The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-08-23
KEEP ON SAVING!

Now that Councilman Nio'A ~
Chairman Bill Kirkman of the
water committee and the youthful
councilman. Mr.. Durham, have de-
veloped a saving streak for the city,
The Statesman would ask that they go
q little farther and save more money
for the taxpayers.
It is true that Mr.. Kirkman has an
nounced he will remove more of the
superfiuous employees of the pipe line.
This will be good news to those haV-
ing the finances of the city to heart.
Mr.. Kirkman, to demonstrate his
change of heart and desire to save the
CITY money, also voted with Council
man Glasford to save the SIS which IL
would cost to send the chief of the fire
department to Calgary to attend the
convention where fire chiefs take a
post graduate course in the profession
of fighting fires. From the standpoint
of conservative financiering for the
city they so unselfishly serve, the ac-
ton is proper Even at the cost OF
being called stingy and mean we are
willing that such action should pre-
vail-if a continuance of thrift may be
had.
Now that the spirit of economy has
imbued the councilmen, let us go far
Their and effect more savings. Let us
join in looping off useless offices and
annihilate unearned salaries. There
are several jobs trailing out of the city
hall which do no good to the city or
the people and only afford an easy sal
airy to some councilman or politician.
For instance, there is the office of
building inspector. AS an Individual
office with a salary attached, it is not
of benefit to the people of Walla Walla.
Handed out as political spoil to men,
Der of the city council it has become
closely allied with the word graft
in the minds of many taxpayers. The
results and benefits are not visible to
the public's naked eye.
For this reason The Statesman
would most respectfully suggest to the
thrifty councilmen that they vote to
abolish the office of building inspector
as an individual office and combine it
with the office of the chief of the fire
department.
This is where the work belongs. The
fire chief should be the best posted
man on buildings in the city. He should
have intimate knowledge of the char
acter, the strength and weakness of
| every building, little or big. He should
know what material goes into a new
| building and should be able to say
whether it is of a class which win
| diminish the danger of future conf1ag-
rations. No other man is so we'll fitted
for this important work.
Walla Walla has fire chief of whom
the property owners are justly proud.
| He is well trained, efficient cOnserva-
| tive and exceptionally minded to at
| tend to his own business. He is ca
pable of judging of the safety of
buildings erected-none more so.
If necessary an additional salary of
$25 a month could be added to his va
as fire chief-this to remunerate him
for the extra duties of building inspec-
tor. Even then the city would be saw
ing $50 a month on the payroll and
would be certain to have a man who
could not be Influenced in any way by
building contractors or companies. The
public would be assured of the i'm
partial and efficient administration of
the office of building inspector-which
has degenerated into a sinecure for
one of the councilmanic taxeaters.
Mayor Kellough can make no more
popular move than to work toward the
end of transferring the building in
spection to the chief of the fire de-
partment-where it belongs.