St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-17
The PRUNING KNIFE.
Salaries Of City Officials Over
hauled by a Council Com
mittee.
Disposition to Cut the Sala-
pieS of the Democratic
Employees.
The Republicans to Continue
to Draw Their Old-Time
Rake-OfT.
A South st. Paul Alderman
to Give an Account Of
Himself.

lures, and to cut down the salaries of
the Democrats who hold office in the
present administration, the statesmen
OF the reform administration have not
yet determined, and the nosing commit
tee appointed to ascertain what can be
done in this line has not yet definitely
decided. Aid. Montgomery and Warren
and Assemblymen johnson and DAILY,
of this committee, held a session lasting
tine greater part of Yesterday afternoon.
The several departments of the city
were gone over with view of seeing
what salaries may be cut down or
what clerkships may be dispensed
with. Listening to the comments
of these statesmen of the city hall,
silent observer would inevitably come
to the conclusion that it is the Demo
cratic clerks and heads of departments
that are most i'll danger of being affected
by the recommendations of the commit
tee. The expression by Mr.. DAILY, ''The
men we want to cut are the ones we
can't get at" was assented to by others
of the committee.
The board of public works was
handled in way that means that the
pruning hook is to be applied there,
and it was in the midst of discussion
as to what cuts to make there that the
committee took an adjournment for a
week. When this department was
reached in the list of salaries, Mr..
Montgomery's face lighted up and
he said: "Here is place where we
can fix the salaries" Mr.. John
son took occasion to explain that he
felt ashamed of having voted in the as
Sembly to cut the salary OF Clerk kerker
down to 500 per month when he found
that Erwin and Mortenson, under clerks,
and who are Republicans, are receiving
1925 per month. MIR. Montgomery said
it did not seem consistent, but he sup
posed that Erwin and Mortenson are
competent clerks, and he thought the
board ought to be consulted before the
committee should recommend that they
BE Cut Down
to the same level as Chief Clerk Kerker.
1t was suggested 10y Mr.. Montgomery
Mr.. Warren doubted the practicability
of such a move. and expressed the view
that the board might, instead, dismiss
one of the other clerks and keep Kerker.
1t was decided to Interview the board of
public works before cutting down any
other of the salaries in that department.
The fire department salary list was
scrutiniZed. Mr.. Montgomery expressed
the view that part of the department
might be cut off, but they all agreed
that the rate of salaries is low enough.
Mr.. Johnson remarked that he would
like to cut the salary of the chief, if 1T
nnSCitlp fn Mr. Warrants
suggestion. that the salaries in the fire
department remain unchanged, was
adopted. OF the $4,000 appropriated to
the fire department only. S173, 62S.92 is
setaside for salaries. The captain re-
ceiyes SS7 per month, ami the fremen
81? to $50 per month.
There was long discussion on the
city engineers department. Mr.. Mont
gomery stated that. the city engineer
has already cut down his expenses
about $1,000, and has asked for further
time to consider other curtailment of
expenses. The engineer has dismissed
several assistants, and the carriage hire
had been reduced one-half, and Mr..
Rundlett is considering a reduction in
the force of inspectors.
Mr.. DAILY wanted to get after Stanley,
the man who. he said, marshaled the
"DagoS" last spring. He wanted him
turned out. He also insisted in a re-
duction of the sprinkiing inspectors to
two. 1t was stated that the city ell
gineer has already reduced his office eX
penses from $4,000 to $3.50, and is
Considering Further Cuts.
1t was decided to pass over this de-
partment until the next meeting of the
committee.
The committee did not like the idea
of keeping Beckman in the cOmptrOller's
Office at a salary of Sl25 per month.
MI. DAILY said that he had worked with
him where he got $50 per month and
thought that enough, and insisted OH his
salary being cut. MIR. Montgomery said
that Comptroller McCardy had stated
that he is paying S21.67 per month out
of his own pocket for salaries, and that
Beckman is worth every cent he gets.
He thought the fact that Beckman IS
retained is evidence that he is a COM
petent man. 1t was suggested 10y Mr..
johnson that the comptroller be allowed
a raise to meet the money he is now
paying out of his pocket. The law was
read on this point to show that the
more than certain amount for his
clerks. Mr.. DAILY wanted to cut off part
of the salary of Beckman and give it to
Republican assistant.
The committee favored making a
change in the salaries of the clerical
force Of the city clerk. They wanted to
cut off from the city clerk and his chief
assistant and add to the salaries of g. Ii.
Murphy and j. Ii. Boyer, but could not
determine just how to get at it, and the
matter went over until the next meet
ing, when they will doubtless determine
whether they can say what proportion
of the $4,000 allowed this office shall be
paid to certain clerks.
Regret was expressed at the inability
to interfere with the salaries of clerks
in the health department. the corpora