Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-08
MANY SALARIES TO BE CUT.
Deficiency Appropriation for Public
Buildings Refused.

A small army of employees in public
buildings of the country are to lose their
positions and have their salaries reduced
as result of the refusal of the appropri-
atoms committee of the House to make a
defc1ency appropriation for the payment
OF salaries. There is a strong disposition
at the treasury to show that the whole
trouble Is due to the House appropria-
tions committee, and not to officials of
the treasury.
When Congress was in session year
ago Assistant Secretary Taylor. who has
charge of public buildings in various
parts of the country, went over the re-
quirements of the service with the late
chief Clerk Hill. After pruning here and
there 1T was decided to ask the appropria-
lions committee for just enough money to
meet the needs of the service, and the
amount OF the sum was submitted to the
committee with the statement that not a
surplus dollar had been placed in the
estimate and that there was absolutely
no room for reduction without throwing
employees out of work and curtailing the
efficiency of the work In spite of the hon
esty of the treasury employees in asking
for no more than they desired and their
earnestness in insisting on that much. the
approximations committee reduced the es
innate 100000, thereby creating the de-
ficiency 1t now refuses to meet.
Upon discovery of the situation recently
the treasury officials laid the facts be-
fore the committee, but the appropriation
was refused. Orders have now been Is
sued and Will soon be on their way to the
proper officials directing the reduction Of
salaries of many employees and the cut
ting off of fifty elevator conductors. At
Brooklyn, N. Y, for instance seventeen
employees are to have their salaries re-
duced, the saving being from $500 year
down to 70 cents day. Seven firemen In
the Brooklyn post Office and court house
are to have their salaries cut from $3.50
to SIS day. The janitor, engineer, as
sistant engineers, electricians and others
are to suffer losses in salary, and one ele-
vator conductor is to lose his place alto
gether. In the appraisers wal ehouse in
New York there will be two dsmissals
and three reductions in the court house
and post Office two reductions, and in the
subtreasury one reduction. At Buffalo
there will be four reductions and two dis
basis at Albany, Auburn, Rochester and
Troy.
Brooklyn recently suffered a severe
blow in her navy yard. over 800 employees
losing their places by the refusal of the
appropriations committee to make a de-
.ficiency appropriation of 100000 EN-
p1oyes at many other navy yards lost
their jobs.
With the stoppage of fifty elevators
and the climbing Of two and three flights
of stairs by dignified judges and austere
and aged clerks of courts and other Off
kick The treasury is preparing to meet
these kicks by referring the writer's to
their congressional representatives for
the only relief that may be expected.
The federal buildings that suffer most
are those in the largest cities of the
country. The smaller cities have no eie-
vators in their buildings and few en-
rloyes whose salaries can be cut.