St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-28


Mr.. DAILY thought Mr.. Warner, presi-
dent of the board Of fire commissioners,
was very safe man, and as he under
stood it the law put this. branch of the
department out of the reach of the COM
mittee. Mr.. Reardon didn't think this
was so, but the matter was allowed to
drop.
Under the head of school board ex-
penseS the committee had nothing to
offer, the action of the special commit
tee on school expenditures having at
tended to the reduction necessary.
Under the head of court house and
city hall Mr.. Daily announced that
the present commission had made a
reduction of 81, 500 in expenditures since
taking hold. The committee, which evil
IDENTITY wants to be considered factor
in all reductions, whether emanating
from it or not, decided to report its ap-
proval Of such reductions. The police
department the committee decided not
to touch at this time. although tie ques-
ton of approving of the salaries now
paid to CAPTAINS. lieutenants, sergeants
and the license inspector will be consid-
cred before the final report is submitted
to the council. Mr.. Franklin thought
$500 salary to be paid license inspect
or was too much. The chairman of the
committee was directed to look up the
police department salaries and report at
another meeting.
The engineering department was
again considered, Mr.. Daily remarking
that in this department was where he
aud Mr.. Reardon were right at home.
Mr.. Rundlett was sent for, and the pre-
viouS action of the committee in connec-
ton with this department gone over
again. The law allowed $4,000 to pay
salaries in this department. Mr.. Mont
gomery said he had found that two men
in the department had been drawing
aggre eating Sl65 per month. With
cut counting these men in
there were thirty-three employees, whose
salaries amounted to s32,67O per year.
The city engineer, the chairman said,
had shown desire to reduce expenses,
and the committee, he thought, Should
not let him stand alone in this. The
committee decided four of the sprink-
ling inspectors could be done away
with. Attention was called to the in
spectors who drew in the month of
day In the month. This called out a
statement from Mr.. Reardon tn at
RundIett
Was as Guilty
as DR.. Hoyt in certifying to pay rolls.
nv SOHithltUCC uCu DIT lClStu dDOuL
the street commissioners being no good
and drawing pay for doing no work.
MIR. DAILY was in favor of paying the
head Inspector $1,000 a year and the
others 81 600. Mr.. ReardOn didn't see
why there should be any distinction; as
far as he could learn, only one or two of
them were any good at all. Mr. Rund-
lett, who had b 'en called in, said he
hoped that part of the department
would be put under separat head and
taken away from the engin eering de-
partment. Under the present law, this
could not be done, but his idea was TO
have general commissioner and allow
him to have charge and employ the
others. The street sprinkling inspectors
were employed from May to Move mber
and were needed. The police, he said,
did not, as rule, report regarding the
sprinkling. In answer to statements of
Mr.. Reardon that one of the sprinkling
inspectors named Young had been put
on six weeks before the rest because he
was Il fayOrite with the office. Mr..
Rundlett said the statements were false.
Mr.. Daily was III favor OF paying all
street commissioners $1,000 per year.
Mr.. Montgomery said he Knew men
who would be willing to do the work
for 5000.
Mr.. Reardon said some of the COM
missionerS didn't know any more about
street work than he did about making
watch. One of the commissioners. he
SAID, was bandmaster and knew moth
ing about the work, except what he had
learned since being appointed. Mr..
Daily said he understood some of the
men were forced on the engineer for
political purposes. Mr.. Reardon was
i'll favor of taking the big salaries away
from the commissioners and giving it
to those who received s1.40 per day.
Mr.. Montgomery said some of the men
getting S1.40 day were not worth 20
cents.
Mr.. Daily said the city would have to
support them anyway, and this was as
Rundlett admitted some of the men
were old, but, taking them all together,
he thought they were as good a street
force as could be got together. Mr..
Reardon thought
A Mistake
had been made in reducing the hours
of labor from ten to eight hours. Mr..
Daily didn't want the committee to go
into the labor question but, to confine
its work to reducing salaries.
Mr.. Rundlett thought the inspectors
who had charge of the sewer, grading
and other contract work were very nee
essary, and So per day when they were
employed were not too much.
Mr.. DAILY thought the salaries of Mr..
Wilson and Mr.. Munster should not be
cut, as they were valuable men. He
did think it would be possible to get
along without Mr.. Annan's services.
Mr.. Rundlett said Mr.. Amman was an
engineer and draughtsman, and could
not be dispensed with. Speak
ing of inspectors, Mr.. Rear
don said he had seen one
inspector bossing one workman who was
mixing cement. The salary of the in
spector amounted to more than the
entire amount of the contract which he
was supervising. Mr.. Rundlett said this
was mistake, and be dilated at length
upon the need of Inspectors in all con-
tract work to see 1T was properly done.
1t was finally decided to save $500 in
the salaries of street commissioners by
recommending the head commissioner
be paid 500 per month instead OF $3.50,
and the other commissioners from $1,000
to 5000. This, together with the Saving
in livery bills already ordered by the
council and the employees discharged or
to be discharged, will reduce the eX-
peHseS i'll this department SIS, 800.
The committee announced. as a re-
suit OF their labors, the following re-
auctions had been made, or would be
recommended:
Board Of public works reduction in
CLERK hire -. $1,000
Salary of clerk of board of public
works reduced. .... 600
Salaries OF employees in court house
ana city hall .............. $500
Reduction in school board expenses $4,000
Reduction in engineering department.,
including salaries. livery bills, etc. 1850
Total Observation-Disclosures. -..Ssl, 100
MU ST STATE METHODS.