The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-05
RETRENCH THE WORD
Last Nights Meeting Of City
and County Representatives.
PLANS TO CUT EXPENSES,
Commissioner Gasch Gives an Instance
OF One Prisoner Now on His Third
$1,000 Worth or Food.

/ NO. ] 70 discuss ana s0Fm14ale genera
! plan for reduction OF expense in all de-
partmsnts was held last night IN the
council chamber Retrenchment was
talked mosS vigorously. but while many
hints and suggestions OF reductions were
thrown out that would cause many q sid
face in the police and fire and other de-
partments. no decisive step was taken be-
yond arranging for future meetings The
plan adopted was for each department. -
make a report OF expenses for the past
two years. with reductions already made
and proposed, TO be submitted az success
siye meetings The school board VIII be
considered next week. the county COM
missioners week after next, and the city
departments three weeks from last night
The school board and board OF county
commissioners were represented last
night by fun contingents. while from the
city council were crichton. James and
Rude. Others present were: Mayor
Wood, Corporation Counse, Brown. City
Treasurer Meacham and Acting CITY
Comptroller Agnew, Of the advisory board
OF the city: John w. Pratt. Joseph Ship
pen and W. E. Boone. representing the
Chamber OF Commerce. and ex-Mayor
Phelps. on behalf OF the former munioa-
pal administration.
As chairman OF the advisory board,
which extended the invitations 10 the
various committees and boards. Mayor
Wood called the meeting 10 order. He
thought no remarks were necessary to
place before them the object OF the meet
ing, as he considered IL perfectly Wei
understood He hoped those present would
consider the gathering an Informal one
The election of temporary chairman
and secretary was then proceeded with.
s. d. King and J. p. Agnew beng chosen.
Copies of the city comptroliers report
for the year 1884 were distributed. and the
- Yt,-ry nrrCr al "a
most business-like manner by County
Commissioner Gasch. who read report
of the expenses OF the county, laying
much stress on the sums paid out IN
the maintenance OF prisoners and in jury
fees II may say" he said impresSvely.
that one prisoner is how on ms thlrd
$l.oo0 worth OF food" He gave the fg-
ures In the printed report of the countv's
expenditures for 1875. dwelling with en-
phasis on the important items.
When Gasch had seated himself, Mayor
Wood offered for the consideration OF the
gathering some figures and averages ne
had prepared, showing the relation be-
tween assessment values. public debt, tax
alton and expenses. The result of his cal
culations showed that.the public indebted
ness is equal to Is per cent. or the as
sessed value Of property in the city, which
is now answerabe for a debt OF over
81, 600 600. 1T is time we should endeavor
10 lRauguTdte q geHeTdl movement to"dAo
curtailment" he said. land l think the
other cities Of the state should be invited
to join with US. / don't suppose this meet
ing will more than suggest 10 us lines OF
investigation. / know it is the desire of
the city TO eliminate all unnecessary ex-
penditures. AS for the police force, IL Is
the desire of the chief. and also mine, that
IL be reduced TO as economical point as
is necessary for the protection of the citi-
zens, and retrenchmen; is also being
planned in the fire department The pub
lie does not realize what a small proper
tion of the public funds go in the payment
of salaries. They are art 10 point to the
city hall and the courthouse. considering
that in them lies the cause or expense.
The economy must be made general. AMI
to that end the street, water, lighting,
fire and police departments must be looked
after.
He thought in order to be successful
In the general retrenchment, each ward
should leave its councilman free in his
action and not expect that while appro-
priations in other wards should be cut
down, 1t should continue as before He
thought that jurors should receive 81 a
day. instead of 50 as now. and Gasch
stated that s. with 5 cents mileage was
all allowed Jurors in the United States
court.
At this point Crichton suggested that as
son present be requested TO submit in
writing any proposed reduction or saving
in their department. He explained that
this should be done in order 10 bring
something tangible before the meeting
that II might discuss and act upon. This
was followed by a suggestion from James
that a report be made up by the various
departments showing the retrenchments
made in the past. The last suggestion was
considered an excellent one by ali. and
after some discussion John W. Pratt en-
bodied I'm resolution the idea OF fixing
on some basis for work by taking the total
expenses In each department, as they are
now, and then giving the total expenses
after proposed reductions had been sub
tracted.
This general proposition was not made
in the form OF motion. but was gen.
orally Endorsed.
Or Churchill moved that the consider
alton OF reductions In the school depart
ment be taken up next week, a report of
the financial condition and plan for re-
trenchment to be prepared and submitted
by the board. Motions 10 the same ef-
feet on the county and city organizations
were also passed
School Director King stated that the
plans of the school board for cutting down
expenses were hampered by legislative en-
aetmenfs As an instance OF this he spoke
of the annual school census required. and
, the furnishing of books 10 INDECENT chill
dren. He said that the board was often
imposed upon in this regard. and thought
those wishing books should be compelled
20 declare their inability 10 purchase
books under oath. and a penalty should
he prescribed IL their assertions were
found untrue lie thought the proper way
10 arrive AT conclusion was by means
OF a committee composed OF the mayer.
rorporation counsel. prosecuting attor-
new. a member OF the city council. and
! one each from the board OF county com
naissioners and Chamber Of Commerce.
The fixing OF The time when the county
commissioners should report caused a littl4
ora.orieal display on the part Of Commits
sIoue- eyaseh He sail he was tired OF -
in- abused for attempts az reducing the
salaries az the court house officials, and
said every one knew what the expenses
we're and where al the money went. lie
/ oaatad dow when Mayor Wood assured
him that IN the report asked for reductions
we're not necessarily demanded. and x the
commissioners thought the Lowest notch
has been reached. IL was .uiy necessary
20 STATE as much IN the report submitted
The meeting adjourned 10 meet next
Tuesday night az o'clock.