Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-03
MAYOR WITHOUT PAY.
A Scheme 10 Make Allegheny's Exec
utive an Honorary Official.
THINK IT WOULD GET BETTER MEN
An Ordinance Fixing the Salaries of Heads
of Departments.
OVER THE RIVER COMMITTEE MEETINGS

1t is one of the probabilities that ALLIE
gheny's office of Mayor. under the new
regime, will be made an honorary position,
without the salary attachment.
Many residents of Allegheny believe that
better men could be induced to run for
Mayor of the city under the new order of
affairs if it were made position entirely of
honor, since the work will not amount to as
much as that of the average Councilman,
and the aggravation OF being police
magistrate will not be included. That is
the opinion expressed by some of the Coun-
cilmen who know what will be to the best
interests of their constituents as we'll as the
feeling of men who would be glad to accept
the position under the circumstances men,
toned.
AS is we'll known, that official draws a
salary of $4,000, including $500 from the
county. but for this sum he is compelled to
virtually have charge of the police depart
ment, while daily row of criminals is
lined up on whom he is expected to smile
sympathetically as he remarks: Thirty
days. Nextr'
Councilmen Discuss the Matter.
A meeting of the SUBJ Finance Committee
was called for o'clock yesterday, but only
Messrs. Dahlinger, Snamen and Neeb ap-
peared. Of course no meeting was held,
but affairs of interest to the city were dis.
cussed. Mr.. Snamen opened the question of
the salary of rhe Mayor by stating that he knew
of some of the city's best men who would con-
slider it an honor to be made Mayor If there
was no salary, but with that attachment they
would N ODiniOn MlyOr
will not have much TO do, and for that reason
1t should be made an honorary position. SO that
it would be filled by men who would not under
the old government have anything to do with it.
Messrs. Dahlinger and Neeb fully coincided
with the views expressed by their colleague
The matter was discussed quite generally for
some time, but all seemed to be of the same
opinion. On one question they are fully de-
cIded. The Mayor of Allegheny will not re-
ceive as large salary as at present because the
amount of work attached will be 80 much less.
These gentlemen believe that their constitu-
ents demand an economically administered
government and they seem ready to give it to
them.
An Ordinance Drafted and Discussed.
The subcommittee which failed to secure a
quorum yesterday afternoon secured one after
the other committees had adjourned last night.
The majority of the members were present and
as the doors were barred only that which they
considered good was given for publication.
One of the members of the committee said to a
DISPATCH reporter after the meeting ad-
journed that 1t would require perhaps half a
dozen sessions to complete the work.
Chairman Dahlinger, with the assistance of
several other members of the committee. have
prepared an ordinance, after the style of the
Pittsburg ordinance, for the entire govern
ment of the second-class cities. They consider
that S.. 900 is too much salary for the heads of
departments, so s3 00o was settled upon as the
proper amount. Some believe that in Allie
gheny the amounts should be the same as in
Pittsburg, but the majority are more couserva-
tive and say that s3. 600 is amply sufficient.
Nor will the work of the departments be car
ried on with so much elaboration as in Pitts
burg. For instance, it has been definitely de-
cided that in the Department of Public Safety
there will be only one central office and there
are to be no inspectors to preside over broken
up districts of the city, as is the case in Pitts
burg.
Martyrs to the City's Welfare.
All this is considered unnecessary by the
over-river statesmen, and they declare that the
heads of departments will not be easy positions
| to fill with credit OF course, there are to be
only three departments. but already there are
enough candidates in the field to overstock a
regiment after it had been through the recent
Indian campaign.
when they find the amount of work to do
and the amount of salary attached becomes
known" remarked a member of the sub-com-
mittee last evening" "the majority Of them will
be very easy victims, as some of them are only
willing to sacrifice themselves for the public
good when the requisite amount of salary is
sacrificed to them. There are some good men
in the field. however, and there will be no great