The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-22
SLASHfD RIGHT AND LEFT
Estimates Committee Gets an Or
dinancc Framed.
EVERY DEPARTMENT SUFFERS
Cicrkships Knocked Out. salaries Low
cred. improvements Killed and
General iiavoe Played with
the Appropriation.


Mr.. Chittenden for the past week has
been working Oh the ordinance aad
came to the meeting last night with the
whole thing Itgured out. Mi. Keller To
whom he submitted his plan acted as
his second and between them they
managed to bring the committee To
adopt their ideas. There was little
kicking now and then when some par
t,cular locality or some pet project suf-
fered but the wielders of the AK re-
mainod firm aud by their refusal 10
bridge one way or the other subdued
all opposition.
That they had to do some very close
figuring is evidenced b. the fact tina I
got under the limit by bare margin OF
$1,000. There was no particular at
tack made on any one dc epartment hut
everywhere that q dollar could he pared
off. of 1t came. All luyurles were
given the cold shoulder and only abso-
lutte necessities were treated with any
kind OF consideration. Several clerk
ships were made to suffer one by total
annihilation and others by pairing OF
remuneration.
Using the Parting krife.
The first attack was made on the city
controllers department when $500 was
knocked OF $l..O0 for clerk hire. The
appropriation for maintenance of mu-
nicipal building was lowered by striking
OF $500 from the item of repairs of buiid-
ing and grounds. The salary of the
office clerk in the engineers depart
ment was cut down from 81 900 to 500.
In the street commissioner depart
ment $50 was knocked Of the salary of
the engineer Of the road roller.
The item Of $500 for repairs Of New
ton turnpike was entirely stricken off.
Repairs of bridges and culrerts was cut
down from $4,000 to $500 General re
pairs OF Main streets leading from the
central city to the suburbs for which
s4..6S was appropriated was another
item which was entirely stricken out
The $500 for repairs to East mountain
road and the 81 500 fo- repairs to North
Main avenue Were also biotted out. The
81 .0G0 SIT aside for Il retaining wall on
East Market street was cut down to
StO0. Only S2.o00 was allowed for clean
Ing stone and brick parements and So
500 for repai irs to sewers and drains. \
cut of 1900 VAS made in the $1,000 for
repairs OF asphalt paven'ents on streets
for which contracts have expired. The
item of $500 for general repairs on
Providence turnpike which was origin
ally S2S.O00 was last night cut down "a
the modest sum of $500.
% Notwithstanding the objections of
chief simpson. who W." present With II
protest, the ,'osi;ion q. clerk Of the
C!iief of police VAS abolished and $3.50
thereby saved. Equipments of police
was cut from 5000 to $l00 and the item
of 500 for conveyance to charitable in
stitutions was done away with entirely.
The appropriation for light and heat
in the fii department estimate was cut
from 81 500 to 81 200. and the item foI
repairs 10 apparatus and HARNESS. was
cut from 81 900 to $500. The appropria-
tion of $500 10 provide substitutes for
paid iiremen was sliced down to $500.
The Increase allowed at former
meeting 10 the creinatory employees was
knocked out and sl2o was thereby
saved. The $1,000 p = 'hase money for
the crematory lot was cut out and $3.50
for another years interest on the money
was supplied. Tie incidentals of the
board of health were shaved down from
$4O0 to 500
Instead of the S12.524 asked for by the
public library. $l0.6j2 was allowed
which Is the amount of last years ap-
propriation plus the insurance.
1t was on the park appropriations
that greatest cuts were made. In the
Nay Aug park estimate the item OF
$4.O1S was cut down twO-thiruS. Pro-
vision had been made for two policemen
at 5000. but only one was allowed. The
$3.50 for Il landscape gardner was cut
ont and the items of $500 for teamng
and 500 for benches were each cut in
twain. Appropriations amounting in
all TO $l,525 for water. pipes. labor
lumber. repairs and shelter building
ware entirely. stricken out. Connell
pax put In II demand for $1,000 but only
$1,000 was allowed.
The board of revision and appeals
came in for some back pay and got
their appropriation raised from ST.
05O to 81. 400. The 100000 which was es-
timated wculd be needed for the incl
dentals and judgments fund was cut
down to $4,000 despite the waring Of
City Controller Widmayer that the city
would 60 to the dogs II that appropria
tion was meddled with.
WIN Tic ono Clerk less
The cut OF $500 In that line for the city
controllers department means that one
clerk there will have To De dispensed
with unless the controller goes down In
his own pocket to pay part OF the sal
ary OF u second man. The lowering Of
the salary ih the city engineers depart
ment was done with q promise that II
the present Incumbent. +. w. Costello.
remains. there shall be no cut. While
the discussion was on concerning the
cleaning of asphalt pavements the pres
eut system of sweeping was quite gem
orally condemned and the flushing sys-
TEN recommended. Mr.. Coyne wanted
to cut the appropriation from $1l. 900 to
$1,000, alleging that $1,000 a mile was
sufficient !Or keeping parements clean
during the year. No one else agreed
with him. however.
The committee came within an ace of
doing away with the office OF captain Of
police and providing for an extra pa
troiinan with his salary, thus economiz-
l.. ,,,t .,f
den suggested the thing. but when
Chief Simpson entered vigorous kick
he agreed to adopt some other means
Of saving the SiOO, and after looking
about. found that the item of $500 for
equipment OF police could be cut in two.
Mr.. Lauer fought hard for the abolition
of the caotaincy. saying that II was
an ornamental office and the incumbent
should be put on Il beat where he could
do some good. He said he did not wish
to criticise the present captain OF po-
lice. but rather syirrathized with him,
as his sinecure does not give him an
opportunity of displaying his latent
abilities.
Victor tnGcf's Idea.
Mr. I.auer also wanted 20 strike out
the entire appropriation for equip
ments. holding that the policemen
should buy their own stars. belts. clubs.
revolvers and the like. His ideas. how
ever. did not prevail No one put in an
objection against the obliteration Of
the 5000 for conveyance to charitable
institutions. But for n protest from
Captain Moir the $500 to pay the ex-
penses of firemeiI's parade day would
have been butchered and results which
are too dreadful to contemplate would
have undoubtedly followed. Mr.. COyne
put in hard fight against the cutting
of the Connell park approDr lation. but
had to submit TO the inevitable.
While the general butchery was I'm