The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-04-19

Thirty-six men and boys, who arc
connected with the executive depart
nent of the city government, draw an
nual salaries amounting to $62.3S0, or
an average of sl,733 apiece. Only two
of all this force are not laymen, and
very few outside of these two earned
one-half as much as the above average
salary before they entered the service
of the city. This average would be in
creased to $4,000 if the extra compen-
sation received by some Of the officials
from the school district was added.
The total assessed valuation OF the
city is $22000.O0O. The tax levy for gen.
eral city purposes is ten mills The
total revenue for general purposes Is
$220,0O0. The whole amount OF money
paid in salary and wages is $191, 800. or
about four-ffths of the whole. This
means that Of every penny the tax
payers contributes for general city
purposes eight mills goes into officials
pockets.
The laborers and others in the street
commissioners gang are not included
in the above calculations.
When the s45,710 which goes to S3
men In the fire department and the
S53,600 which goes to the 81 men in the
police department is taken from the
total it leaves s92, ,490 to be divided
among 63 men, an average remunera-
tion of $1,46S.
SALARIES SUMMARIZED.
To summarize: One official, the treas
urer, receives in salary, school district
commissions and other sources, $12.0 900:
eight Of the highest officials receive
$4,000, or an average of $4,000: thirty
six officials and subordinates, who have
what might be called desk jobs. receive
$62,3S0, or 81, 1888 apiece on an average;
siXty-three men, which includes all the
above and such others as are not at
tached to the police or fire departments.
receive $92, 400. or $1,46S on an average.
and the total of 127 men, which includes
about everybody on the pay rolls, ex-
cepting ward assessors and street
laborers, receive $167,1S0, or $944 Of an
average.
One of these gentlemen Of the pay
roll had communication in the papers
the other day, complaining of the way
the councils ground him down in the
matter of remuneration.
Others of these officials were scandal
ously indiscreet in the way they .lobbied
with the estimates committee to secure
more salary allowances.
Only one head of department did not
seek extra salary allowances.
The recorder conducts private busi-
ness, which occupies q goodly part
of his time every day and his Office
force seldom works more than six
hours and a half u day, the Office be-
ing opened at . o'clock and closed at
430.
THE TREASURER.
The city treasurer conducts private
business and is only in his office for
brief periods during the day; in fact
he Is very seldom there. His force
is extremely busy at two seasons Of
the year, the time of transcribing the
tax duplicates and the last few weeks
of the tax collecting period. At other
times they are quite at leisure.
The city solicitor conducts a private
business and is not in his office more
than Il few hours a day.
The city controller conducts a pri-
vate business. is seldom In his Office
scarcely ever does any work there
and his force does not work on an av-
erage more than six and one half hours
a day.
The director of public safety con-
duets private business, but at pres
ent is generally to be found at city
hall during the business hours of the
day.
The delinquent tax collector conducts
private business. He has not yet
been provided for by an approximation
and has no occasion to be at city hail.
Two of the five city assessors are
engaged in private enterprises.
Two of the salaried men of the health
department have occupations other
than those for which the city pays
them.
HAVE SUBSTITUTES.
This mention of the manner in which
the city officials divide their time be-
tween the work of the city and enter
prises of a private nature Is not to be