St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-28
The Salary Reduction Com
mittee Displays Monu-
mental Nerve.
Claiming the Earth as the Re-
suit Of It's Little Two
Penny Labors.
Partisan Feeling Actuates
the Reformers in Every
Step They Take.
Democratic Salaries Cut and
Pet Republican Offices
UnmoleSted.

The salary reduction committee held
another meeting yesterday afternoon
and practically completed its labors.
In attendance at the session, which was
called to review the work done. were
Assemblymen Daily, Reardon and john
son and Aid. Montgomery and Frank
lin. The opinion OF the corporation at
torney as to whether the clerk OF the
board of public works should be classed
in the list of city officers or he paid from
the $4,000 fund set apart for clerk hire
in the department was read. The men,
berS OF the committee have eontehded
all along that the clerks salary should
be paid from the Sc, 1000 salary fund. and,
while they referred the matter to the cor
poratiOn attorney, it was done as mat
ter of form. The opinion was not what
the committee had expected, as it stated
that the clerk being appointed and not
hired, and vested with all the powers
and rights of the board, he was a city
officer, and as such his salary should be
paid from the general fund the same as
other city officials. Mr.. Reardon said
this was drawing the poiut between
appointed and hired pretty fine, and he
veDtured the opinion that not even
Judge Cory would sustain the opinion.
The committee, however, decided it
would get even for the decision by rec
ommending that only $4,000 be ex-
pended by the board of public works for
clerk hire, and agreed to stand by the
action of the board in fixing the
clerks salary only on condition that
it be not more than 500 per month.
This would make the total amount ex-
pended for clerk hire in this depart
ment. including the clerk of the board,
just $4,000.
The city comptroller's office, the com
mlttee decided, could not be touched, as
the law gave the comptroller $1,000 to
hire clerks with and allowed him to ex-
pend the amount as he saw fit. ">'~ &"
The city treaSurer's office was also
passed, the committee claiming that
$4,000 was allowed for clerk hire, and as
II was now only $500 was expended.
The report will recommend the contin-
uance OF the present salaries. The sal
aries III the corporation attorneys office,
the chairman said, could not be touched,
put 1t would he well to recommend that
the number of assistant attorneys be
reduced from four totWo. Aid Montgom-
day said lie had been in the Office sew
eral times lately and none of the assist
ants were about the office. The only
place the committee could make any
reduction in this department was in
clerk hire. 81, 800 being allowed the two
question was raised as to whether it
would not be good idea to reduce the
salaries of the clerks. One of the MEM
DerS said both clerks were cripples and
1t might be well to let their salaries
stand. Mr.. Reardon said he was not
in favor of running a charitable, depart
men, and it it came down to question
OF this kind, he would rather put his
hand down in
I'm His Own Pocket
and pay the necessary amount. The
explanation was then made that the
clerks were fully competent and had
sufficient work to warrant their being
paid SIS per month. With the under
standing that the necessary legislation
be taken looking to a reduction of the
force of assistant city attorneys this de-
partment was passed without any re-
duction.
The city clerks office was next con-
sldered. In this department the COM
mittee edecided to make no reductions;
as one OF the members expressed it,
more work was done in this department
than in any other i'll the city govern
ment.
In the building inspectors depart
ment 1t was announced the committee
had no latitude, as the inspector had
the power to fix the compensation. Mr.
ReardOn said it was doubtful if all the
present force was necessary. The
two plumbing inspectors he char
acterized as a nuisance. The
committee will recommend that
the expenses he curtailed either by
reducing the number of the force or the
salaries. Mr.. Reardon said MIR. John
son, the eX-inSpectOr, had told him more
than half the force in the office was
forced upon him. If, said MIR. Reardon,
Mr.. johnson IS reelected building in
SpectOr more than half the force now
employed would be dispensed with.
Some of the committeeman didn't think
this at all probable, as Mr.JohnsoD could
never be reelected.
LII the health department the commit
tee found S74l.66 was being paid out
monthly to employees, This would eat
up all the appropriation and was
thought to be not wise. Mr.. Montgom-
cry said he had been informed some of
the employees were worthless. Mr..
johnson said it was very important
Office and he thought if good men were
employed the salaries were not too
ity of the men did was to draw their
salaries. The pay roll for July showed
four inspectors at $75 each, seven at $50
| each. and one at $41.66. Mr. Montgom-
cry was in favor OF cutting down the
| four inspectors to $50 per month, and
| the others to $40 per month.
MI. DAILY thought if the men worked
| the salaries were about right, but as it
| was now no work was done. The state
,l.
| two of thesforce non-reSidents, the other
employe who at previous meeting was
said TO be nonresident being found to
| live in the city. The committee will
recommend reduction in the force Oh
| salaries sufficient to make a saving of
| 20 per cent in this department.
The FIRE department, the committee
said, seemed to have the proper regard
for economy, and it was decided
| to allow the present salaries to
| continue in force, although it was
| thought the secretary of the board was
| getting about S25 per month too much,
| his salary being $1,000 per year. After
| arriving at this decision, the attention
! of the committee was called to the fact
| that master mechanic at S125 per
| month and two biacksmiths, one at $75
| and the other at $50. were on the fire de-
| partment pay roll. Mr.. ReardOn didn't
| exactly understand this, as he noticed
| bills were constantly paid for repairs
| on engines and wagons. Mr.. Daily sug-
gested that the committee recommend
the work be passed around little, and
| not ali of it
Given to Mitsch
| to do. The committee also discussed
| the fire alarm telegraph department.
| According to the figures on the July
pay roll over $4,000 was paid each year
to employees in this branch OF the fire
department.. The superintendent re-
| ceived $1,000 year, the other five men.
including three operators ana two line
men, SLIPS per year. Mr. Reardon
thought this branch of the fire depart
| ment and the police alarm telegraph
could be consolidated and considerable
| money saved. The police telegraph sys-
J tenn cost 5000 per annum, and the
| money paid to both aggregated $40, 1853.
By having both under one head he was