The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-08-02
ALL MUST REFERENCE.
County Ofncers Ordered to Re-
duce Clerical Forces.
Auolroa TWcMeLL REFUSES.
Ne says Rsbiss Bssisess Cennss -
Dsss WisA Less nsip-Nens 81
ehe OUessls Cessultod.

Al economixins seems 10 b the fashion
as tie present time, the board OF county
Just - the Monday evenings session OF
the board uas closing. Chairman Gasch
pulled out Of his pocket resolution
which WAS At once adopted. Its purpors
did not become public until yesterday
morning. when several clerks In the
county Offices were notified by their
superior officers that their servives would
be dispensed with until further notice.
The resolution ordered reduction in the
number OF deputies. assistants and clerks
in the various county Offices. 70 take effect
ut once. ~ follows:
Tho county clerk is ordered to reduce
his force four persons less than are now on
the salary list. the county auditor three,
the county treasurer three and the sheriff
three, and the officers named were ordered
TO forthwith notify the employees Of their
discharge. It Was also ordered that tho
two Justices Of the peace for Seattle pre-
cinct have bat one clerk. who shall do and
perform the services Of clerk for both off,
GERS from and after August 1, said clerk to
be chosen by said justices. and IN case
they shall be unable to agree. then he is to
chosen by the board Of county commits
sioners.
The order Of the board came like thun-
der clap upon the force Of clerks who had
congratulated themselves that hard times
rarely made itself felt in the public service.
that private institutions may come and 90
but the government would 60 on forever.
All the officials whose forces are affected
we're seen by reporter of the Posr-IxrEI-
LIeExcEs and all will comply with the
order. though much against their will. ex-
cept Auditor Twicheii, who says it is i'm
possible for him to do SO. and he will not
reduce his force. He denies the authority
Of the board to regulate his Office, and
says that he 10 under SO. 900 bonds to have
the work Of his Office done in . proper
manner, and that no action of the board
could relieve him of his responsibility. He
says he has already voluntarily reduced
his force all that the public business will
stand. In January. 1s91, his force con.
sisted of twenty persons. most Of them
recorders. aud ~ tho real estate transac-
tions fell or he cut down the force. He
has now fifteen clerks and assistants, ten
OF whom are on salary at an aggregate
monthly expense Of $l.0a5 This includes
two recorders on forms Besides these
there are four recorders and one draughts-
man who are paid by the piece. and who
drew last month $i8405. This part of the
work fiuctuates according to the number
Of instruments filed for record.
In Sheriff Woolery's office it was stated
that the order would be complied with.
He has had twelve deputies. including
three court bailiffs and two jailers, whose
aggregate compensation last month was
81, 3s9.s6 The three men ordered cut of
will reduce the expense by $270
Treasurer Phelps said he could manage
to get along with the reduced force until
he again commences the collection Of taxes
on the second Monday in January. He
has just completed the preparation of the
delinquent tax list and 10 now working on
an indie < TO the same, which will be great
time-savcr in future. When the collection
of taxes is resumed he will need a much
larger force. "Ycu see," said he, '.thcre
are some 200. separate lots and tracts of
land and consequently 200. 900 separate ac-
counts to keep. When I came into this
Office all the accounts were kept in three
books and now. through increase in busi-
ness ana changes i'm the laws, eighteen
much larger books are required, and If the
clerical force had been increased in pro-
portion to the work there would be eigh-
teen men here instead Of ten. whose sal
aries aggregate 81. 100. By letting out three
men the county will save 1910. When I
first came here. too, the treasurer had
nothing to do with the collection of de.
iinquent taxes. whereas have it all to do
now. In addition to this there are fully
&c. 900 letters to nonresident owners to be
written in year"
County Clerk Gordon is now in the East
on a visit to his old home Deputy Merri-
field said he had wired to Mr.. Gordon the
substance Of the boards order but the
telegram would not reach him at once be-
cause his home was at some distance from
= telegraph station. However, he con.
sidered that the order had been an ticipated.
inasmuch as six Of the force had been let
out " hen the courts had taken a recess.
Three of them had been taken of july 1
and three more on the 18th. The salaries
Of these six amounted to $525, and there
are ten clerks and boy left who draw
ST. 55. "It would be absurd to think of
laying OIL four more men, which don't
think the board intended should be done"
said he. ''At any rate shall assume that
they meant that the original force should
be cut down and not the present force.
IL Is all right now that the court is not in
session, but when they again resume
operations don't see how the force can
be reduced and keep up the business of the
office. The recording work Is even now
accommodating and all the clerks are kept
busy. The order made BY Judge Langley
in regard TO looking up the condition of
all estates in the probate department has
necessitaied n large amount ofextra work"
Both justices of the peace declare they
will be seriously hampered in their work
il but one clerk is allowed each court. At
present each keeps . clerk busy all the
tine.