St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-06-27
Conference Committee Seri-
ously Talks OF a Cut in
Salaries.
The Reduction May Amount
to Ten, Fifteen or Twenty
Per Cent.
Fire Commissioners Voice the
Opinion That a Strike
May Result.
j. /. Beaumont Chosen as Sec
rotary Of the Chamber
of Commerce.

80
The mem bers of the fire board held
meeting yesterday afternoon and dis
cussed the best plan OF reducing ex-
penditures of the department so as to
come within the amount which will be
available for the present year. Messrs.
McCardy. Wheelock and Cullen, the
subcommittee from the conference. were
present and took part in the discussion.
A table was submitted by the board
showing outside OF the chief and two
assistants, superintendent of the fire
alarm telegraph and the veterinary
surgeon, there were thirty men receiy-
ing SS7 per month, "a men at $77, 6s at
s72, 40 at s67, 3 at s62, 2 at $40, l at $50,
2 at lSl25, at $50, at SIS and Is at $50.
TIE proposition of the board to cut
salaries of all the employees except the
three chiefs, superintendent of teie-
graph, veterinary and the $50 per month
men 10 per ceilt for the remaining
seven months of the year would, Presi-
dent Freeman said. effect a saving OF
50, 1870. A u per cent cut would save
$14, $50, and a 20 per cent cut SIS, 396.20
Comptroller McCardy being called on
for an opinion said he had no doubt but
that the members of the board were the
best judges OF how the reduction could
be made. He thought it advisable that
none of the engine houses be closed,
and was. of the opinion that the general
public took the same view of the matter.
FIremen Might Strike.
Commissioner StilIwell said no harm
would be done, and the efficiency of the
department would not be injured by
shutting up some of the chemical en-
CINE houses. He had lived In neigh
borhood where one of this kind of APP
paratus was stationed for three years,
and he had never yet seen fire put out
by it. The actual expenses OF the
department this year had been but
S104.000. instead of $4,000. as the diff
ference between the two amounts had
been spent in purchasing hose and
making repairs in the engine houses,
which had TO be done. He feared that
if the men had their salaries cut 20 per
cent they might quit. and then the city
would be in bad predicament, as it
would be impossible to get men to I'LL
heir places.
Commissioner Martin was OF the same
opinion, except that he didn't want the
chemical house in the Sixth ward shut
up.
Commissioner StilIwell, after listening
to talk s'on the quiet" made by the
comptroller, admitted that the mistake
had been made in not commencing at
the first of the year to make the reduc-
ton. After discussing a number of
propositions the members of the confer
ence committee withdrew with the
understanding that the commissioners
would submit final report at the con-
ference meeting this afternoon.
Last year the board spent in the
neighborhood of $4,000, and as the
indications were THAT only s105,000
would be available this year the comp
treller in December last notified the
body that they must keep within
the amount mentioned According to
the comptroller's figures OH June j
the expenditures of the department for
the first five months footed up SIG. 900,
leaving only $4,000 to carry them dur
ing the remaining seven months of the
year. The present pay roll is s14, 800
per month, and a person not at all
skilled in figures may. readily see that
a reduction is absolutely necessary in
some form. The running expense, out
side of salaries, is estimated by PresI-
dent Freeman to be about $1,000 per
month.
The idea which some me mberS Of the
board had. thatin case OF shortage the
money could be obtained from other
funds, was found to be incorrect. as the
comptroller Informed them yesterday
afternoon that no money would be taken
from any fund to make up shortage in
the fire OF any other department, as it
was against the law.
At session of the board held last
evening it was decided to recommend to
the conference committee that the
chemical engine houses Nos. 2. 8. a, 6
and be discontinued and that the sal.
aries be reduced on a graduated scale
from 10 to 15 per cent.