The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-20
SEATTLE. MONDAY, JAN. 90.


Tacoma has already prepared her new
charter to be submitted April 7. some of the
proposed amendments being prepared in al
tentative fern. The only officers to be
elected besides the councilmen viii be a
mayor. treasurer. city attorney and city
clerk, who is 10 be also controller and
clerk OF the board OF public works. The
mayor is TO have the appointment OF a chief
Of the fire department. chief of police. har-
bormaster and board of five park COM
mlssioners. The salaries are TO be as fol-
lows: Mayor. $2Ooo per ennum; city treas
urer, 1850: city attorney. Sc. 100; city con-
troiler. 81. 500: each councilman. $500.
The city council shall fix by ordinance
the salary Of oil other officers and en-
ployes provided by this charter or that
may be created by ordinance; provided.
that said salary shall never exceed the
amounts following: Chief OF police. 1850
per annnm: chief OF fire department, s.. 800;
commissioner Of public works. $500; city
engineer 1880; any other officer or agent.
81. 500 per annum.
The board of public works is proposed 70
be abolished and its duties performed by a
single commissioner. 20 be appointed by the
mayor. All heads Of departments are to
appoint their own subordinstes. whose num-
Der IS 10 be regulated ny ordinance.
Tacoma may also have a civil service
commission, whose constitution is thus
provided FOR:
~ commission to be known as thu ciyil
service commission Is hereby created; I.
shall consist OF the mayor and president OF
the city council, They shall conduct all
examinations for appointments In the FIRE.
police. street. sewer and other departments;
provided. that the head Of each department
shall ne added as the third member OF the
board upon all examinations Tor appoint
ment To his department. and shall have. so
far as hts department - concerned. equal
power with the other members. The con-
troiler shan te the clerk % the clvil service
commission: no member ~ said commission
shall receive any salary or fees Tor any SER
vice performed therein. No charge shall
he made against any examination or ap-
pointment The ETY. council shall prescribe
rules and regulations - carry out the true
intent and purpose Of this section. and shah
prescribe penalties FOR the violation OF the
same. or OF any * said rules and reguIa-
items
Tho council I. 90 consist % one member
from each ward ani one at large. but the
alternative proposition leaves the council
IS az present.
Il i also proposed that ne city ,Aau
'provlde IN the ordinance levylr< ths tax
for any year. fer ne levy and collection
of an additional tax % one-tcurth o. ore
NIL for the maintenance ~ the puhli,
library: lt shall also provide tor the levy
OF one-sourth o. one MN for re rnaiute-
nance % parks"
II might he a good plan Tor the city q
Seattle 70 watch TIE result % Tscoua's
experiment. q A eva servt,e Comm-ssi5 n
tecore committing this city % e. The
worst feature Of re prcc>sei charge -
putting into the hands o. an Officer " 10
IS not independent o. ether departments
the auditing CO accounts. Il wcuH seem
as Il al experience pointed - the e3yisa-
baty CO Keeping ths accounts entirely sep
&rate. In other respects tAsrc Is nothing
particularly Objectionable about the amer =
neNts.
Nevertheless. TIE Trf7cicai saceeusrt IS
fer the people 10 exercise extreme care in
the selection - officers,