Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1900-12-15
Salaries Have decreased Over One Hundred
Per Gent in the Past -Four or
Five Years,
While the Taxes Of the People Have Just B,ep Raised by The
State Board Of Equalization to Pay
the Pets

The Republican party has an awful
record to go before the people on In the
spring.
The extravaganza of the Knopf-Lori.
mer crowd In the county offices is some
thing fearful.
The gang who are now holding up the
taxpayers of Cook County are the most
bnrefaced and audacious In their meth
ods of any tax-eaters we have ever
heard Of.
At the head of the avaricious assort-
mcnt of political cormorants Is the
County Clerk, the notorious Phil KnOpf.
Knopf has succeeded IN having the
salaries Of his pets raised until they are
the best.paid set of public employees In
the United States.
Phil KnOpf holds three offices him
self, to wit:
County Clerk,
Clerk Of the County Court,
County Comptroller and Clerk Of the
County Board.
LOrimer's Tenth Ward Lieutenant,
James Monaghan, Is Knopf's Deputy
Comptroller and Clerk Of the County
Board. and this man Is paid for his
nominal duties $1,000 per year.
A few years ago the duties Of this
job were well performed by one man.
who received but $1,000 per year, and
who had but one assistant.
But In order to curry favor with
Lorimer, KnOpf appointed Jim Mon.
aghan to the place, and he receives
$4,000 per year, and has an office full
Of assistants, as Is shown further on.
Monaghan's salary Of $1,000 per year
Is greater than that Of any man en-.
ployed In the public service of the State
of Illinois, with the exception Of the
Governor himself.
But the people have to stand It.
KnOpf and Lorlmer have so willed It.
KnOpf's chief clerk In the County
Clerks office gets $1,000 per year,
while the chief clerk In the big Record
er's Office only gets $4,000 per year, as
does also the chief clerk In the offices
of the Superior, Circuit, Probate and
Crlmlnnl courts.
But KnOpf doesn't care about saving
the peoples money, SO his man gets
more than any of them.
A few years ago there was but one
marriage license clerk at $500 n year.
Now there Is n chief marriage license
clerk at $500, and two assistants ut
$1,000 each.
This Is probably to help out in
KnOpf's marriage bureau which Is
connected with the license department.
= Phil KnOpf's payrolls eat up 500, G,04O
a year!
How is that for high?
When 1t Ii understood that three
fourths Of the men on them can be dis.
pensed with, isn't 1t high time for the
County Board to interfere?
The County Clerks office itself has
payroll aggregating $1S1,766 per
annum.
The County ComptrOller's" Office has
payroll aggregating $16,s4O per
annum
The "Clerk of the County Court" pay
roll aggregates $2S,334 per annum.
Total drawn on payrolls sworn to by
Phil KnOpf, $226,0i0.
Reform Is necessary.
Following lisa complete list of the Jobs
In the various branches Of Phil Knopfs
bailiwick, with the monthly salaries
attached:
COmptroller's Ofiice-Deputy comp
trOller and clerk of County Board,
$333.33; chief clerk and bOokkeeper,
$3.50; minute clerk and record writer,
$2OS.33; bill clerk, $1OG,GG; assistant
boOkkeeper, $50; cashier, $125; comp.
troller's clerk, 1925; jauitress, $45. To
tai salaries, $1G,S4O.
County Clerks Ofiice-Chief deputy,
$3.50; cashier, $2Os.33; bookkeeper,
$1G6.G6; deputy, redemption depart.
ment, $3.50; nine assistant deputies, re.
demption department, $l25; receiving
clerk, 1925; deputy, tax sales, $125;
deputy, tax extension, $2OS.33; assist
ant deputy, tax extension, $3.50; assist
ant deputy, tax extension and railroad
tax, $l25; railroad warrant clerk, $125;
mail clerk, $3.50; deputy, marriage H.
cense, $3.50; two assistant deputies,
marriage license, each 1925; deputy, Vi
tai statistics, 1925; map clerk, $137;
three assistant map clerks, 800; vault
clerk, first, 500; vault clerk, second,
$75; vault clerk, books and papers,
$125; stenographer, 500; watchman,
day, 500; watchman, night. $40; 103 lex-