St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-14
All Of the foregoing salaries are
fixed by the So-called Bell char

men, each 800. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 100
Inspector OF Lamps. .................. 1,2OO
All of the foregoing salaries are
fixed by the so-called Bell char
ter, and amount to. 800 500
In addition, the Comptroller reports the
following fixed salaries, under former laws:
Sealer Of weights and Measures. 100
Five Fire and -Four Water Commits
TWO Municipal Court Judges (each)..... 400
Clerk Municipal Court .............. $500
Deputy Clerk Observation-Disclosures. q, 200
! Reporter. ........ 80. .......... 1000
Superintendent Fire Alarm .......... 1905
And including those fixed by the Bell
Charter, grand total Of. .............S779J0
With few exceptions, where the salaries
are fixed by the several boards or the heads
of DEPARTMENTS, all other salaries are to be
fixed or approved by the Common Council
The Bell charter fixes limit to the amount
to be annually paid to employees, or to be ex-
pended for supplies in most OF the depart
ments, beyond which neither the Council
nor the heads of departments may lawfully
go.
COMPTROLLER.
In the Comptroller's Office the limit is
S., 900, ali of which is used in payment of
four employees, whose services are deemed in
dispensable. In addition the Comptroller is
paying his pookkeeper $3.50 year out of his
{ private funds, to supplement the salary of
S94O allowed him by the city.
TREASURER.
A sum not to exceed s.. 600 is allowed the
/ City Treasurer for clerk hire. The salaries
paid at present to the nine EN- ployes aggre-
gate $685. per month, equal to $3.50 per an
mum. The Treasurer assures US that ne can
not get along with any less force; hence any
reduction in this Office seems impracticable
CITY CLERK.
The limit allowed the clerks Office is LOCO
The payroll Of FIVE assistants amouts to $50
81, ,,-,4I l. Il
extra clerical help practically uses up the
above sum. We see no room for retrench-
ment here. ,o ,s>-.-
i CORPORATION ATTORNEY,
The Corporation Attorney is allowed a
sum not exceeding Si,S00 per anuum for
clerk hire for the law department This
amount IS now being paid out in equal sums
to clerk ana stenographer. While not ex-
cessiye, these salaries can and should be
considerably reduced. in order that a. por-
ton of this fund might be available for ad-
diiional clerical services, which are some
times thought necessary, and for which the
city is asked to pay.
BUILDING INSPECTOR.
The Inspector of Buildings has authority
to fix the monthly compensation of each en-
ploye in his Office. He is limited to $3.50
per annum. He is now expanding at the
rate of 81, 40 ON one clerk and six inspectors
In our opinion, the services OF some of
these men should be dispensed with and the
salaries OF others reduced. In fact, we are
assured from reliable source that this de-
partment can be properly administered for
$4,000 and over less per annum than il costs
at present. We recommend that the fnspec-
tor be requested to so adjust his salary list
that from and after Oct. /, 1892, no greater
sum than S50j per month be paid as compen-
sation tC all the employees in his department
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
The Commissioner of Health, under GER
tain restrictions. is authorized to fix the
compensation of the employees of his de-
partment. and is limited to SIS, 400 for that
rlA ,.ll
shows four inspectors at SIS per month eight
health officers at $50 and q Waterman at
S41.66 a total of S?4l .66 or at the rate Of $500
per annum more than is allowed. We be-
lieve the above expenditure is too great and
recommend that the Commissioner Of Health
either reduce the number of his empioyes
or reduce the salaries paid, or both, so as to
effect saving i'll this department of at least
20 per cent of present expenses.
We are creditably informed that some of
the persons above named are not residents of
the city. and recommend that such persons,
if any, be dismissed, and that in no case
shall any salary be paid hereafter to any
person cot all actual resident within the city
limits.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
A sum not to exceed S215, 000 per annum is
allowed the fire department to cover all ex-
penditures for salaries, stores fuel, horses
and appliances of whatever description. The
monthly salary roll Of 2o4 officers and en-
ployes is $14 OF. OR at the rate of Si7s.-
12s.S4 per annum, leaving only S36.s7I.16 for
all other purposes II the limit allowed is all
used up.
The Commissioners are authorized to en-
ploy secretary and to fix his salary. The
present secretary is paid salary of Sl25 per
month, which we think is SO month loo
much. The salaries OF the 1875 employees
average nearly ST. The committee believes
that this department is managed with a
proper regard for economy, and. appreciat-
ing the valuable services of our firemen,
dorm 1lt VIC of nyr1 h Il
feel warranted in suggesting any reduction
in salaries, except as above.
We find the fire alarm telegraph system
costs the city So. 12S per annum, for salaries
of superintendent and five assistants and
the patrol fire alarm system connected with
the police department 200 more. 1t is gen.
orally agreed that these two systems should
be consolidated in the interests of economy
but this cannot be effected under existing
laws. We find demand for better fire pro-
lection in the western part of the city, and
that no funds are available for that purpose,
also that this department is now seriously
crippled for want of funds to carry On its
present service. We therefore believe that
the Commissioners, without any further ad-
vice or suggestion from the Council will SO
economic either by discharging men whose
services can be dispensed with, or otherwise,
so as to keep within the limit allowed the
department by existing laws.
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
The Council is authorized by law, approved
April 20, 1891. to FIX and provide for clerk
hire for the Board of Public Works not to
exceed $4,000 per apnum in the aggregate.
Your committee believe the intent of the
trainers Of said law to have been to restrict
the expenses for salaries of clerks and all
other employees connected with said Board
to said $4,000 in any fiscal year. We find,
however, on investigation that heretofore
the monthly pay roll in this department has
been S845, or S145 per month greater
than permitted under said law
The Board maintain (and In this
view they are sustained by the corporation
attorney that the salary paid their clerk. Mr..
Kerker, out Of the general fund, does not
come under the term 'ciefk hire mentioned
in the law aforesaid, and that therefore they
kept within the limit Of the law In their ex-
penditures. 1t appears By the law of 1889
creating said board, that they are authorized
TO employ clerK and 70 fix his salary, SUBJ
iect to the approval OF the council The
salary Of Mr.. Kerker was fixed by said board
at s., 800, but failed by recent action of the
council to receive Its approval. for hereason
that IL was thought to be $500 in excess Of the
value OF said clerks services.
The action Of the council in fixing said
clerks salary at 81, 900 failed of approval ow.
ing to above clause in the law. nevertheless
We recommend that no greater salary than