The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-29
SALARY OF MAYORS CLERK,

Since the Election the Democratic Mem
hers Of the Estimates Committee Have
Changed Their Minds About the Amount
lie Should DC paid Another Chapter OF
Reform.
The estimates committee had its final
wrestle with the appropriation ordin-
ancc last night and adjourned sine
die. 1t is noe likely, however, that the
ordinance will pass Us il will be re
ported at the next Thursday night :
meeting of select council for the rea-
| son that some of the members of the
committee are not thoroughly salts
| fled with one of its provisions and Will
attempt to amend ii at its passage.
This rock which threatens to cause
| the split is the salary of the mayor >
clerk. Since the office was created.
| three years ago, the salary has been
| 81 600 a year The estimates commit
| tees of the intervening two years have
| each endeavored to have the figure cut
| down as they did not believe Il high
| priced clerk necessary for the position
| the duties of which they regarded as
very trifiing. The law which provides
| that no elective officers salary can be
raised or lowered during his term of
| Office was considered applicable to this
| position, morally if not legally, So it
was mutually agreed, last year that the
salary would be lessened by this year,
estimate committee, which would be
acting at u timt when there would be
an approaching change in admnistra-
| tion. Mir. Williams The member from
the Fifth. who was on last years com
| mittee gave notice at one of the early
| sessions OF the present committee that
he would insist on this particular item
| being reduced.
IT WAS AGREED UPON.
At that time and ut every succeeding
| meeting Of the committee, excepting
| last nights, the Republican members
| insisted on the cut and Democrats and
| allied members said bravo" Then
| there was no suspicion that the next
| mayor would he a Democrat. Last
night the Democratic members sudden
| ly aWOke to the realization that If Il
| high SALARY was not allowed to the
mayors secretary everything would go
to the dogs and being in the ma iority
! they succeeded In raising the salary
! from 5000 to $500.
The arguments they used were any
thing but polite ana laid them omen to
some very clever shafts of sarcasm
| from the opposition. Captain Moir. for
| instance. in bOlstering w Mr. Lauprs :
| contention that $500 was little enough
for a mayors clerk, argued that 1t was
| necessary to furnish Il good salary to
| the mayors clerk SO that he might Sc
cure II good man, "A competent secre-
| tary being desirable ON account Of the
| incoming mayors unfamiliarity with
city affairs. When Mayor Connen took
| . H.. I'll -.
well equipped for the office. having
| been graduated direct from councils
Mr.. Bailey. he continued. was a novice
| and would REQUIRE n good clerk who
could assist him with his advice and
instruction.
This brought Mr.. Chittenden to his
| feet with the remark that he thought
| IL was clerk and not an adviser they
Were providing for. If ii was an ad-
wiser that was needed he would be sat
isiied to make the salary $1,000.
THOUGHT IT WAS A CLERK.
Mr.. Keller said he also had been mis-
led into believing" that it was n clerk
and not an adviser that was to be en-
| gagged. He would favor furnishing q
| good legal adviser and was satisfied 10
| appropriate 81 600 or any sum that was
| necessary. He suggested that il might
be good thing to arrange to secure
the retiring mayor or the defeated can
| dldat" as adviser to the next chief rx-
ecutive.
Mr.. Coyne did not take this iocositv
in good part, and said SO. lie didn't
| know whether II was rdicIlp or irony
| but he did know that il wasn't very
| nice. He believed that $500 was the
| proper figure for the mayors clerk. al
though he never showed any interest i'm
the matter ut any previous meeting.
Simon Thomas. seeing that the 5000 men
were in the majority, tried to save IL
part of the city's bacon by compromis-
ing on $500, but it was no go. His
amendment was defeated and $500
| stands.
communication was received from
| city Controller Widmnycr which glad
dened the hearts of committee. It was
| the discovery Of an additional revenue
| Of $2.I0o which had been overlooked.
1t is the estimated revenue from dog
taxes. Long live the dog" was the
| cry of the committee. for it made pos
| sihle III" final adjournment.
The first thing the committee did
/ upon getting this windraIl was to an
piopriat" $40 for the construction of
| separate cells for female prisoners in
the central station house An item of
$40 to provide for Il landscape gardener
at Nay Aug park was also inserted
| Tweniy-three additional electric lights.
which rs many different ordinances ask
for, wer" also provided for
MONEY FOR CLERK HIRE.
| Mr.. Robinson. Il brother of the con-
| tr"ller-clect. succeeded in having 5000
| transferred from the item of 81 900 for
| the purchase ana erection of fire hyd-
| rants to the appropriation for clerk
| hire in the city controllers department.
| The committee agreed to recommend
| that the $iGi32 for ward appropriations
| be divided in the same ratio as last
| year and that the moneys be expended
under the supervision of the street COM
missioner instead of the various cuun-
| Cilmen. as at present, provided. how
| eyer, that the money appropriated for
Il ward he spent in that ward.
| The customary amendments regard
| ing the carrying forward of balar S's
and the merging of unoXpended appro-
! priatiOnS were attached to the ordin-
| ance and ii was ordered To- be reported
| ut next Thursday nights meeting
| EtITHlIE AJcR tDtyES'IEn