The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-19
They CHOPPED Off $1,000
Reductions In the Salaries Of Men
Who Take the Offices for the
Coming Year.
The City Council Holds a Special
Meeting and Considers
tho Subject
Marshal. Engineer, building Inspector
and Detective VIII Have 10 Take Less
the Ncxt Yesrs

The city council. at it's special meeting
last night. resolved the report of the COM
mittes appointed to act on the mayors sug-
R~sstions for reductions in salariea OF off,
GERS. made reductions in accordance with
those recommendations amounting to $1,000
. year, transacted some other business.
and were through and on the way home be-
fore ninc o'clock. There wore present Al
dsrmen Lissner. Post. Burgard. Fuller.
Howell. Morris. Hanlsy, Harrity. Walker
and Weber.
As soon ~ tho preliminary Of reading the
journal, was over with Alderman Hanley
moved to proceed with the special order OF
the meeting. which was the report of the
ways and means and Judiciary committees
on the suagostions of tho mayor regarding
reductions in salaries of some Of the city
Officers.
Alderman Morris. chairman OF the joint
committee, in presenting the report. said
he desired to apologize for the apparent
~discourtesy Of publishing it before It was
read to the council. For that. no desired to
state, he was not responsible. nor did he
know how it got into print. Neither did
he think it should have been printed. The
committee were sorry. he said. that the re-
port was not "a elaborate a. il should have
been. That was duo to the shortness Of the
time allowed them. The members we're all
business men and could not spare all their
time. They would have liked very much to
have had oil the l arties whose compensa-
ton was affected, before them, but the
shottness of the time did not allow it. He
then read the report. II recommended that
the salary OF the mayor stay at $500, in
stead of being reduced to $3.50. as suggested
by the mayor; that the pay of the city clerk
and attorney be reduced from SO, 600 to
1900. instead of g. 400. as the mayor had
suggested; that the city marshal's salary
be reduced from $4,000 to g. 600; that of
the building inspector from 81, 800 to
g. 200. with the understanding that he be
not required to give his whole time to the
city; that OF the city engineer from 81, 1000
to 81, 800; and .hat OF the city detective
from 81. 800 to ST. 200.
Alderman Howell moved to adopt the re-
port, and Alderman Weber moved to
amend SO that each proposition be voted
on separately. This course was adopted
and the subject OF the mayors salary was
taken up first. On motion of Alderman
Weber the recommendation that it be left
at 5000 was adopted. The salary of the
city cle.k and attorney was taken up next.
Alderman Weber moved that it remain AZ
at present, $1,000. Alderman Post seconded
the motion, and without discussion or div
ision 1t was adopted.
The salary of tho city marshal was next
on the list. When the clerk read off the
recommendation to reduce it from s., 500 to
$1,000 there was a long silence. which was
rapidly growing more intense when the
mayor asked what the council proposed do
sor rutkh khn ,vo~npttor V1,n~ A1In--o--
Weber moved to adopt the suggestion and
it was done without division and without
anv response to the call for nayg.
Now came the proposition to reduce the
pay of the building inspector from 81. 800 to
81, 200. and allow him time to attend to
fixing office hou,s that city business could
be attended to. it was decided to lenve that,
to q subsequent and necessary ordinance
and the proposed reduction was App owed.
The proposition TO cut down the city
engineers salary from 81, 600 to 81, 800 Gre
ated more discussion than any of the
others. Alderman Post wanted to amend
the committees recommendation 90 as to
fix the salary at $500. Alderman
Walker suggested that the salary be left at
1000, and that the engineer be compelled
to pay for his own assistants. He said that
the engineer at present. had to have an
assistant at a cost of about $500 year.
He favored giving the engineer 81, 1000 and
letting him pay for his own assistance.
Alderman Morris said it would be impos-
sible for a competent man to give his whole
time to the office for anything less than
49, 900. he had been informed. At a salary
of 81, 800 he could give 1t considerable time
as consulting engineer.
Alderman Lissner said he didn't fancy
outing down the salary of the engineer.
1t WIS an important office with great re-
sponsibilities. II the city wanted q good
engineer it should pay him. Labor had its
standard price. but talent had not. He
tho use OF lallygcaRinR over $780," he suid.
u don't propose to cut down his pay one
dollar. Let's save it in a different way"
He moved to amend by leaving the salary
as at present. There was no second to the
motion.
Alderman Weber asked if the city eusi-
neer was required to devote all his time to
public matters. OF whether he had q private
Office.
Mayor Curtin said as he understood il
the engineer was not required to give oil
his time to the city.
"Ihen if it is only a side ISSUE" said Al
dermsn Weber, 1.-THE salary OF $1,000 is
Alderman Hanley said that no engineer
could give his entire time to tE6 Office even
at So 600. He had to hive an assistant
who cost about 81, 500. aud TINT made him
practically a consulting engineer. With
the engineer at $1,000, and an assistant at
the same, the service would cos. the city
about $4,000. u saving of $500 oyer tho
present paw.
The $1,SM Amendments was then voted
on and defeated by yeas three, " Lissner.
Post and Burgald); mays seven, JE'uller,
Howell. Morris. Hanley. Heyrsty, Walker
and Wieber.) The Observation-Disclosures Of the
committee to make the paSi4l,a500 was then
adopted. ~.y}lFt}lN',A.
detectives salary from Xl,aVl "a, Al. 5bO wa
the last ON the list. Aiasrna6, Wisbsr
moved to abolish the office Altogether.
Aid. rmnn Hanley raised the point that this
was foreign to the subject. as tho council
we're only considering tho report md
recommendations OF tho committee. All.
dermnn Howell took the same view Of tho
sarily follow that the mayor would have to
appoint a city detective. The salary was
only fixed in cnsO the may or cared TO iii the
office.
II suppose If the ordinance calls for the
appointment of such an officer, the mayor
will feel that he must appoint him." said
Alderman Weber.
Not necessarily" remarked the MAYOR.
"Ny object in having these salaries ar
fanged now Ia TO have those who may be
appointed know what they are to expect"
The reduction was thou approved.
The report having been disposed Of with
Howell wanted to adjourn: Alderman
table Of business. The council divided
evenly. Post, Buresrd, Howell. Hanley md
Harrity for Adjournment. and Lissner,
Fuller, Morris, Walker and Weber against.