The herald., 1895-02-15
Day LabOrers in the Park Must
Stand a Reduction
HOW THE CUT WILL BE MADE
Wages Will Not Be Reduced But the
Days Will Be Fewer
The Park Superintendent Discharges lien
Because They are Well Fixed and
Employs Needy Ones

Things have reached point where
either the force of laborers in the city
parks must be cut down, the wages be re-
duced or the men now employed must
work fewer days in each month.
The funds are not going to hold out
through the year at the present rate of
expenditure.
Yesterday at the meeting of the park
commission the superintendent of the
parks submitted few figures to the com
mission, and it was then that the neces-
sity for retrenchment became apparent.
The year with the park commission
begins on August LIST. On August lst last
the park appropriation amounted to S45, =
$40. Half the year had been passed on
February LIST and $24,654 had been ex-
pended, leaving 500, 1856 for the remaining
six months of the year.
Superintendent Meserve in his report
explained that the incidental and running
expenses of the parks, or in other words
the expense absolutely necessary to main
tain them is naturally increasing every
MONTH as new lawns and flower beds and
ornamentations of every kind are added,
and in consequence, to keep within the
apportonment, which it is absolutely
parks must be reduced, the wages reduced
per day or the number of days reduced.
The superintendent favored the latter
plan.
Commissioner Moss favored, at first,
reduction of the wages all around and if
possible reduction large enough to per-
nit of the employment of more men in
stead of fewer, but upon the showing
made by the superintendent he was con
WINGED, as were the other commissioners,
that the best plan to adopt would be that
proposed by the superintendent.
1t appeared from report made by the
superintendent yesterday that number
of changes have air iy been made in the
laborers in the PARKS and that the plan
followed has been to let out those who
have been longest at work in the parks
and who are possessed of some means,
and to put in their places men OF families
who are actually in urgent need of work
More of these changes will be made from
time to time, as the superintendent ascer-
tains the financial standing of the labor
ers more fully.
The outcome of the whole discussion on
laborers was "a motion that the supern-
tendent be directed and empowered to ar
range his working force in such way
that the expense shall be kept within the
The tendency of the arrangement can
NC SutSstu db WIFI dCtuTuCN
when it is known that the appropriation
last year was SOL, 900, against the $45, $40
of this year.
The commission had intended to dis
cuss the proposition of bonds for park
purposes to the amount of $l5, 600 and to
settle upon some way of setting forth to
the Council and the people the urgent
need of this amount, but the calling away
of Commissioner Workman who is the
most enthusiastic mover in this plan,
made it desirable to postpone the discus
sion.
The superintendent reported that he is
having guide boards prepared to enlighten
the travelling public regarding park en-
The commission discussed ways and
means for getting rid of the nuisance near
Westlake Park where garbage and manure
has been dumped into hole and allowed
to rot and become very offensive. Since
the rains the hole has been even full of
stagnant and smelling water. The
Mayor had conferred with Chief Moore to
see if the water could not be pumped out
with fire engine. The Chief said it
could be done, and would be done if the
Mayor ordered it, but there was danger to
The engine, and the Mayor said he would
present the matter to the Board of Public
Works.