The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-19
CITY NOTICES.
DIRECTIONS OF THE MAYOR OF THE

DIRECTIONS OF THE MAYOR OF THE
city OF Seattle 70 council bill No. 81
Seattle. May IS. 1855.
City OF Sea.te-Gentlsmen / regret to
advise you that I deem II my duty %
return 10 you without approval council
the salaries Of officers and employees Of
the City OF Seattle" passed by your
honorable body May 4. IsS.
/ respectfully submit my reasons Tor
bill. as follows:
FRS; Ohjection-By manifest clerical
error. said ordnance prescribes, except
where rates are fixed for services by the
Law. for annual salaries. while the salaries
specific! were clearly intended 10 be
monthly salaries. This would In itself
necessi.ate return OF the ordnance for
such action on the part OF your hoaOraels
body as would correct the error
But treating the ordnance In accordance
with the PLAIN sn.eEt OF your honorabiz
body. there are other and substantial
reasons. which lead me TO withheld ny
approval and which l beg TO submit as
follows.
Second Oojection-The following redac-
uo1s % the ordnance are objected 10 as
inconsistent with other salaries which are
allowed 70 remain and therefore aaEger-
Gus 70 the public service 70 Wit The
secretary Of the civil service commission
- reduced from 5000 20 800. This Of
hcer Is also labor commissioner and IN
the latter office alone salary OF ssee9
has heretofore been paid
The chief Of police Is reduced from &lzs 20
to $1,000. The QUALIFICATIONS and fi6sI.sy
OF this officer determine largely the EN-
cheney q about nifty subordlnAfes The
anHoyances and risks Of this Once ard
the Stringency Of the bond required are
such that the shlesg men will not as a
rule seek Il al the reduced salary.
Tne captain Of poLce should receive
ss3ei Z patroiuen receive 80
BY refusing police ssrgeauts from s7a.ao
y sas-a' -ney are brought 10 WITHIN $50
OF pairolmens Pay With TWO hours more
% work per day. leaving their eompen-
sation az less rate per hour than Is
pad 70 patrolmsn.
The reduction Of the salary Of the chic,
o. the FIRE department. from s@.eo 70 $1,000
- objected 20 for reasons similar 40
those specified Ia relation 70 the chief 81
police.
The reduction Of eight FIRE captains ard
s.K IRE ensineers from f78.ae 70 $50 and
% eleven IRE Aeuferants from $50 %
80 brings these salaries 20 near rhe low
est rate PAD II the IRE department
wh.ch : SNl1.
TIE captain and chief engineer ~ the
IRE boat are reduced from $50 ard 600
respectively 70 1000. which II only $500
more tnan The salary paid % dsck hands
and stokers
The city engineer and superinterAent OF
ortGSs2, buildings ard wharves ia reduced
rom fi1s - 10 tLss3 n8ssf hs-arafrz
-het - various charter amendments that
once nov embraces all the duties former
y Performed b. three officers 70 wr.
City engineer. me-n5er and chalrrnan ~
the board % public works and Elperirs-
ten1sni - tri iges. buildings ard wha-veS
TIE chief engineer a. the Lake Wash
lt<Lon pumping station Is reduced from
&oas 20 900 Ths seems 10 ne urxlss
~ a piston involving such Sail and re-
sponSlhlity.
The secretary % the board OF works Is
reduced from fSl01 TO $50 while he J.
ne executive officer Of the purchasin;
board % the city and required 70 gftS
bond o. 5. e0o.5o
Ina AUDITOR and assessor Of the water
cepar' nent = reduced from SIS 80 TO sfte9
"A salary which seems trzsaeauate ~ a
service involving clerical skill. judxuert
and Tesporsl bihfy.
The city librarian Is reduced from 10 90
% $s191 ] his i seems TO me endangers
sooner or later the efficiency OF a most
o.Lehcent branch of the public service.
Thlrd Oojection-The proposed ircressa
II wages for common labor from 81 10
20 u - Per day Is objected 10 On fhe
grou1d nat Il fixes a wage above the
current rate for such service al a tine
When the most rigid economy Is needed ia
city affairs. "
This conclusion is based upop ne M
cers -an1lrS that the maximum wages cur
ren- IL private emDioynenrs for ordinary
labor i We per day for nice hour or ten
hour Cay. While ! approve fully the as-
tablishmsnt Of the eight hour day IN All
CITY Sorh. from vb!ch II follows that tha
cry should pay Just much for ia
sizat nocr day as private parties pay
for ten hour day. tnink the ten cents
per day now pad by the city in sxrsxs ~
market rates IS sufficient margin 10 -
sure as that the cfiy's rate "a not or,.srzt-
arg 70 GepreSS wages IN she labor rnarteet
Tn-e position seems ali The more fust
aEd sale when we take into account fhe
a1cuo1S maos ~ The clty during TIA two