The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-28
KNIFE OF ECONOMY.
Cuts Interest on County War
rants and Reduces Salaries.
4 SIGN OF IMPROVING CREDIT.
yussices' Clerks Must Take Haif Pay
Argument I'm Yesier case-Psui
Nelson's Appeal Fails.

RI. hoard Of county commissioners aid
az make Up a lengthy record with its
.-.-s<1lrss yesterday. but the journal
-S.4s no Ia importance what IL lacked In
sa~rsh. Two important orders were pass
"a ore OF these chops the salaries OF
-. sustscez' clerks In two. while the other
r-oxgees for a reduction OF one-haIf per
ssat. interest on ali county warrants
hereafter Issued
The latter reads an follows:
81 i ordered that all county warrants
s.-<affer issued by the county auditor
swainst any and every fund and not paid
sar want Of funds bear interest AT the
rare of ~ per cent per annum from data
a ureseatatl0n TO the county treasurer"
This Is regarded as an important meas
v~s because heretofore warrants which
were sold at a discount OF 3 per cent. bore
srssrest at the rate OF 8 per cent. Now
hsxever, the board Is able to dispose OF
an warrants, both on the road and bridge
s.nd ard the general fund. at par II
xzs stated By members OF the board yes
,eraay evening that the present reduc-
,,an of Interest IL made with the hope Of
he.nS able eventually to reduce the rata
ain further until no county warrant shall
hear moro than 7 per cent. interest
The second OF the two orders reads az
follows:
II, Il ordered that from and after the
frs, day OF September, 1855. and until
rae further order of this board the salary
% each OF the clerks of tho justices OF the
sasce in and for Seattle precinct be fixed
Il the gum OF s35 per month"
Commissioner Heaton WAS seen at his
office last night after tho adjournment OF
.ha board. and upon being asked why so
radical q cut had been made In the sal
aries Of the Justices clerks. replied: ''Our
action today is in keeping with the policy
az the board adopted this year, that OF re-
trenehment. II is not the desire OF any
nsmber OF the board 10 fix salaries below
4 living rate. but in the matter OF the
salaries of the justices clerks we felt
ourselves compelled TO take heroic meas
tres because OF the small revenue derived
from these courts. Investigation disclosed
n us that the sum total OF the receipts
AZ these two courts from January IL 10
July g. inclusive, was but se0s.50. while
the expenses attendant. exclusive OF sal
artex OF the two constabies. was s3.1l470.
am inclined TO the belief that II tho
legislature had used the word may in
stead OF shall IN the act relative to clerk
hire for justices. the board would today
have abolished the position of clerk. We
would rather have done this than TO cut
the salary.
.aTha small receipts OF the Offices in the
way Of fees 20 10 show that there Is not
much litigation at present. and that there
fore there Is no great need of clerks. How
ever when a greater volume of business
comes before these courts ] believe the
salaries of clerks viii be Increased"
In answer to a question as 10 whether
the expert committee was to be discharged
Commissioner Heaton replied; That COM
mIttee wifi not be discharged this month,
nor next month. What viii be done after
that time is too far In the future for me
10 discern
Following up the statement made by
Commissioner Heaton with reference to
the revenues and expenditures of the jus
tees courts. IL was ascertained that the
total receipts and expenditures for salary
IN Justice McEiwain's court during the
period named were as follows: