The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-28
A CUT IN SALARIES.
Ordinance Showing Proposed
Reduction in City Wages.
TO BE CONSIDERED TOMORROW
C1awsord Coullrmed - Municipal C1srA
-serees Railway Bin Possponed-
xew Bicycle Ordinance.

salaries Is ssiu 10 be continued for the city
council last night laid the matter over to
be considered n committee OF the whole
tomorrow evening. and the large crowd
that filed almost every possible space N
the council chamber expecting TO hear a
lively debate. followed by final decision.
had to 60 away disappointed.
1t was SD O'clock when the council met
The delay was caused by protracted ses
sion Of the special committee on salaries.
which, having seven. members. viz: Crtch-
ton. Nav.n. Giison Rude. Taylor. Herman
and Dodds. deprived the council OF
quorum. The other members grew restless
at the long waiting. and At $40 o'clock
Chapman called the house TO order and
James moved that Hurd take the chair.
The motion prevailed, ard Hurd instructed
the clerk to call the roll In the absence
OF quorum the council adjourned TIL S:3n.
by which time the committee had finished
its deliberations, ard roll call showed all
the members present.
The nomination OF r NJ. Crawford as
municipal clerk came up for confirmation,
but the rules were suspended and the re-
port OF the special committee on salaries
was taken UP. The report was as follows:
The Committees Report.
'Your special committee to whom was
referred the fixing OF salaries begs leave
10 report as follows: We all realize that
the city is passing through q severe finan-
cal depression The business outlook is
yet rather unpromsing. Judging from the
amount OF taxes already paid, 1t seems al
most impossible for the taxpayers TO meet
their annual taxes something less than
s2e,o 900 having been ra:d up 10 date. Beiiev-
ing that II Is best to pay cash instead of
issuing warrants. thereby subjecting the
holder to unreasonable discount. your COM
miftee herewith submits certain reductions
In municipal salaries by ordinance. The re-
duction has been made heaviest among
those that have received the highest wage
and among those drawing comparatively
large salaries We have attempted TO equal
ize one with the other according 70 the
amount of work done in such position. We
beg further TO state that 1t is our belief
and We sincerely hope that these salaries
VIII be only temporary; that when the
city emerges from this period OF depression
and starts out on a career Of unexampled
prosperity. that they may be again so ad-
Justed that those occupying positions may
receive more nearly what their services are
worth We have thought best to recon-
mend to the mayor that Voluntary re-
dsction be made by the municipal clerk CT
SIS per month; this recommendation has
met with his support and approval
I'VE further most earnestly recommend
that every employe and officer of the city
work eight hours a day. exclusive Of meal
hours. One radical change that we recon-
mend Is tina; common labor receive ST.
per day. instead OF 81 go. We advise this
believing that this money is well earned
in sunshine or in rain. and Is at once dis
tributed among the business and profess
sional men of our city. Furthermore, We
believe that common labor has born the
brunt of the last reduction in wages, ana
Tor that reason IL for no other 1t Is well
to raise their wage a small amount.
I'VE also recommend a thorough re-
organization in the police force Of this
city with the idea OF better and more
economical administration.
In closing, We wish to state that the
committee has arrived at its conclusion
after many hours of hard work and many
hours of individual investigation. We be-
lieve we have a fair understanding OF the
work done by the dinerent employees and
officials.
we present this report without having
shown favoritism or having been in
huenced by street rumor. nor have we
been influenced to refuse to cut police or
hremen on account of petitions having been
circulated throughout the business district
OF our city. well knowing that such petit
fjons were circulated by those attempts
ing to make political capital. Absolutely,
from the beginning. We have refused TO
cut. and never mas a motion been pre-
scented to cut the salaries of policemen or
fremen. Firemen serve twenty four hours
a day. and at night. while we are at HON
enjoying the delights of our fireside they
are subjected TO loss of their lives and
health. while the policemen, the guardians
OF our lives as well as Of our treasure. are
at all times in great danger.
~, Z. CREIGHTON,
JOHN TAYLOR.
GEO. gibson,
''E. A. HERMAN,
''R. J. DODDS,
III. p. RUDE.
'THOS. NAvIN."
The report was accompanied by a letter
from r. NJ Crawford. volunteering a re-
dnction OF 81 per month In his salary. TO
take effect May l. The ordinance fixes
municipal salaries as follows For con-
yenience OF comparison the Post-In;elli-
sencer presents a list of the old salaries
also, so thar the reader may see at A
glance the exact amount of the proposed
reduction. As the list OF employees is some
what changed under the proposed orii-
nance, the combining of comptroller,s AM,
city clerks offices for instance. the parallel
figures may not in all cases fully exnlain
the reduction. President Crich;on stated
that the total reduction. exclusive of anv
proposed Increases. amounts TO more than
s.. 600 '-'"A
Tho New and the Old.
The new salaries ordinance is as follows.
Section / TIE annual salaries OF the
officers and employees OF the CITY Of Saa..
tie, other than those sixed BY The civ rbsr-
ter shall be as follows:
ro,, New. Old.
First assistant or chief
c; uspu.y ...:.,.. -.....--..-s - 40 go %
ny ny accountant -. - % 30 %
in alseb Sepu'y eomptroiiers