The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-30
CITY SALARIES CUT.
All Employees viii Have to
Work for Less Wages.
WHILE SOME ARE DISMISSED
Yesterdays Meeting OF the City Coun-
eli Results in a saving Of Nearly
$4,000 Year.

EADsfc' -
The mayor lavuea a call On THURSDAY
fcr a sr,ecaAl meeting o. the city coAD-
ell. at the request Of the joint fla2aes
COMMITTEES, and "a response 70 fAs al
both houses % the city council met IS
.srday afternoon. The principal orsll-
nance adopted xas one reducing the sal
aries OF city employees 70 the extaat az
81 60 per annum. The other ordinance
aaoKstsd makes the city comptroller $
Office the place where all shs ely look
keeping shall be done. u also makes tAs
city comptroller the license collector.
The House of Delegates.
At az o. N. the house Of delegates y as
called 10 order b. Delegate Lizzie. a4la
Delegate Hurd vas elected temporary
chairman. ozing 10 the absence % = nat .al
man Crlchton. The roll call showed ii.at
ali the members were present except
Criehfon and Goodhue-
All ordinance prescribing the duties CT
the city comptroller was read and passed.
In addition 70 the duties ALREADY asined.
he 10 directed - keep ia hts office com
plste sat Of double entry books. Ia addl-
lion 10 the hooks now required y law.
showing IN detail the cost Of operating
the water works. the streets and sewers.
buildlngs. bridges and wharVes, and all
afher works which under the charter or
any ordinance, may come under the AA-
pcrvision OF the board Of public works.
aecoud-The cost % construction an-
thnrizea by any ordinance showing IN
detail the amount Of work performed ana
the cost thereof. as well as the cost OF
all materials and supplies used Ia af4y
such consiFuc ton
Thlrd-The cost Of labor. material ard
supplies necessarily used on any public
works. whether authorized by any spe-
ciai ordinance OF not.
Fourth-ghgwinE In detail all receipts.
charges and expenditures Of the water
department OF the city. lie shall also
keep in the same manner ar account q
the expenditures incurred on behalf or
each or the several departments 81 the
city. The heads or the several Depart
ments shall furnish such memoranda AT q
reports OF their financial transactions 20
the comptroller as may be required ~
him.
The ordinance also provides that the
city comptroller shall be- the license cff-
Ger OF the city. and II shall be has duty
10 see that ali ordinances II the city pro-
yiding for licenses are strictly enforced.
All licenses shall bc issued by the c.iy
comptroller on presentation 20 him OF a
receipt from the city treasurer showing
that such license fee has been paid. IL
Is also provided that the comptroller shall
appoint three deputies. whose Official con-
duct he shall he accountable Tor IN mas
Official bond. These deputies hall receive
such compensation az may be prescribed
by ordinance. and shall have toWer, IN
the name OF the comptrolisr. to perform
ali the duties imposed upon the comPtrol-
Ter by charter or ordinance
Report Of the Finance Committee.
The joint finance committee filed re-
port, giving the reasons why the cut in
salaries was made. The committee found
that on a total roll OF $i8i.5s = there had
been collected up 10 March =. iss, bat
slas - g. leaving uncOllected 81, sfs IL. or
g. 4-s per cent. Of the roll Fnia. in me
opinion 81 the committee. inaiaa-es tEat
there viii be an unusually large delin-
auency, and that tho revenue for current
expenses and for interest will not amount
10 more than one-haU that which VAS
provided for in the annual estimate The
committee, therefore. determined 10 face
the situation rs providing retreuc hmt at
IN all directions The first step taken IS
the committee. acting in conjunction
with all members of the council who &c
ceptesi an Invitation 20 be present ut the
committees meetings, was TO revise the
salary roll.
The committee further says that Il has
made what "a deems a thorough revision.
making reductions wherever they could
be made. and dropping OF employees
whose services can be dispensed with
without absolute dctTiment 10 the public
service. Fy the revision 90 the salary
roll saving OF a; least $3.50 a month, Cr
81 6ao a year. viii be effected.
The committee deemed T. advisable 10
concentrate all Of the accounting - the
city In tho office % the comptroller. ard
thus Is enabled to drop three department
accountants. Hereafter under this plan
all ~ she accounting books OF the elty
AH - s.
ertl departments keeping their own orc
rating expense accounts
~ has also been deemed advisable %
devalve the duties OF the license inspec-
tor upnn the city comptroller who. ru8er
the city charter. Is made tbs license Off
Ger nf the city.
Tho enrolling clerk lu the clerical d.
partmeut tho delinquent tax clerk IN the
treasury department. she special officer 81
the municipal couTt the fireman in the
city han and jail. the hookkecpoT in the
water Office. the foreman - che domestic
service gang iB thc water department.
onc drufJsman. one ccmputer. ore conl-
pller and one accountant 80 the engineer 5
office are dropped
Salaries in all departments ~ those Who
resolve regular mouthiy compensation
have been sraled down w!;h the exeep-
iton - 1ha police ANA Hre departments.
IN whlch no changes have heeu maize. M
change has been uaAc in the scale os
wages Cor skilled and unsAiNe1 labor.
During thc past year a rreat deal -
extra work has been done l1 tha way og
sewer construction and .reet improve
rueuts Work on tho sewerage system
tsIng HoW practically a aa end. a Erra
deal ~ thts extra Work $50 thc cierse85 aul
engineering departments can he dispense
with
stree lmrrov meet w hss a'rea iy