saved, but the assistant was reduced to
$720 year, and the ordinance was sent back
to committee.
Next came the ordinance creating the office
salary at $1,000 per annum. Mr.. Bruce
thought that there was no need of such an
officer The Solicitor was back in his work
and only needed clerk to file liens. In six
months there would be no need for him. He
offered an amendment to that effect
Mr. Gr1i il-el,a A 10 fl,af ran