Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-29
BOARD OF ALDERMEN
Voted 10 Increase Salaries ol
 City Officials -B Bond Issues.

The aldermen met last night
 Chairman Filling presiding and all the members being present except
 MT Spain and MT Goss.
 Aldermen Larkin and Walker of
 the committee appointed to bring in
 report as to what additions should
 be made to the salaries of officials in the proposed amendment to the
 charter, submitted the following: Mayor, from s2,OOO to $3,00O. City clerk, from $1,500 to $1,S 800.
 Comptroller, from $1,50o to s1,.
 800.
 City attorney, from $2.0O0 to s..
 900.
 City treasurer, from $500 to $75O
 MT Larkin stated that Alderman
 Spain, who is a member of the com
 mittee, is i'll, but copy of what had been agreed upon had been submitted to him. The chair thought it too pad that the full committee had not signed the report. The board was
 aDout to pass upon a resolution of
 fered by MT Fitzsimons that the re-
 port be approved when Alderman
 Lawlor called a halt to the proceed
 ings and begged Ieave to explain that
 he thought the increases for the clerk
 and comptroller inadequate, consid-
 ering the amount of work expected
 Of them. In other towns not very
 much larger than this,' said the al
 derman from the fourth, the clerk
 gets considerably more than we pay.
 Bridgeport, for example, gives its clerk $2,5O0. I know the place is larger, but even so, $700 in the sal ary is big difference. The same thing might be said with reference to the comptroller. It is several years since any additions were made to the salaries attached to these offices, not wlthstanding the fact that the city has been growing rapidly and the du- ties of the offices increasing right along. 1 should like to amend the report by making the salaries of the clerk and comptroller $2,O0O year each instead of $1,SO0."
 MT Malone seconded the motion and as soon as it had been stated Mir Larkin took the floor and made a strong protest against it. "The com mittee gave the matter a good deal Of consideration he said. "You can't judge what is right here by what clerk is getting in some other town unless you know all the details.
 We made the salaries for these posi- tions what we know men qualified to fill them are worth and what they receive from private corporations. It Is true that the duties of these offices nave increased in the past few years, but we shouldn't lose sight of tho fact that several assistants are em- ployed now at the expense of the city. We are here to act for men who earn $1.50 a day and not for men who draw very large salaries, and it is our duty to consider the .in- terests of all. These increases will have to be paid by the people, many of whom have but modest means, and l don't believe in making the burden on them more than is neces- sary"
 MT Lawlor said it was not fair to compare the salary of a public official with similar amount paid by a pri- vate corporation. It costs the official something to get his position, while the other person is under no such ex- pense. Mir Larkin didn't think this had anything to do with the case, and added that the amounts spent are very small, provided people do not exceed the returns made after cleo tion, and if anybody did he for one should like to know it.
 How long since the salaries of these officials were increased?" in- quired Alderman Sherwood. The chair replied in 1896, whereupon Mir Sherwood said that unless they were getting too much then $2,000 was none too high now. The population, he said, had almost doubled, and it was nothing more than natural to that the duties and respon- abilities of such positions are much greater now than they were in 1896.
 The amendment was finally put and declared carried, but Mir Larkin and Mir Goss doubted it and a rising vote was called for, which resulted as follows: Yes, Aldermen Lawlor, Hurley, Bowe. Noonan, Nell, no, Aldermen Larkin, { Elton, Walker, Fitzsimons; not vot- [ ing, Chairman Filling and Alderman Buck. The amendment was carried and the motion as amended was then put and passed. although Aldermen Larkin, Elton. Fitzsimons and Walk 1, er voted against 1t.
 The opinion of the city attorney . )n the right of the board to increase the salary of the assistant clerk was read, showing that the board has his power. The salary question was | hen taken from the table. on motion ,f Mir Fitzsimons, and passed unani- nously. This makes the salary $1.- 200 instead of s1.000.
 On recommendation of the board ] ,f safety Michael Cronan was made 'pecial constable for duty at the clock hop. and Andrew Leary, Daniel ,rowe and James Hanley were given he same authority for duty on the premises of the Chase Rolling Mill 70. The petition of Mrs Johanna )onahue for damages for falling on ] sidewalk on River street, which esulted in the breaking of her ankle. vas referred to committee on law. The petition was presented by Attor- ley James NJ. Lynch A communica- ion from City Attorney John P. Kel- ogg stated that it is the duty of the 'oard to appoint forest fire warden