The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-15
Up IN The AIR.
City Salary Ordinance Meets
With Defeat.
Councilman CLANCY Leads the
Fight on Increase.
VOTE WAS VERY CLOSE
Mr.. Snattinger Decided Fate by
Negative Vote.
Miller of First Ward Becomes
Greatly Excited.
TOTE WAS VERY CLOSE

OF a WranSle at the cOuncn meeting
last night. It was left until after all
the other business of the evening had
been disposed Of and it was nearly
midnight when the ordinance was de-
feated by a tie vote. 1t may come up
again Monday, June "a, and it may
rest undisturbed for some time longer.
The changes of salary made by the
ordinance amounts to $500 per year for
the mayor, $3.50 a year for the council
men. $40 a month for the deputy city
attorney and a decrease of $40 per
month for second assistant city en-
gineer, VIM Fulton.
The ordinance was at first read and
adopted by sections. The section relat-
Ing to the pay of the counciImen, and
setting the same at 5000 per year, was
changed after a fwordy fight. to $50
ceived. The ordinance was adopted
section by section, but just before tax
ing the roll-call on the ordinance as
whole Councilman Nichols changed his
vote, and voted to give the councilmea
$500 per year pay. This changed the
whole situation. When the rOll-cal
was completed it was found that five
were against and six councilnaen were
for the ordinance. The question of
whether six was legal majority was
raised, and decided that seven con-
stituted a majority. Councilman Snat-
finger, who was acting as president OIL
the council during the absence of
Mayor Hughes, who left before the
salary ordinance was brought up, with
the explana ton that he had received
word that his child was sick at home
and he would have to leave was asked
to vote on the question. He at first
refused to vote, being in the chair, but
the persistence of the cOuncilmen clio
tied his vote against the ordinance.
The vote, as it was in the negative, did
not change the situation. Had he voted
for the ordinance, however, it would
p NO hcr 1cxr tf-ca 1yr1fa hc0
dinance as a whole was: Yeas-Miller,
Bergundthal, Myers. Warner, Nichols
and Swendson. Nays-Griley, Snat-
finger, Neil, CLANCY, and Troutman.
When the ordinance was first intro
duced, the clerk read the first section.
Councilman CLANCY asked that the
whole ordinance be read before voting
on it by sections. Councilman Myers
asked if the new schedule cOntem-
plated a reduction of wages in the fire
department. Councilman Troutman re-
piled that it did not.
Councilman Nichols arose to ask
what departments were affected by the
changes. City Attorney. Spencer an
swered that the salary of the mayor.
ney and the assistant to the city en-
gineer were the ones affected
CLANCY OPPOSES IT.
sI met with the ways and means
rising to his feet, land I was opposed
to raising the mayors salary at this
time to $500. There were some who
wanted to raise the salary more than
81, 500, and on the statement that two
of the members of the committee who
were not present were in favor of rails
ing it to 81. 500, I decided to vote for it
with the remainder of the committee
There is no question in my mind but
that the mayor should receive that
much pay, and I believe Mr.. Hughes
could earn it, but We can't meet our
obligations now. We have had to call
upon the banks to pay over IS, 900 of
our indebtedness. and If this goes
through it will make at least So 900
n ore to spend annually
Here Mr.. CLANCY introduced a few
statistics showing what could be ac-
complished. by eliminating the raises
in the various salaries. in the perman-
ent Improvement of the streets of the
city. He also showed where the salary
list could be reduced in the sanitary
department and the dog catcher's force.
MIR. Clancy made a motion to make
the salary 81, 200 instead of 81. 500, which
was seconded by Councilman Neil 1t
was eventually voted down.
WEBER SCORES HUGHES.
Councilman Weber arose to say that
he did not believe in increasing the
mayors salary for the reason that he
thought that he was already drawing
salary enough to reimburse him for the
time spent in the Office of mayor. He
said that the mayor had a sign on the
door announcing the office hours to be
from 2 to o'clock each afternoon. and
asked if it was optional with the mayor
whether he spent three or n ore hours
in his office.
city Attorney Spencer arose to the
defense of the mayor. He said that the
mayor was to be found in his office at
all times of the day, regardless of the
sign
well, I was there the other day."
Mr. Weber replied, "at about 2:30, and
found the door locked What want
to know is whether it is optional with
him what time he spends in the office
Mr.. Spencer admitted that it was
.'AH I have to say is replied Mr..
Weber, that if he only spends three
hours a day at the Office he is being
sufficiently paid"
TROUTMAN DEFENDS HUGHES.
At this juncture Councilman Trout
man, who was recently appointed by
Mayor Hughes to fill the vacancy in the
council from the Sixth ward on account
of his taking the presidents chair.
jumped to his feet in defense of Mr..
Hughes And Mr.. Troutman defended
him right loyalty L am not as ia
miIiar with the duties of the public
officers as SON e of the others here he
said, but I know that the mayor has
never received more than he has
earned. Mayor Hughes earns more
than $500. Mr.. Clancy admits that.
Mr. Hughes devotes more than the
time spent in the Office to the work of
the city. He is a neighbor of mine, and
I can testify to the fact that he is often
visited in the early morning hours at
his house by delegations with all sorts
of complaints and grievances to air.
7 am in favor of paying them what
they earn and 7 believe Mr.. Hughes
deserves 81, 500 I will vote for that
amount I am also with Mr.. Clancy
on the proposition of economy. If there
are as he intinates too many employees
in some of the departments. let US look
to it that this is rem edied. I do not
want to see any one soldering on the
city,
MILLER FIRES UP
Councilman Miller then took an in