The San Francisco call., 1899-08-17
Forty Employees Are
II +. Disc Charged.
OTHER HEADS ARE TO DROP
MAYOR PRELAN'S FIGURES ARE
INADEQUATE.
-Because of an Abbreviated Appro.
priation $4,000 in July Claims
Will Not Be Paid-Aud-
.: itor Wells Opinion.

School Department affairs are sadly de-
moralized. In an effort 10 meet the figures
established. by Mayor Phelan in the tax
levy,the looping of Of heads and salaries
has been renewed by the board and not
even the teachers know where II is to end
AT the last meeting, which was one of
those secret sessions so strongly cham
p:oned by. President Bergerot in his semi
annual message. Il was decided 10 dis
charge q number of the employees in the
buildings and grounds department and
forty in al lost their jobs. That the
pruning is to extend 10 the teachers IS
evident from the fact that there are at
least three schemes being considered by
the board which Will result in the con-
solidaucn Of schools and the abolition Of
many positions.
The teachers received their July
salaries, but they were the only creditors
Ct the department who were paid Over
$1,000 in miscellaneous claims are now
l5tng in the Auditors office, with only
claims are largely for labor and supplies
. as well as for water The water com
pany has had payment on none Of its
monthly bills since last March and one
OF the .cOmpaDy.s agents said yesterday
. tNat unless there was coin IN sight within
L very short tine more water need not
be expected. Mr.. Crockett Of the gas
= company said the same thing 70 the Su-
TerNiSors Tuesday in regard 10 gas.
Auqiior. ,ll " els POS ton Is dltiicult TO 10
F.. taxpayers Of the city and naturally in
c.neo. to favor the dollar limit, he also
occupies an official position which puts
). HIN closely in touch with the city's f3nan-
cal affairs. AS Auditor he submitted d
tax levy. q 81 IS which, of course, was
.. LQt.aG adopted. In speaking yesterday II the
preAcament the School Department finds
E. itself In because Of the figures sUhuitted
.LE Mayor. Phelan and OF the general con-
=. Cit!Cn " affairs Il. the City Hall under
-e- Grafton of he present lew Auditor
. -Nt els said.
i. +. 10 Think the city government can be
. I}oatI 6f Supervisors? Well I nope so,
: FORT am Il considerable taxpayer myself.
Iut 20 40 so the greatest economy must
. he +practiced in every department. and
i. even them soma departments viii be Grip
..-p.5G. We viii take the School Depart
1ncUt, for instance In my opinion this
department. cannot maintain Us present
E. efficiency .withiG the appropriation, and |
know n no remedy unless il IS 70 reduce
o. t-e. teachers salaries or close some Of
p Inc schoeiS- Last Year the department
" came with q d@licit # s22l,ooo The ds-
= month and The salaries last month
q am uEnted - $50 045. and We're below the
-. aH-eE3g a. To this sum must be added S67j
E flT- -elljs. and about $4,000 for sCellaneous
- billSz.i 't1tGl OF nearly or quite 100000 To
p. -UaN. this amount We have Se3 3.07s. as
.t.stHteGr II does nor take much figuring 70
Ss1oW where the School Department Will
r. There are other departments that can
be-Wfll Conducted on less money than
.. was used last year I firmly believe. Still
IL MAY be mistaken. ! do not know. and
. 1T IS nor my business To know, If the City
Hall. can be kept in It's present good order
& LOT. .pAe-naE the money tAat was paid the
+.tanitors last year. I do not know if the
public squares can be as tenderly cared
for by one man. as some assert as is now
done by five.
~ cannot undertake al this time to re-
view IN detail all the departments affected
by the appropriation, but l can say that
= .:intelligent pruning of former methods is
3 advisable. and to be just to all depart
!: menls in this requires master mind and
much labor"