Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-03-24
THE CITY COUNCIL
Salary Budget for Ensuing Municipal
Year Determined On at Last
Nights Meeting,
CITY CLERKS PAY RAISED
Solicitor General Bartlett Makes Very Time.
ly and 0pportune Suggestions About
Properly Lighting Streets and Saw
ing City from Disrepute.

The city council held a special meet
ing last night, when the salary budget
for the ensuing municipal year was de-
termined on, and a resolution prepared
by City Attorney Gortner was adopted,
setting to rights Sins Of omission" in
the record of last year. The honorable
members of the council were nearly an
hour late in opening the ball, and Act
ing Mayor Baca called the meeting to
order, with only Alderman Mcpherson
meeting with three chapters of that
wild and adventurous romance, entitled
The minutes of the Previous Meeting
and a petition was read from the fire
department, asking that the orthodox
financial favor of past years be repeat
ed this coming yea in the shape of a
$3.50 donation. The petition was tabled,
taken up later and granted. The salary
of the city treasurer was placed at 5000,
the same as last year; but the salary of
the city clerk was put up $40, as Alder
a Gonzales thought that 5000 was
rather scant picking, if a man tried to
live off such pay. The remainder of the
council agreed with the speaker, and
the city clerks salary was fixed at $240,
including the fees allowed by law. The
city marshals salary was continued at
5000, with the fees allowed by law.
There was some question as to the pay
r. xzI..-..-. $50 "a ,,.. .,.1 ,,,l
what the number would be. 1t was
shown that the mayor could appoint as
many as four policemen at one time,
within his discretion; and then the pay
patrolman. The compensation to the
fire department was settled as already
noted. AS to the city attorney, the al
dermen seemed to think the amount of
| work done did not warrant a salary
| larger than $1OO, and that amount of
dough was sliced off for distinguished
| counsel. 1t was also decided that the
police magistrate should receive the
fees allowed by law to justices of the
| peace, provided hat no fees shall in
any case be charged against or paid by
the city. The matter of appropriations
for water and electric lighting occa-
stoned a good deal of discussion. 1t was
started by a motion from Alderman
Gonzales that the same appropriations
be made for the Water & Improvement
Company as last year.
Mr.. Gonzales remarks were followed
by statements of some length from
Messrs. Gortner and Solicitor General
Bartlett. The remarks of the latter let
in considerable light as to the needs of
the city in lighting the streets, and the
obligations of the city government in
the matter. 1t was brought out that in
the last four years all the city had paid
for electric lighting was coupons re-
ceived for one year under the Bateman
act. Mr.. Gortner contended that no ac-
city as to any proposed contract with
the water company, as there was a con-
tract in existence with a former city
council, approved by the legislature, IN
der which the matter could be carried
on, and any appropriation by the pres
ent council would be as unnecessary as
the insertion of the Lords prayer into
the ordinance. He had left any such
item out of the budget as unnecessary.
I'VE are compelled by law to pay the
Water & Improvement Company what
the legislature enacted we should pay,
and there is no appropriation to be
made in this case" General Bartlett's
remarks were aimed to make it perfect
ly plain just how the city stood in re-
gard to the water company, and to see
that simple justice was done the COM
pany. He also called the councils par
ticular attention to the need of lighting
likely to fall into d%isrepute. Strangers
coming here could not fail to receive IN
favorable impressions of the place with
unlighted streets, and he inclined to the
opinion that specific appropriations
covering the subject should be made in
the budget. This incidentally brought
up the mistake or oversight in the rec
ord of last April, the gist of which will
be noted in the resolution introduced by
Mr.. Gortner, which appears further on
in this account of last nights proceed
ings.
Captain Day stated in connection
with the lighting that he would give
so all-night lights Of 16 candle power
each at $100 per month. General Bart
lett held that the first duty of a city