The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-09
CITY SALARIES AT TACOMA.
A Plan Adopted by Which Employees
VIII Get Money.

Tacoma, June s.-Special-The new
method of paying the salaries OF the city
employees. which was drafted into an ordi-
nance by Councilman Harris OF the First
ward, was Incorporated into law at a spe-
cial meeting of the city council this morn
Ing. Pursuant to the plan proposed by Mr.
Harris, two ordinances were passed Sat
urday which repeal ordinances Nos -
and 1874. which, according to the decision
of the supreme court in the Eldemiler
case. stood in the way of applying the cur
rent revenues OF the city 10 the payment
OF its current expenses. There was some
objection to the passage OF the third orll-
nance prepared by the First ward eoun-
Gilman. some of the city fathers holding
that the supreme court would declare the
contemplated action OF the city Illegal
while the $500, 900 of general fund war
rants remain outstanding on the ground
that the owners of these warrants have a
prior claim on the revenues received from
the tax levy. The Harris ordinance.
slightly altered by City Attorney Judson.
was considered this morning by the coun-
ell. and after considerable debate II was
passed. II directs the comptroller TO draw
warrants on the salary fund where there
are claims against IL and money In the
fund 10 pay them. 1t is made the duty OF
the president of the council 10 sign the
salary warrants, and that OF the treasurer
10 pay them II he has the money.
At present there are several hundreds OF
dollars worth OF warrants outstanding
which were drawn on the salary fund last
October In pursuance of the advice OF
counsel Treasurer Odds refused to pay
them The repeating ordinances above
mentioned are intended TO obviate this OBJ
lection 10 the payment of the salary war
rants.
The matter stands in this shape: Treas
yrs-ta$ her hn rrif
obey the new ordinance or not till he con-
suits his attorneys. IL Is probable that
II he decides to pay the first OF the out
standing salary warrants presented, ne
will be nandamused and the legality Of
the new plan win be tested in the courts
II he does not pay the warrant, suit VIII
be begun 10 compel him. and so the ques-
ton will be decided ultimately by the
courts before the employees receive any
salary. They have not been paid any
thing since last November.
II IL no snap TO hold a city Job IN Taco
ma. This is the way IL appears TO the
city employees when they read the new
salary ordinance which was passed last
night at the meeting OF the city council
The new ordinace was in the nature OF
compromise. being drafted by a special
committee from an ordinance INTRODUCED
bv Councilman Harris. OF the First ward
The greatest reductions made are IN
the police department. The number or
patrolmen is reduced from forty 10 TWEEN
". and their salaries from SD 20 80 per
month A similar reduction in the pay
OF the fremen is made. The chiefs OF the
fire and police departments draw sI.5a
Der year each, the city electrician the
same. the assistant comptroller sl.1o. and
the assistant treasurer. tl.oeo. Inspectors
IN the water department draw 80 per
month. clerks $50 and bookkeeper $50.
Clerks and hookkeepers I'm the other de-
partrnents will draw $50 per month. Ife
new ordinance will go into effect July l.
The Rose Festival at Tacoma