New-York tribune., 1907-10-31
HOLDS BACK SALARIES
METZ AFRAID OF RUNS.
WI Distribute City Checks OUer
Number of Days.

Fearing that the spectacle of long lines of school
teachers street sweepers, policemen, fremen ana
other city employees with monthly wage warrants
"cashng in thirty five city repositories on Sat
urday. would prove disquieting the present
financial stringency, Controller Metz decided yes
terday to hold back part of the salary checks
usually paid the first of the month and DIS
tribute them over four five days.
Nearly 81 $50 salary warrants, calling for total
Of about 100000 are issued the first of every
month There thrty-hve city repositories scat
tered all over the city. If these salary warrants
should be put into ths mail Friday all at once
there is little doubt that most OF them would be
cashed the next day, the holders going personally
TO the banks and drawing out the money Satur-
day is a short day for the banks, and the Control
figures that the release of such mass Of checks
might cause needless various banks
One of the first things the Mayor did yesterday
was TO issue the following notice TO heads of de-
partments:
pt such time my Judgment the naese
not to advertise any new contracts LOT "Otk ia
your department.
The Mayor said this would hold up everything
but supplies OF course. it did not affect pavements
and sewers as they under the jurisdiction or
the borough presidents All work already let out
by contract could affected by this order. But
all work. authorized. will be held up and this
includes about $l50O00,0O0 worth of improvements
the city officials had contemplated. 1t will not stop
work on the Manhattan Bridge, No. J, or the
B!ackwelrs Island Bridge the contracts have
been let for them anG the worla is in progress But
land for the approaches Of these structures VIII
have to be left unpurchased through this radical
order.
School buildings the Mayor said, will be held up
by it. So will fire and station houses. Subways
will be held up. and the Fourth avenue subway
line which the Public Service Commission voted 70
have built will not he put through for some
months.
All the contracts for the subway loop in Manhat-
tan have been let. but of those for the BROOK
lyn section have. and these would amount 10 slV-
100000. The Fourth avenue subway is 10 cost S%''-
OGOOO0 Tho Manhattan and Bronx sections or
this tri-borough route will cost about &35CO.o~
with SOOOO0O for pipe galleries. Up to few
months ago school buildings and sites TO the
amount of S20OOO.O0O had been authorized. out me
city has not paid out much for them SINCE ana
these will be held up. Waterfront improvements
amounting to about S2OO00OOO will also be deferred
bv the order The Seaside Park, Riverside Drive
extension Hudson Memorial Bridge ana the Ne"
York Public Library some f the improvements
stopped though nearly All the cohldc's io' "'
library have been let.
improvements that each department head deems
essential will also have TO be stopped ana 'his
will affect every department
at would be a good thing" said the Controller
Yesterday ''lf the school teachers policemen hre-
men and street sweepers. instead Of going TO the
banks and drawing cash, would pay their gro
GER butcher and coal bills with their salary war
rants allowing the banks a little leeWay' shail
hold back many or the warrants 50 as ~ PlS'N'N
them going out in a flood. A good many people
are nervous these days. and II I can avoid u l
am not going TO do anything that VIII increase the
tension. The city Will do its utmost 70 prevent
conditions from becoming more strained.
"One trouble is that millions and millions OF
dollars, through fright on the part Of the owners
have been drawn out of banks and hidden away.
No one can be particularly blamed for this. but
the net result is that the money situation Is
greatly frightened. While the city will not for
the present begin work involving Immediate
cash outlays. payments Will he promptly made
on everything under way. ! think the situation Is
improving a little all the time but II cannot be
denied that the business men OF the country are
having the greatest difficulty In meeting their OBJ
legations. all for lack of ready money.
Collateral. matter how good. is not readily
accepted in lieu OF cash these days I am manu-
facturer with weekly and monthly payr0lls 20
meet. and l know whereof I speak. I do not think
that it Will be n hardship for city employees TO
wait a day two FOR their salary warrants 7
feel justified in Withholding Of them for
1a,.