The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-22

RE subcommittee on retreBcament az
! .assted o. tbs COMMITTEES Of q Of the Tax
- gefrencnment Association, met fa the
RANGER 81 Commerce rooms yesterday
/ .sstrnoon and listened 20 suggestions from
Mayer Wood. r. ". Gordon and James
asrt Oh refrenchmsnt in the city and
oaa,y governments. John Leary. Thomas
:. PFosch and Addison Smith being pres
1T The talk was a general one on al
zstssrs appsrtzinlng TO measures that
eight be employed In reducing the rate
Il taxation. thus encouraging lFnmlgea-
ssn and the esta 0lIshMent o. raanulactaF-
~ Industries that are now kept away by
ia high rate Of taxation.
Mayor Wood gave the committee much
rslsasie Information concerning the run
srg Of the city government ami the meas
rss that were considered some weeks
20 on retrenchment matters He thought
saving Of al least $1,000 a year could De
made By cenfralizing the FIRE department
snd abollshing the Fremont service ard
ne houses on Queen Anne hili. al Market
saE Yesler and IN the Pontius addition.
He said this scheme had been talked over
ii length by himself and Chief kellogg
TIE latter furnishing the figures.
Don't you taiuk a saving OF q large
izount OF money could be made by the
aiy running its own lighting system and
saying its power from the various power
se1ses IN the eityT' asked Mr.. Laary. II
EesH By that" he continued, that the
ETY. buy the lamps and wires and contract
~ the power I know bY experience that
great saving can be made IN this man
ser, and / see no reason why the city
sAonld not Hight her streets for $500 a
lsar. when IL Is now costing over 81. 90 +"
The mayor said he had not considered
that plan. but thought tee suggestion a
z0ss valuable one. lie suggested that a
asiag might also be effected III the police
apartment ~ reducing the force. and
Lso Dy changing the laws relative to
Erset Improvement work he sald Ia vas
ss' In favor Of cutting salaries IN The POI
zee or Ere departments any lower than
.1ey arc a. present.
Don't yon think said Mr.. Prosch.
shat thousands upon thousands u dollars
have been spent IN extending streets upon
raich IN many Instances not a single
sEese has been bpilt7"
yes, indeed, ! realize that But that ls
IKE many other things that have taken
pare IN the past. When cur city began
o grow We got the big head. 50 70 speak.
and spread the city over an area large
saoush for million people and at the
anae time wanted metropolitan service
q al departments. What we want to do
ASN - ~ At4ttt4F ABgHr fR4NkdhEA IL pos
sbie and give light and police service only
sithln certain limits. As Car as our water
apartment is concerned. do not see
saere any reduction can be made The
asy engineer IL the hardest worked man
h the city government and has enough
work. on hand on the preliminary work
.sr the Cedar river water supply 70 keep
lin going for some time"
DO Away with ConstabIes.
The aavisahility OF doing away with the
consfahles In the justices court was dis
'ussed. the mayor beiIevelng that their
srTices could be dispensed with and the
criminal duties performed by them placed
n the hands OF the police department He
fefussd 20 express any opinion on the pro-
posed adjustment Of the municipal court.
.or the reason that he was TOO c,ose 10
that court. On the matter Of lessening
TIE number Of voting precincts. he was
opposed 10 too great n decrease. as the
ssry experience OF the city proved that
100 large registration AZ one precinct
vas likely 20 excite riot. etc He was IN
fsYor az placing the maximum at nifty
votes.
The LAW Department..
How about the law department" asked
Committeeman Leary.
The iaw department" answered the
nsyor is very busy and the salaries are
zone too high
What do the attaches OF the Office re-
eeive." asked Mr. Leary.
The corporation counsel receives 5000
AGAR. his assistant 500 and the city at
torney t.0So, The city has a contract with
lsan W Pratt. for prosecuting street
frade assessments. for s2,coo u year"
When | was mayor said Mr.. T.eary,
fae corporation counsel only got 81 20o a
rear and was not allowed any assistants.
he city at time had 5000 people and con-
sdefahe litigation Az the present time
esta population OF eA.e0o the city paws
i9 As against 81 go then. Quite a Diff
tFence don't you thlnkF'
Yes. there IS quite a difference. bat
VIII ali due respect To the gentleman who
asid the pos don, | must say that he didn't
segn 70 do bis work. II he had we would
Aat have been compelled 70 enter into a
Nn'ract with Mr.. Pratt. whose salary Is
asi TOO large considering the work that Is
aone Then again you must take into con-
detailon the increased litigation that g.
roshg On. considerable OF which is no
ssaei due 70 the depressed times !"
ne discussion then passed on - ths
saskaeility Of abohshing the pay - rnsn-
rs q the city council. and % the eieC-
.oa q a mayor who would serve his city
- The glory there was IN Il. Msyor
Wood took thu position that a councilman
s.oaid receive a salary. as he gave most
MS time % the position ana was sub
- 70 Ines ln ease he absehted himself
rem meetings He believed that in work
= ioF glory CoUncumen would rot take
- interest in the city affairs that they
wv DO Ia regard 70 the mayor serving