The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-15
II MEANS $4,000 MONTH
The Saving That Will Be Recon-
mended by . Committee Of
the Council.
II Takes In tho Mayors Su9ges-
tions and Coos Somewhat
Further.
Tie Ohices which May He Abolished Al
together or May he Consolidated
With eOme Others.

The question OF economizinQ in the ex-
penses of Helena during the coming year
was considered by the city council COM
mittee on ways and means at II meeting
yesterday afternoon. Tho result OF the
committse's deliberations, If their suRees-
tions are all carried out, will be q saving OF
about 81, 900 a month. Some OF she Jon
templated reductions will be submitted to
the mayor for his approval before being
embodied in . report TO the council At its
special meeting next Tuesday night.
Mayor Curtin. at tho Inst council meet
ing, recommended the following rsduc-
tions. Mayor. from 5000 to $3.50 a ysnr;
city marshal. from $4,000 TO $4,000; CITY
clerk and attorney. from $1,000 to e., 400;
city engineer from $4,000 to 81. 1900; build
inspector, from $1, 800 10 81, 200; city detec-
tive. from $1,5b to $1,000. Tho commit.
tee to whom the matter was referred de-
cided at yesterdays meeting that they
would recommend no reduction in the
mayors salary. They considered the office
worth 5000 a year, or even more.
and some thought that If 1t was
not worth that. the salary should
be dropped altogether and the mayor serve
for the honor of the thing. The commit
tee agreed to the accommodation in regard
to the city marshal's salary. and will pro-
pose that il be reduced to 81. 600. A rsduc-
tion of $500. from $1,000 to $4,000, will be
recommended in the case Of the city clerk
and attorney. not quite as much a. the
mayor suggested. But the committee went
the mayor some better on the city engineer
and a reduction from 81, 900 to $1,000 will
be suggested.
The building inspector has been paid at
the rate of $1,2 0 a year for some months
past. Some of the committee favor abolish
ing the building inspectors Office entirely.
Some years ago. they argue. the duties Of
the Office we're attended to by the council
committee on building permits and the CITY
engineer. Now the amount of building
that is going on, they contend. 10 not
enough the whole year through to keep q
nan employed two weeks. The question
1t the present salary Of 300 a month. will
be left with the city council. The city de-.
tective has also been cut down to 81, 200
q year during the present administration.
Whether the council will continue the Of
fee or abolish it remains to be seen. Some
OF the committee favor the latter course.
The same councilmen are in favor OF abol-
ishing the Office OF court clerk and CONSOLE
dating the work with that Of the city
iallor. This would mean q further saving
Of 300 a month. The abolishment OF the
health officer and the inspector Of milk and
food will also be recommended by some Of
the committee. The duties OF the former,
they say. can be reformed by the city
marshal. and the milk and food inspector,
they argue. can be spared.
So far as the police force is concerned. it
is already several men short. and the COM
mittee will mako no recommendation for n
reduction. The force of policemen. they
say, can be just ms large or just as small as
the mayor aces fit to mike it.
Ono of the main savings. the committee
think. can be accomplished in tho street de-
partment. This department.. they think.
should be run at an expense OF not over
$12.0 IL year for the coming twelve
months. The work done last fall ia looked
VI on rs sufficient to last some tims, and an
average of $1,000 a month for the coming
year is regarded as ample.
Some OF the committee will oppose q few
of the reductions suggested, and altogether
n lively time is expected at Tuesday nights
meeting.