The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-30
COSTLY STREET REPAIRS
CITY CONTROLLERS BOOKS SHOW
HEAVY INCREASE IN PAY ROLLS.
Began with the Week of Mayor Tag
CARTS Recent ConventiOn-How the
Boys Were '"JoIIied.'

Pay rolls kept in City Controller John
sons Office, especially those of the street
repair gang, tell an interesting story to
the initiated and give indisputable proof
OF how patronage was manipulated to
further Mayor Taggart's aspirations for
denomination. Laborers are employed by
the foremen Of street repairs and are paid
by the week. An examination of the rolls
of this department yesterday gave evil
dence of large fluctuations in the number
Of men employed at different dates. They
were much higher at the time of Demo-
cratic primaries and conventions than
at other periods Early in the
winter the force employed was small.
The amount paid for labor JAM for the
preceding week was $19210; Jan. is, $2l3,7O.
and Jan. 23 S264.S0. AS the weather got
warmer the pay roll gradual increased.
That of April for the preceding week was
81, ABB. On the last pay day for that month
there was but slight increase. $I.5SS.59
having been paid out by the controller April
25 month later, June Z, the roll dropped
back to 81, 060IJ. This would seem to indi-
cate that an average of from $1,000 to $500
a week for the summer months would be
about what to expect unless there was some
special design for increasing the repair
gang. June IS, the last pay day for, that
month, the roll was $1,5S6.
By the next pay day, however, there was
big jump, amounting TO over $SU0. June
% primaries were held to select delegates
to assemble on the next night when Mr..
Spencer was elected city chairman of the
Democratic committee The following week
men who had hustled" for Taggart S can
didate got few days work ana TINS ac-
counts Tor the Increase OF $50 IN the pay
roll of July compared with that OF the
Monday before. June 2S The fact that the
roll dropped back several hundred dollars
NV lzr Galr hon II
July u the pay roll had fallen back to
about normal, as on that day Mr.. Johnson
paid out but 81, 992 &C.
About that time the call for the primaries
to elect delegates to Mr. Taggart's APP
preaching convention was issued. Whlle ms
tactics had proven successful in securing
the selection of his man for city chairman
there were some disconcertjng rumors IN
the air. There was lot OF wild talk from
uncertain for the mayor if the bars were
not let down and the city Golfers thrown
open to "the faithful, The convention was
called for July p. The week before the
convention Foreman of Repairs Herplck
was instructed to increase his forces and
the result was shown two days before the
convention, when the pay roll of Monday,
July 49, had increased to $2,420.Q. Inc
"byes" We're elated. Sure the mayor, was
giving them lots of work TO do and he
"jollied" things along a little more, putting
on extra men on Monday and Tuesday so
that they would be ready to go to the
primaries and capture any doubtful pre-
cinctS for their chieftain BY Tuesday night
every Democrat that wanted work and
could be 'relied on was employed. Next
day when the convention was called to
order the result was apparent and the
mayor was nominated almost without oppo
sition by a packed" convention. Monday
of this week. July g. -four days after the
convention the pay roll was the largest
of any week of the year $2,Sl2a going out
of the city treasury.
Those who are acquainted with such
methods predict that there will be heavy
pay rolls from now on until after the cleo
ton. Others say that since Taggart has
renominated himself he will be Indifferent
to demands from people wanting city JOBS,
but as he is not cocksure of his election
in October the former predicuon seS las
most likely to be verified. The pay roll for
this week payable next Monday will show
which prediction is correct.
George Herpick, foreman of street re
pairs. is one of Mayor Taggart's most
trusted lieutenants An original silver man
himself he knows how to select only such
employees as will be acceptable to that ele-
ment and who at the same time. may be
depended on to fight the mayors battles
loyally until after the votes are counted
next October. 1t is about as Impossible for
a Republican or a gold bug gold bugs
are not all after clerkships and snaps in
the city offices-to get job working on
the streets as it is for man to walk from
here to Klondike. In Haughville Bright
wood and West Indianapolis much work
will be done this summer. Men OF reliabillty
who do not happen to vote for continual
ton of Democracy are turned down
whenever they seek work Only Taggarts
followers are employed.